For many years I have collected old indigo pieces of fabric from the late 1800's or early 1900's. My favorites being the stars and especially moons. Many times over the last 15-20 years I have dreamed of having new fabrics made from them. In March 2010 I sent antique swatches to Blue Hill asking if these could be made into new fabric as I have
wanted repros of them for years to buy. That April I got a call from Blue Hill Fabrics saying they were using some of my swatches and they would be in a small line called the Moon and Stars Collection. How fun! The line came out early in 2011 and I have been buying up the ones I liked in the navy, burgundy and browns and have used some in my projects. They didn't use every swatch I sent in but did use my favorite ones. There are some striped ones in the line I did not send in and also a cheater piece they combined the pieces in. The line is credited to their house designer, Sara Morgan, who is an imagined name used by the Blue Hill
people. They did send me the ordering flyer to see the samples from.
Would it not have been nice to get some free fabric????? Yes! I didn't get any free fabric but am happy to see it in print and able to buy what I have lusted for these many years. I think my quilt friends will get very tired of seeing moons and stars in my future projects. So fun!
While I was so happy to see my antique swatches made into new fabrics, I was disappointed that Blue Hill never contacted me when they were due to be in stores. Bummer, I had
to find out on my own.
When I told hometown quilt friends and mentioned it to the online Yahoo group I am on, so many quilters asked if I received any complimentary fabrics from Blue Hill from the swatches of mine they used. Hhhhmmmm, no I did not receive any complimentary fabrics. It was suggested to me a number of times that I write to Blue Hill and request the mentioned complimentary fabric so I did. It kind of felt like begging to me for something that would have been a nice guesture on their part. Then I did write to RR, the man who put the production of my swatches into gear and I never heard anything back from him.
So while I was happy at the fabric being printed, my experience with the process was
not that great. Seems once my swatches were used, I was left hanging to be a consumer (which I was happy to be) and only left with a copy of the swatch ordering leaflet.
Quilters, I would be interested in your opinions on this matter..................
9 comments:
I think it stinks! I do have couple of friends that make quilts for advertising purposes and the fabric they are given has been cut way back. They are asked to work miracles. I know the fabric industry is hurting but there is such a thing as courtesy in at least writing you back.
What a bummer! I don't think I would send them any more samples.
How wonderful that you have such a nice antique/vintage fabric collection.
I know they are hurting like Lori said, but I would have thought they would have at least sent you a letter or at least a small bit of fabric, or some credit or something. But I do LOVE it - now I need to find some!
I think you should write them and ask that they credit you on the website (if and when it is updated to add this collection) --inspired by antique fabrics in collection of X and send you a yard of each fabric. But if this is from fall market, all the advertising may be done?
Best of luck. And lesson learned be careful what you send out. Of course, wonder if they'll just start taking things from blogs. I know I often see individuals copying that way.
I am appalled!! I would NEVER send them any more samples of anything!! Just think of all the free advertising and PR they could have had had they sent you a lovely box of FREE fabric from YOUR line! You would have tooted your horn and we in turn would have gone to their site to order some fabric. Puts a sour taste in your mouth! You on the other hand are taking it VERY well!! Good for you! Really a shame...
P
This reminded me of something that happened in my past. You might be interested in reading about it in a post I wrote several years ago.
My post
It's so disappointing to experience. On one hand you're excited but on the other, you feel used. It's not right.
I think it's pretty rude that your long work of collecting the swatches over the years has not been publicly acknowledged by the company and it goes without saying that they should have sent you some useable samples of each fabric they chose to reproduce of YOUR swatches!! I was just discussing how morally bankrupt the world has become and how the almighty $ is paramount, not even the courtesy of letting you know when the line would be available in the shops. Badly done Blue Hill fabrics!
At the very least, they could have sent you a note to thank you. And really, how much money would they loose by sending you a fat quarter of the fabrics they chose to reproduce. After all, they wouldn't have know about any of the fabrics if you hadn't sent the samples to them. I love Civil War fabrics but I think I will not be looking at anything from Blue Hill.
Fabric Companies have more than enough fabric to have at least shared small cuts with you! Even a few FQ would have been nice! If they really thought about it, it would have been a benefit to them as I am sure you would have posted samples and possibly projects that would have quilters interested in purchasing some of those fine prints!! It truly is their loss....
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