Well.... you might need to add an addition to the guild building :):) We'll do a drive for building supplies next week... my son-in-law is a manager of a Home Depot :):) And he loves me alot.... not sure if we can mail nails and hammers internationally....

Cathy, Why continue the 'drive' and hire a bus and pay us all a visit!!

Izy - I'm curious - can't you order fabric off the internet?

Sure she can order off the internet, but very few sites will ship overseas and even some won't ship to Alaska/Hawaii/Guam and Puerto Rico, even tho they ARE part of the US.
Plus, shipping rates from companies that WILL ship, charge an arm, leg and your first born for something that costs as little as $5.00....they want $10.00 for shipping.
So, if there are those willing here to help others out by sending some scraps, fat quarters or whatever else they really aren't using, why not?
It's a great idea!
I, for one, am all for it.
I live on Guam. We have Ben Franklin here and fabric prices start at $7/yard for the SAME stuff you buy at Walmart for $3/yard. There isn't alot of variety either. They have 5 banquet tables of fabric and that is it!
So, I have to either get in touch with friends in the states and ask them to find me some pretty fabric....I sometimes e-mail them pictures of what I am looking for and mail them a check to cover costs.
I shop online and PAY TONS for shipping, and also wait weeks and weeks for something to arrive. It's the US Postal System here and I am still waiting on a package that was sent PRIORITY MAIL 3 weeks ago!
So, in retrospect....
Yes, she can order online, but if people out of the goodness of their hearts want to help her out or ANYONE for that matter, why not?

**disclaimer.....I don't mean to sound b****y

You don't sound b.........
Thanks for the explanation. I was not aware of that.

I reread it after I posted it and it did come across a little bi***y to me, but sometimes when explaining something, things get screwed up in the internet transit.
I'm just grateful there are people out there that are willing to help others out. I know exactly how it is to be on a "deserted" island and not have anything that you are used to having.

Tirhni, thanks for explaining in my absence. You are right of course on all counts.

BUT ALSO last year after only a few weeks of registering with pay pal and going onto ebay....I was the unfortunate victim of identity fraud....they managed to take over 1000 pounds, they increased my overdraft, managed to get cash back so had my PIN number etc. before my bank picked up on this, I was unaware as for ease of registering with ebay U.K. I used my account from the U.K.....

It took quite a few weeks and lots of expensive phone calls, backwards and forward to the U.K., needless to say I cancelled my paypal and haven't touched ebay since, my account details were renewed etc. and it was probably just bad luck, but it sure has put me off internet shopping. :cry:

I understand about ebay. Have been "taken" by a few on there. I do, however, use another account and before I buy anything with that account, I make sure I have no more than $5 OVER what the purchase is. It's not connected to any other accounts, so I'm safe with that. So, now I only buy internet from places I can trust and ebay is not one of them.

Izy I am new to this area of the board and am so very curious about the the maner in which you make quilts without having easy access to fabric. What do you use as batting? or are you able to purchase it. If not what do u use? Is sewing materials such as thread and needles easy to buy and is it only fabric that is in short supply where you are? Please forgive me if I am being rude I just love knowing more about different cultures. Thank you sewbusy

Hi sewbusy, it's lovely to be able to share our new life with you all.

The spanish ladies DO sew, but just not patchwork, so regular needles and threads (Guttermans) are available. We have one shop which does import from Clover but everything is sssoooo expensive and seeing as most of our members are retired and on a tight budget, we have to be resourceful!!

As a group what we tend to do, is when anyone is returning to the U.K. we make sure they go with a long list......no short notice vacations allowed, we all need plenty of time to check what we are short off AND they are not allowed to pack too many clothes that way they bring back as much as possible!! (not too good for me last week as it was freezing - good job my mum is the same size as me, I just borrow a few things from her tee hee!!)

Even when I return to Manchester where my family live, believe it or not we do not have one single quilting shop anywhere nearby....city centre, masses of shops......quilting just not popular there. Southern England has alot more interest. Guess I will have to make my family up sticks down south eh????

When we approached the one local shop, as a group, she very kindly negotiated a price for a full roll of batting, but it is only polyester, and 80cm wide - which meant on my 100 x 100 quilt (first one) I have had to join it very carefully) just as well it doesn't get very cold here as it is very thin too lol!!

I managed to find some other batting, which is supposed to be for upholstery, and in fairness I have used it in my wall hangings and it seems quite good. I don't think you could use if for a bed quilt as it is quite stiff.

Basically by hook and by crook, we all support one another, and share what ever we can as a group, magazines are another frustration, although one of our ladies has subscribed to an australian magazine as she very kindly lets us borrow them.

Now may I ask you a question.....lol???

Do you find that when you do buy fabric via the internet the quality and colour is as you expected, as the little amount I received through ebay, that was supposed to be quality fabric, left me alittle disappointed. Plus its very hard to gauge colour don't you think. You can't beat seeing and feeling it first lol!!!

When I went back to the U.K., due to the lack of fabric, I search through the local charity shops, and bought quite a few mens shirts, skirts etc., and cut them up, discarding all the collars and cuffs etc., and added them to my stash. One of our ladies has made several beautiful quilts all from second hand clothing!!

Okay, does that help you understand a little bit more of living in Spain and quilting...????lol!!