Those of you that have shipped a quilt somewhere, do you worry about it while it’s in route? You know, that worry that something might happen to it before it arrives at it’s destination? Or that it doesn’t arrive at it’s destination? Well, let me share my heart stopping experience with you……………………….

My friend Doris and I entered her quilt into the Innovations quilt show. It was time to send the quilt, so I went over to Doris’ house and we folded the quilt, placed it inside white plastic bags with the paperwork showing, so that when they open the box they will see which quilt it is. The box itself was a little bigger than the quilt, so we stuffed old plastic bags in the bottom of the box to fill up the empty space. It was ready to ship. Sp off to the store I go to send the quilt.

I get t0 the store to ship the quilt. I have to tell them how much I’m insuring the box for and it’s a rather large amount. Way large actually! I showed them the appraisel on it, and they made a copy for their records. While the guy is filling out his paperwork, I took a sharpie and wrote my name on the side of the box, (as requested by Innovations) Remember what I just said, I took a sharpie and wrote my name on the side of the box. Ok, I got all the paperwork done, paid the man, and went home.

Later that day, I received an e-mail with the tracking numbers and I started tracking the box. Everything was looking good!!!

Meanwhile, here’s how the e-mails went with the nice lady from Innovations.

Me:I’m letting you know that I have shipped my quilt, Flora Elena by Fed ex, so it’s on it’s way. I’ll look forward to hearing from you when it arrives.

a few days later

Her:Where do you live?

Me: I live in Kansas. According to Fed ex, the quilt has arrived. Is this correct?

( I checked the tracking # and saw that it had arrived before sending that e-mail.)

What?????????? I had all kinds of thoughts running through my mind!! I started thinking that Oh my gosh, somebody stole the quilt and sent a box in it’s place, and the quilt is nowhere to be found!!!! Because, I know I wrote my name on the box. That’s NOT my box! But Fed ex said my box was delivered!Oh my……what am I going to tell Doris?????????????

Me: But I did use a sharpie and write it on the side of the box. I did that while I was waiting on the guy to fill out the papers. Now I’m worried……

After I sent the last e-mail, I was convinced that, that wasn’t my box! I couldn’t wait for her to respond to my last e-mail. I found a phone number and called to talk to the lady. Like she said, my name was not on the box……..at this point and time, I am shaking, my stomach is tied up in knots, I then ask her to please open the box………..she did…………….she says “Oh, can you hold on I need to lay down the phone, there’s lots of styrafoam peanuts in the box.” I was silent………..no words came out of my mouth……….but I’m thinking…….OH NO!!!!! WE DIDN”T PUT ANY PEANUTS IN THE BOX!!!!!!!!! It’s going to be nothing but a box full of peanuts!!!!!!!!!!! NO QUILT!!!!!!!

She soon picks up the phone and says, “well, there’s a box inside a box” surrounded by peanuts. Oh, there’s your name on this box. They’ve cut the box down, because your name is folded.” I’m thinking WHAT??????????

She goes on to open the next box and confirms that the quilt is in there……..WHEW!!!!! WHAT A RELIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, at this time, I’m still shaking and my nerves were shot! It took a while to calm down and now I want to know, why did the store reopen the box and cut the box down? I’m going to go there next week and find out why! They have no idea what they did to my nerves!!!

Next time we send the quilt somewhere, Doris is coming along too!!! I can’t take the pressure!!!!!!

Theresa