It's finished - the case for my Enya tenor ukulele.
I've loosely followed a 2012 tutorial by Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night, as she made soprano (small-sized ukulele) cases for her daughters.
Installing a 40" double-tabbed zipper wasn't any more difficult than installing a 5" zipper. It just took longer.
Friday night fun was hand sewing the lining, backed with fleece, to the inside. I made sure to include my Flourishing Palms label on the inside.
One of my favorite labels is on the outside: You Can't Buy This. And, "No I won't make these to sell!"
Every year, the MQG sells a QuiltCon magazine about the show. It's designed and produced by Golden Peak Media. Late each summer, MQG members are invited to submit original quilt designs and story article ideas, with the understanding that if a quilt design is accepted for publication, it will also appear in QuiltCon. Quilt designs submitted may not have been shared on social media.
Each ideas is to be emailed, separately, directly to Golden Peak Media "submissions."
In August 2021 I submitted, via email, two ideas:
1) an article about circles, and the prevalence of that shape in modern quilts; and
2) this quilt, my original design made for our Central Florida MQG 2021 Chips and Charms Challenge.
 |
| 51½" X 62½" |
When, by late October 2021 I hadn't heard anything about the two emails I'd sent, I contacted the company (by email), forwarding each emailed-in-August submission and asking the status of them. The editor replied that neither submission had been seen by them, and the magazine was already put together.
To say the least, I was disappointed. My emails had not bounced.
Fast forward to August 2022 when the invitation for QuiltCon magazine submissions arrived from the MQG. I immediately returned to my two 2021 submissions, submitting them with a comment at the top of the email saying:
Please note: I submitted this idea for QuiltCon 2022, and later learned it had never been received or considered. Acknowledgement of this submission is appreciated!
I received acknowledgement that the article submission was received, and though I didn't receive acknowledgment that the quilt submission had been received, I assumed that the reply covered both submissions.
I was so wrong.
On October 8 I received an email telling me my article submission would not be accepted. Assuming they hadn't made a decision about my quilt submission, I waited for a response about it.
On Friday, I sent an email to Golden Peak Media asking the status of my quilt submission for QuiltCon magazine. Can you guess the response I received?
"I received your note regarding your Chips and Charms quilt submission. I’m afraid we did not receive it. All of the articles and quilts for the 2023 issue of QuiltCon Magazine have been selected and contracted."
It'll accept fault for not confirming that the quilt submission was received. But where in the world do my emails to them go?! They sure didn't bounce. I can only conclude that the company has a problem with their email system. And this must surely be happening to others who submit to their publications.
All this has taught me to verify, verify, verify. Do not assume.
I will not again attempt to submit this quilt to QuiltCon magazine.
It's a good thing I'm in Bible study right now! From the Glory Days study by Max Lucado I've learned about strongholds (sins) in my life - admitting them, facing them, and dealing with them. This experience has me confronting and being held accountable for my stronghold of "pride." Lord, I have certainly learned a lesson.
Book Recommendation
As Maddie draws on her design and sewing skills to fill Aunt Etta's shoes, she discovers a confidential document that could change the lives of the entire community. Concerned for others, she unburdens herself to two friends. When both her life and Aunt Etta's are threatened, Maddie knows she has to reveal everything she knows, even at the risk of forever changing her life, and Aunt Etta's.
Once again, I was pulled into a fascinating story that I learned, through the author's notes at the end, is based on historical research about the tobacco industry. The author mentions another books that I'd like to read: The Gilded Leaf by Patrick Reynolds and Tom Schactman, based on three generations of the R.J. Reynolds family.
Linda's score: 4.1/5.0
Your ukulele case is awesome! I think you will get many requests for one once others have seen it! So sorry to hear about your QuiltCon experience. Email is wonderful when it works, but when it doesn't you have no idea why! As you say, its probably happened to others too!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun finish, and so useful, Linda!!! Like wrapping your uke in a quilt. And you'll save yourself a lot of words by flashing that "No I won't make these to sell", because everyone who has a uke and sees your case is going to want one! I know what you mean--how it can be tricky getting the stitching close to the cording. Bummer on the wonder clips. I love the palm tree and the reminder of your blogging Bible verse. I'm speechless on the Quilt Con correspondence.
ReplyDeleteWow! Love the pretty ukelele case! Great fabric and too cute palm pull! I wouldn’t want to make any to sell either. I would have thought the Quilt con people would have their system correct, people are counting on it!
ReplyDeleteYou conquered plenty of challenges making the case and I'm sure others would be interested in having one like it. Most people have no concept of what it takes to make something like that, so your little sign tells them right up front! Clever. The little charm looks right at home there. The e-mail issue- who'd have ever thought??? It does sound more like a problem at their end as you'd likely have received any message that bounced. How disappointing.
ReplyDeleteHi Pamela! Thank you for your compliments on my ukulele case, and glad you agree about NOT making them to sell. People who don't sew have no idea of the cost, time, and effort involved in making one. I wouldn't make one for someone else for less than $500! :-) I am not blaming QuiltCon for the problem with my magazine submission, as I sent it to Golden Peak Media. I just wish GPM recognized there's a problem (am I the only one this has happened to?) and change their submission format. Sorry I can't email you directly, but you're a "no reply-commenter." Linda
ReplyDeleteYour ukulele case is so you . . . especially with that extra special zip pull. I can only imagine how hard it is to put together. You have every right to be frustrated with the way your submissions were handled. It's been years since I've submitted anything but one thing I remember is that usually they say they will contact you so please don't bother them by following up on entries. Makes me wonder what's really going on behind the scene.
ReplyDeleteYou did a wonderful job on the ukulele case! Other folks have complained of the little clips breaking. Plastic wears out, I suspect, though at the price I would hope Wonder clips would last longer! MQG needs to take responsibility for monitoring their contractors—remember the year of the awful QuiltCon registration? I belong to MQG only because I like the people in my local group.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry about your submission problems. One would think that after finding they had a problem with their system last year they would have done something about it before this year's submissions opened up. Shame on them! It certainly doesn't give their company credibility.
ReplyDeleteLove your ukulele case! It looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteYour ukelele case is awesome. Fun labels. How frustrating about the quilt/article submission! Yes, I have had some of those wonder clips break like that too, but I figure seven years is probably a good run for something like that.
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry that happened to you. Maybe they were so swamped with entries a heap went to spam? You would think they would check that folder regularly as well though, during the article call. Your submitted quilt is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel, for commiserating about my experience with the magazine business. Indeed, it's quite likely that my emails went into their spam filter. I am fearful that it's happened to other quilters too. In any case, I'm not trying again with Golden Peak Media. I learned my lesson! Thanks for liking my submitted quilt. It's a favorite that was fun to make because blocks were hand-appliquéd. Sorry I cannot reply to you directly, but you're a No Reply-Commenter... so I have no way to respond to you. Did you read this?
ReplyDelete