But first a MOAN. Blardy house insurance! Up for renewal (Christmas Eve it's due) and of course it's gone up a big chunk again - I do NOT like having to pay for other people's claims or the fact that builders now charge more and builders merchants have put their prices up which is how these companies justify their excesses. Tam and Rosie are arriving later and so she will help me - thank de Lord. Oh dear, 150 m from a watercourse? That will bump the price up - BUT that watercourse is at the bottom of a deep gully - a canyon almost - and no way could it ever rise up sufficiently to flood us as we are probably 60+ feet above it and it is still 150m away. Yeesh - how I miss Keith, who always dealt logically and sensibly with all the paperwork. He came to me in a dream last night - just a "walk on" part - where he was being - hah, logical and sensible about something, bless him! Anyway, it has occurred to me that rather than filling in an all or nothing statement about having window locks (two downstairs (old) windows don't, it's better just to get locks for them and then that is covered. They could also do with a draught excluding tape too because they are early Victorian and worn and draughty. Is the rebuild value REALLY £1,399,000??? I don't think so!
Well, suitably cheered up by the Quilt Exhibition and seeing old friends on Sunday, I finally got around to the border on Gabby's quilt yesterday and that is half done now - another 3 strips. I think I will enquire if Alex (our teacher at the patchwork group) can put it through her long-arm quilter for me. Worth paying for that as it's a double so a lot of work doing it by hand.
I would have gotten onto it earlier but I had to strip and remake my bed - finally putting the electric blanket on the right way up! Dozo . . . I put the linen bedding on it and slept well last night - it settles around the body better than my high-count cotton Strawberry Thief duvet cover.
Not my colourway, but cleverly done.
These Bargello quilts are amazing.
The cat that got the cream :)
There is a level of competence in those quilts that is almost impossible to achieve. Quilts had a humble background, bed coverings to keep you warm, we have gone a long way from then.
ReplyDeleteYou think these are competent - just check out the art quilts from America where fabric is used to paint . . .
DeleteSo many beautiful quilts, and yes it will be so much easier to just buy a couple of locks so you can truthfully tick another box. Have you thought of going online and comparing the quote with others, just to see if there is a similar but cheaper option.
ReplyDeleteOh believe me, comparing all over the place and may end up phoning the company I am already with and suggesting they will only get my custom again if they drop the price a bit (worked last year).
DeleteCan't get the locks in town, so will buy on line and/or get my carpenter to come out and fix them as I need him to come and quote for a new window in the en-suite.
I'll be returning to these photos for inspiration. I have the fabric--stamina needed to produce the quilts! I'm thinking of some 'big block' quilts to utilize my many 'remnants.' The strip-pieced Hour Glass blocks and the big scrappy stars are interesting. Figuring out the math to make the Log Cabin variation would be a real challenge without the printed pattern. I have the cat quilt pattern--should make one. I finished the 30 blocks last evening for my grandson's quilt; it is my take on a 16 Inch block I saw on pinterest. I find that with 'scrappy' quilts I'm spending as much time sorting fabric and laboring with a rotary cutter as I do at the sewing machine.
ReplyDeleteYes, a cat quilt!
ReplyDeleteI started shopping around for a better quote, only to have NFU quote me three times my current premium. So much for sprats to catch smackerels! I'm wondering if I really need contents coverage. If anything happened that I would be replacing contents, it would be catastrophic damage, meaning I would be selling the property as a plot and putting myself into residential care at this stage in the game.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI do admire the patience and skill involved
Oh you are naughty BB to tempt me with these pics. I love the Bargello tiny patch quilts. Gorgeous. If I were you I would ask the carpenter (your carpenter has done work for you before I think) to buy the locks. He’ll be able to pick them up from his supplier and will know the right sort of lock to get for your old windows. These things are a nightmare for an amateur to buy online. Our house insurance is due end of the month and we’re within 300 metres of the river but well above it and we don’t pay extra. Definitely shop around for insurance, ours is organised by an agent who we have been with for more than 30 years and because it’s their job (and we’ve never ever had to claim for anything) we always get a good deal. I’m out out in a mo, off to see Small Things Like These preceded by an aperitif and canapé with friends. I’m wearing a skirt and tights and boots and my legs feel odd! No doubt I will get used to it! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteAfter paying premiums for years for Contents Insurance I realised I didn’t have enough high value contents to justify forking out so much money on a regular basis so I stopped it.
ReplyDeleteBuildings Insurance, now that’s a different matter; if the building suffers I’d be vastly out of pocket without insurance.
I like the log cabin with geese...very apt for the present season as the skeins fly above
ReplyDeleteIsn't paying insurance premiums sickening! Could you send your company evidence of the height of your house above the water? I reckon there'd be a Google earth or something, or even a young willing Council person able to ferret out that kind of info. And feel so pleased with him/her/self for being proficient! Your quilts are lovely. I felt for you with the electric blanket on the wrong way round - I did the same, and it was one of those darned elasticised things that nearly strangle you before they snap into place, and then Will.Not.Move.... even when you need them to! Makes me very reluctant to swap the mattress over, the way we're supposed to! Enjoy having Tam and Rosie with you. You probably notice big changes every tie she comes, as they seem to develop so quickly through those toddler months. Keep warm too!
ReplyDeleteSo many beautiful quilts and completed so wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteOur house insurance went up as well by $200.00. I think we are helping pay for those who made claims during our terrible hail storm in June of this year.
God bless.
I cannot comprehend the minds that can block together these sorts of scenes. They are amazing to me. I'm curious about your insurance though. Here, we pay a premium based on the house itself. They might come out, have a look at your house and determine that they won't cover it if, say, the chimney needs repointed. Or perhaps they don't like the look of the steps. Things like that. But after you are given a policy, they do not come out and reinspect and call for you to add other features.
ReplyDelete