Guest Post on Craizee Corner!
Sharon of Craizee Corner is doing a month of Kate Spain posts. For a Kate Spain fan like myself, that's hugely exciting. And even better, Sharon has asked me (me!) to do a guest post! (Well, I offered and she said yes, that's just as exciting isn't it?!).
As followers know, I was fortunate enough to get an 'advance copy' of Kate's new line. Moda releases a limited number early to Australian distributors - nice to know we get SOMETHING early! If you're not in Australia and feeling a little jealous, let me make you feel better:
- in LQS (of which there are very few, especially on the West Coast) we pay $22-32/meter (which is a little over a yard)
- non-designer, 'cheap' fabrics in the big suppliers start at around $13/m
- 80/20 batting is $30m so a Queen size quilt costs me $90
- I just paid $40 for 2 lots of batting from the US plus $35 surface postage (8 weeks - $55 if I want it faster), which is more than the batting itself
- buying online from the US, we pay $13.50 postage for up to 8 yards of fabric
- local online suppliers generally have to mark up to cover their postage from the US so it's often cheaper to get it direct from places like the Fat Quarter Shop.
Still want to swap places?! I hope that makes you feel better about a very few of us getting an early look at some fabrics! A yard of fabric may cost you $6 if you are in the US, but for me, from the US, it costs $19.50, and I can't always justify/afford buying 8 yards at a time to get my money's worth out of the postage. (And NO ONE has all the fabrics I want at the moment - bella solid terrain iris and skelanimals just in case any suppliers are reading!)
I'm so happy to have found a few 'local' online shops that supply at the same cost as buying a jelly roll or layer cake from the US, such as the lovely Jane at Want it Need it Quilt. If you're really really wanting the fabric early, you could turn the tables and buy it from Oz and pay our exorbitant postage rates!
Now my grumble is over, if you're still with me and would like a review of the Good Fortune line, and to see how to make my Good Fortune blocks, head on over to Craizee Corner by clicking the button below and have a look!
And here's my flash thingy again, cos I love it! If you don't have flash, sorreeee...
How lovely to be a guest blogger!
ReplyDeleteWe have a few LQS in my area (or within an hour's drive) but some are going out of business due to competition from online shopping! With our small population and distance from USA, we are never going to win this one!! :-(
US girl here (don't hurt me...LOL) For the record...I had to go see what the $ really meant. HOLY SMOKES!!! For those of us in the US I just went and used a free dollar converter...20.00 AUD = 19.9291 USD. Yeah, ok, I feel the AUS pain. You guys deserve the early arrival...LOL
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your guest post. As you know, I'm super keen to (a) get this line and (b) make your block so yay, yay, yay!!
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I started (yes, as in haven't finished) a Bachelor of Asian Studies too. Focused on Japanese language, history etc. Sooo fascinating.
And thanks for outlining our ridiculous prices. I've tried to explain that to people too... just to make them see how expensive it is here. I usually try to fill my order so I get the most out of the postage but that can get expensive. So if you ever desperately need something we could possibly put in an order together and just half the postage cost?? Might be something to think about. :)
* Halve. Duh. It's nearly midday... I should be awake by now. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the block tutorial, I really like the end result.
ReplyDeleteOUCH!!
Those prices are insane! Glad you had the early sneak peek.
Carolyn
Now you'll appreciate it all the more when we do do giveaways from downunder!!! :)
ReplyDeletecrikey! it's not good when the postage is more than the fabric! I will have to train a squad of high speed carrier pigeons to bring your orders over for free... if you can just feed them and send them on their way back when you've got the goods that'd be good ;)
ReplyDeleteFlashy thing didn't seem to do anything for me when I tried it last time, but it seemed to be a fortune cookie... which I just happened to have one of in my kitchen (we did a "round the world" quiz at work for Customer Service Week, and that was on of the nibbles)... so I ate that and pretended my Flash was working :)