It is Tuesday morning and I am currently watching the news with the horrifying videos of the devastating earthquake in Christ Church, New Zealand. My heart goes out to all who live in the area and I hope that none of our TQS or SoTTT's members have been affected by this tragedy. If you have, please let us ALL know if there is ANYTHING that we can do for you.

My prayers go out to everyone in New Zealand.

Sincerely,
Debbie

leafy wrote:

Thanks, Leafy. Based on this and other comments and the fact that postal workers knew what was being done at the time of shipment, we can probably leave the metered postage as is.

For those who have not sent packages yet, double check with your post office to see what they recommend and go with that recommendation. Remember to use your own address as the 'sender' address or your return mail.

Debbie

Margo, they told me the same thing....without my asking.

I didn't mean to cause a panic, but just reported what the main supervisor of my local PO told me. Not just a clerk or delivery person, but the main supervisor.

I know in the past, I've returned metered (and past-dated) letters back to one company or another with no problems.
I also frequently send out priority mail, enclosing return envelopes with computer-printed mailing/prepaid postage labels. These labels have my original mailing date, not the date the recipient uses the return envelopes; I have NEVER had a problem.

I suppose *technically* you're supposed to have the current date on your envelope. In practice, probably few (if any) post office workers look to see what the date on the meter stamp or prepaid label is....as long as the postage is correct and paid, everything will probably be fine. Most mail nowadays is sorted and handled by machine. So, if any of you have already sent out your packets and are worrying about the return........relax, it will in all likelihood arrive in your mailbox without any problem.

NaneeWolf wrote:
Has anyone else run into this? I did mine AT the Post Office, told the lady what I was doing, etc., and she herself stuck the metered payment on the return envelope! I'll run over there & ask them tomorrow...
Florence

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL SoTTT's members regarding Postage and Pay Pal for packages that have and have not been mailed.

Also, if you haven't notified me by email that you've mailed your package, please do so as soon as possible so I can let you know when I receive it. If we don't know it's on it's way, we won't know that we need to wait for it if it's delayed for any reason


When you are paying Clara on PayPal, please keep in mind this information based on how many HST's you are sending. This has also been posted on the 1st page of the Forum for several weeks, but I think it would be helpful to repeat it here again. If you've already made a PayPal payment, please read this to determine if you might need to pay for more return postage. We will only be using International Flat Rate envelopes & boxes for returns.

HOW MANY HST'S FIT INTO A FLAT RATE BOX/ENVELOPE???
Thanks to Carol, who already sent me her 700 HST's, I was able to determine approximately how many HTS's will fit into the flat rate envelope and boxes. Carol had them sorted into lunch size baggies with 28 in each and she sent them in a medium sized box that did have room for maybe another 300 or so.

Here's what I came up with:

A flat rate cardboard envelope (12-1/2" x 9-1/2") can hold approximately 308 HSTs. The Small Flat Rate Box (1-1/2" high x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2') will also hold about 308 HSTs. I kept the HST's in the eleven baggies they were already in and that filled up the box pretty well. If they weren't in individual baggies, but maybe only one or two, there should be enough room for 308 (eleven increments of 28 HSTs). Remember to pack them carefully so they don't get scrunched and wrinkled!

The above International smaller envelope and box to Canada/Mexico is $11.95 US and to all other countries, it is $13.95 US. If you are sending more than 308, because it costs a lot more to send one medium flat rate envelope than two small ones, you might want to consider having two small boxes/envelopes returned to you instead of one medium (see the medium cost below). Just be sure to let us know your plan
_______________________________________________________________________________-

The Medium Flat Rate Box (5-1/2" high x 11" x 8-1/2") should hold 700-1092 comfortably (remember increments of 28), but that size does cost significantly more Internationally. The cost to Canada/Mexico is $27.95 US and to all other countries, it is $45.50.

Here's the link to the U.S. Postal Service for International Flat Rate:
http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-international-prices.htm

For SoTTTs Members within the United States...VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING RETURN POSTAGE. PLEASE READ WHETHER YOU HAVE OR HAVEN'T MAILED YOUR HST'S!!!

Margo included this in her recent Forum post, but I'm repeating it here separately in hopes that everyone will see it.

Margo spoke with her local post office when she mailed her HST's and was told because metered postage is dated so it cannot be used for return mail. Hopefully when the packages that have already been mailed were taken to the Post Office, the postal worker provided the same accurate advice to the 'sendee' as Margo received and recommended the use of stamps instead. I am pleased to say the the great majority of packages I have received are posted with stamps, so most everyone is probably fine.

However, if you've already sent your package and you DID use the metered postage on your return envelope, you will need to send replacement stamps for your return postage. If you do need to sent stamps, be sure to include your name and screen name so I'll know where they belong. I ordered a small supply of Tyvek (Priority Flat Rate 9-1/2" x 12.5"envelopes) from the post office, so you don't need to include another envelope unless, of course, you need a larger one. Check with your P.O. to confirm the cost of that particular envelope since it is 'Priority Flat Rate'. Please be sure to include a new address label in case we have to use a new envelope.

For those who have yet to mail packages, please remember to use stamps on your return envelope and not dated metered postage.

Thanks so much for your help in assuring that your HST's are returned to you as promptly and safely as possible.

Debbie

jkamund wrote:
Thank you for including extras for Hanne-Grete & Queensland. There are no limitations as to what fabrics you can send to them. We've already received a variety of HSTs for them, and I'm sure that whatever you want to include will be greatly appreciated. If you care to add a little extra for mailing or other expenses (like packing tape, etc), you can be assured it will be put to good use.

Thanks, again...
Debbie

I don't read all the posts about the SoTTTs, but have noticed conversations about extra triangles for Queensland, and Hanne-Grete. I'd love to participate. I've finished my triangles, but haven't sent them in yet. So, I still have time to include extras. I will put them in separate bags labeled. My question is are they to be batiks, or cottons? Also, do you need a little extra mailing expense money?

If you are as far away as Australia, New Zealand or other distant countries, please get your HST's in the mail right away so they will hopefully arrive by April 1. One member sent me an email from Australia on Friday saying her post office said it could take 4-10 weeks for her package to arrive.

I received notification that a package was mailed on Feb. 4 from Australia. Today is Feb. 21 and I still have not received it. If you're cutting it close, check with your post office to see they can offer a suggestion on how to get it here sooner. And please don't forget to send me an email letting me know the package is on it's way.

Thanks so much,
Debbie

Oh, I didn't put my screen name and # of HST on the return mailer! Didn't think about that, sorry! Kathy

Just a reminder for shipping your HSTs to Debbie:

Hey all you SoTTTs!!

If it helps you to have a visual of what you need to send Debbie, this post's for you!
Depending on how many HSTs you send, your package may be smaller and postage may be less.
(This bubble wrap mailer, purchased at my local PO, is holding 616 HSTs.)

Inside the mailer of your choice you need to send to Debbie:

**A self addressed, STAMPED return mailer, at least as large and the one you ship to Deb in. Put your name and address as the return address so that if there is insufficient postage, it will come back to you. The PO box that Debbie is using will be closed so you don't want it going back there!
I'd like to suggest that rather than dropping your package into a mailbox, you take it to your local post office to post & mail. At that time you can talk with the postal clerk about what postage is needed for your return envelope.
PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR POST OFFICE FOR SUFFICIENT POSTAGE!

You will need to use stamps on this mailer. The metered postage is dated, so it can't be used for return mailing.
Include your TQS screen name and the total number of HSTs you are exchanging on the OUTSIDE of the return mailer.

**A plastic bag containing all your HSTs, clearly labeled with your TQS screen name and the total number of HSTs you are exchanging.
Please keep your total an increment of 28! Squeeze the air out of the plastic bag, but DO NOT ZIP IT CLOSED!
It will save time for the sorters if they don't have to unzip 615 bags!!
edited for Clara: All I want to add is if the international quilters want to zip their ziplox I'm fine with that. Especially since they have so far to go and you just never know how many hands touch their envelopes. Clara

**optional - HSTs for Australia, clearly labeled in a separate baggie. (DO NOT COUNT THESE HSTs IN YOUR TOTAL!)

**optional - HSTs for Hanne-Grete, clearly labeled in a separate baggie. (DO NOT COUNT THESE HSTs IN YOUR TOTAL!)




On the outside of your mailer to Debbie be sure to put your TQS Screen Name and total number of HSTs you are exchanging.

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Following these guidelines will make things much easier for the sorting team to get the correct total back to you! THANK YOU!

sanquilt wrote: Sandy, you don't have to put the 137 in separate bags--just put them all in one bag. Then in another put the ones for Brink and in another put the ones for Queensland. Thanks, ritzy