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By July 19, when the shipping company still could not find my quilt, I began feeling desperate, like my child was kidnapped and no one cared. I decided to notify anyone who could possibly help. I started searching the Internet for ideas. I phoned the shipping company and the people who sent the quilt from Omaha on a daily basis. I e-mailed TV stations and consumer advocates. I e-mailed other websites which had other lost or stolen quilts posted. I knew this must have happened to other people.
LESSON NO. 4: Tell everyone! Be descriptive and concise. Be persistent.
The more people you get involved, the better chance you have to succeed. The more precise you can be, the better they can help you. Know your quilt. Know the dimensions, colors and distinctive markings that set it apart.
Another week went by and the quilt was still missing. I finally decided to create a website to display lost or stolen quilts and also to offer useful information that would hopefully prevent other quilts from becoming "lost." It was something constructive I could do while I waited for my quilt to turn up. I wanted a name for the website that was easy to remember so I registered the domain name www.lostquilt.com. Fortunately, I did have pictures of my quilt which I was able to place on the website. It is amazing how many people do not ever photograph or document their quilt. Without it, it becomes nearly impossible to recover a lost quilt.
LESSON NO. 5: Document your quilt thoroughly as soon as you are done with it.
This includes keeping receipts for the supplies you purchased to make it, labeling it with your name and address, and taking good photographs of the quilt.
On the website, I also decided to include information about what I have learned through this ordeal. At this point, it did not seem hopeful that the quilt would be recovered. I had not given up, but I had to face all the possibilities so I wouldn't continue on the roller coaster of emotions that ruled the entire month of July. But the need to tell others to get their quilt appraised grew. Without an appraisal, the most I could hope to recover would be the cost of materials. This realization came as quite a blow.
LESSON NO. 6: Get an appraisal by a certified appraiser. Don't wait. Get it soon!
Your estimate of your quilt's value means nothing. Sentimental value means nothing. You need a written appraisal by someone that a shipping or insurance company will accept as an authority.
Be realistic about what you could lose. View yourself as a serious artist. I tend to under-value my work, so it was eye-opening to me when I read a survey in the Spring 1999 issue of American Quilter magazine which showed that between 1992 and 1996 the median selling price of an art quilt was $125 per square foot.
When my quilt was juried into an international show I finally decided to make a second duplicate quilt. Five days into the quilt re-making process I got THE CALL I had been waiting for - the shipping company finally located my quilt! When it was delivered, I discovered that my cardboard box had been completely crushed, even though I had used one with double sides. Thankfully, the quilt survived without any damage whatsoever! There was no explanation on how or why this package had been lost for fifty-three days. The shipping label and the tracking number were completely intact.
LESSON NO. 7: Don't give up.
The more I talked to others about what was happening, the more I was encouraged to not give up. On my own, I would have been very depressed. With the help of others, I was able to put together a website which will hopefully help the quilt community.
What have I gained? Through this ordeal I have gained some wisdom, which is a good thing, and some weight, which is not. I have also gained an intense desire to warn, educate and help other quilters. Hopefully, my near-loss can be used to motivate others so they won't have to go through this.
What can you gain? Please, learn from my experience. Don't take your quilt for granted, but find out how valuable it is and take the necessary steps to protect it. Become aware of what is going on in the quilt world so we can help each other. Lastly, be on the look out for lost and stolen quilts so some may be returned to their rightful owners.
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