So this is going to be more than just a reveal of the winner of the scraps is…..this is going to be a long explanation of how I embarrassed myself publicly.
Try to follow along with me….
A couple months ago I was cleaning my sewing room. Â I came to the realization that I didn’t need all of the itty bitty scraps that I had. Â The scraps were small and good for paper piecing. Â I held a giveaway. Â They were shipped out that winner is happily sewing along with them.
Shortly after that I go an email for Jenelle. Â She was cleaning her sewing room and had a box of scrap fabric that she wanted to get rid of. Â She had seen that MANY people had signed up hoping to win my box of scraps so she offered that she would give her book away to one of our blog readers if I was willing to host the project. Â I said yes right away. Â I knew that blog readers would love it.
At the same time my friend Nell and I had been talking. Â She had the summer off from school and was tackling her sewing room. Â She had asked how I organize and get myself to trim it all up. Â I told her my favorite method is to cut a quilt out as I clean the scrap. Â I also suggested she make one of Crazy Mom’s Scrap Vortex quilts then she could simple sew as she sorted.
Well somehow in my fast paced-slow brain- life I took Nell to be Jenelle. Â I thought I was talking to the same person. Â Both stories jived…and Nell’s name is Janelle. Â (Yep…I now know. Â Jenelle is from Kansas…Janelle (Nell) is from Nebraska) Â UGH. Â It was a HUGE mix up on my part.
I am so embarrassed. Â Really embarrassed. Â Honestly, I feel bad about it. Â In my defense it’s really hard. Â When people leave comments on the blog their online name might come up as MaryS. Â When they email me the email address might come up as BandM@whatever. Â Then on Instragram they are something else and on Facebook something else yet. Â Regardless I still take TOTAL responsibility for the mix up.
Anyway…I didn’t know any of this until my phone rang. Â It was Nell (yes the Janelle from Nebraska) she was laughing on the phone at the blog post I had done about the giveaway. Â She said she surely had scraps she could give away but we had NEVER had the conversation….After a bit of talking and explaining I figured out what had happened. Â HOW EMBARRASSING. Â UGH.
Nell said (and even her son in the back ground) said that she had plenty she could give away….I laughed and thanked her. Â She’s such a sport.
Then I called Kelli and explained to her what I did. Â All Kelli said was- “What are you going to do about it?” Â UGH. Â That’s why I was calling her. Â I wanted her to tell me what to do.
Then I sent a note to Jenelle (yes the one in Kansas) and apologized.  I asked her to tell me a little about herself….Here’s part of what she wrote, “I grew up in Iowa. Moved to Portland Oregon in 1989 and lived there for 22 years. Then we moved to my husbands family farm in Central Kansas almost 5 years ago. I started quilting in 2003 when I was going to have my first grand child who sadly only lived a few minutes, but I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying working with fabrics. I now have 2 wonderful grand children ages 10 and 11. I started out with a small Embroidery/sewing machine and have graduated into having a larger embroidery machine / sewing machine combo as well as a long arm quilting machine and a couple antique machines. ”
Well now I know better who is who. Â I did chuckle all over again when Jenelle signed her email, “Jenelle (from Kansas) not Janelle (from Nebraska)“. Â If that doesn’t help me, nothing will…HA!
In light of all of the mix up. Â I decided to offer up a second box of my scraps….We’ll have two winners.
Sorry I didn’t get the best picture. Â All I can say is that the box from me is chuck full. Â The bag on the left is full of brown strings. Â I’m hoping someone might want to make Bonnie Hunter’s Pffernuse quilt that’s in her String Fling book.
So how to pick winners…How about this?I had said that Janelle or Nell from Nebraska would pick her favorite children’s book…well being that Nell is no long in the picture I am picking two childhood books that meant a lot to me. Â I vividly remember my mother reading “The Boxcar Children” and “The Black Stallion” to me. Â I loved them both and they will forever be on my favorite book list. Â There were several people who mentioned each of those books.
So the winner of Jenelle (the one from Kansas)’s box of goodies is ….Cindy Wienstroer who said, “Some of my favorite books were by Margierite Henry like Misty of Chincoteague and the Black Stallion series. Guess I liked horses!! Thanks”
..and the winner of my box of scrap goodies is…Kay Mc who said, “The Boxcar Kids was always my favorite book to read in elementary school. Looks like a great box of scraps to play with.”
phew…okay. Â There’s the whole story. Â Sometimes behind what seems like a simple blog post is a big mess of me of putting my foot in my mouth. Â And with that, confession time is over. Â Apologizes to Janelle…and to Jenelle…and to all of you who got wrapped up in my mistake.
Hey, it is totally understandable. If talking to someone, they would be confused by the like sounding names. Besides, it gives you something to blog about, us something to read and chuckle over. I cannot imagine anyone not finding it amusing and thinking “sounds like something that could happen in MY life!” You do so much stuff in a day, not sure how you keep it all straight. Never miss a day reading your life and thank you for taking the time to keep us all update. Hugs, it’s all good!
So glad I had finished my entire morning Dr Pepper before reading about the two J’s. No wonder you were confused. Bless both of their hearts and yours. Aren’t quilters the best people?
Lol, this is making me smile and I think we have all mixed up names and I agree with the earlier comments, quilters are the best people. I just took my first class with Bonnie Hunter and I love her method of cutting and storing her scraps. I now have 3 of her books to enjoy and I’m busy making Bricks in the Barnyard and Boxy Stars.
I know your pain, Jo. My sister is named Susan. My sister-in-law is named Susan. My cousin’s ex-wife is Susan. My next door neighbor is Susan. My son’s girlfriend’s mother (who used to live next door, same house) is also Susan. Did I mention that my sister and I are identical twins? Whenever we talk about “Sue” in my family, the next question is, “Which one?”
This is why I read your blog faithfully, and why you are my bestie! You are down to earth, honest and lovable. Don’t change a thing. We all understand!!
I can see how the mix-up happened, and it’s those little things that make life interesting!
Just keep on being yourself, Jo, and sharing your quilts and your life with all of us who faithfully read your blog…
Yes, a very honest mistake and so much fun for me to read your story admitting this. I love reading your blog Jo & this is one of the best reasons why I do. Thank you for sharing this very human mistake story today! My coffee break is over now & I can return to my vacuuming with a big smile!
Oh, I have done that, opened my mouth and changed my feet! Hey, its life! Love your blog, keep up the good work.
Draw one more. . .I put a box together to send, too!
Oh, well, we all do things to embarrass ourselves…I did last night in front of the Village Board no less. Life goes on. Anyway, since I’m retiring on Aug. 29th at 3pm this is the last year I have to appear before them to ask for money for the library.
Funny thing about Nell (Janelle)..a couple years ago I saw a picture of her and her mom at Bonnie Hunter’s New Year’s class in Texas. Then they were at your Bonnie Hunter retreat in Iowa, weren’t they? Anyway I recognized her mom though it took me a little while to place them as a family who lived here near Orchard a lot of years ago and would come in to the library. It is indeed a small world.
I could have used that bag of brown strings. I’ve been slowly getting fabrics together and cutting for Pfefferneuse. Will be taking brown strings and the papers along to a group retreat next month. I’ll need something simple to sew on while visiting.
Oh Jo, you did wonderful explaining all of this. Yes, it still makes me giggle. I did wonder if you noticed how I signed the email as “Jenelle (Kansas) not Janelle (Nebraska). teehee. Some times I can be ornery. We just got back from camping today so I will get my box in the mail tomorrow. It is so nice that “Nell” is getting a box together to send out too. So much fun.