Now I cannot find the post about their lack of patterns in the "kits"!!!!
Not sure what I am doing wrong, as I posted there, and checked my topics, etc, but could not find it.

Here is their answer:
"Thank you for your email. We do understand your frustration and have made some changes in the recent months to correct this issue. We do now include patterns with all the newer kits as they are being sent. Retroactively, we are able to include copies of the patterns with the older kits also. When you place an order, just let us know that you would like a copy of the pattern, as we don't like to assume that everyone does not have the magazine. We look forward to hearing from you and appreciate the information that you have provided."

So you have to ask, and I think they should put that in the description, but???

Well I will think twice before ordering from them. I agree that you shouldn't have to ask for the pattern! :-(

Just playing devil's advocate here, and not saying it's right to sell a kit without a pattern, but I guess the business model of the F & P kits was AT ONE TIME aimed at subscribers of the magazine. So if there was a pattern in a magazine that you liked, you could go the the back of the magazine and then get the kit. This assumes you had the magazine.

But times have changed - electronic commerce and all, and now you can buy the kit even if you had not seen the pattern in a magazine that you owned.

Thank you for contacting F & P.

If it were me and I orderd a kit I would assume it had all the fabric and directions neccessary to complete. Most kits will tell you if the backing is not included , so why would they think that telling you the pattern was not inculded when you order is so trivial as to not to inform.
Even if they did assume you purchased the magazine, some do not get to making the kit for ... years and the magazine would likely have been lost , discarded etc.

Just another reason why I don't like F&P. Too expensive being the #1 reason. They are rich enough, they don't need my money.

I'm amazed that they do not include pattern with the fabric. I never buy their magazine because it comes wrapped up and you can't browse through the issues.

I used to love Fons & Porter but over the last several years they've seemed to shift from 'love of quilting' to 'love of money'.

I canceled my subscription with them over a year ago. I feel like they changed and it wasn't for the best. I liked some of their patterns, but many were not my taste at all. I think the money has done something to them! LOL Or, maybe, it is the publishers and agents getting very greedy by using their names.

ditto - did not renew subscription

Their response is ridiculous. I never bye their stuff anyway, but for sure wont now. Sorry you've had so much trouble.

I just checked their website and even their new kits DO NOT include the pattern. They still reference what magazine the pattern can be found.

I do have to agree, the magazine has taken a turn and I really don't care for the direction it is going.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that when Liz stepped away things became out of control. Just not the quality it used to be.

Maybe she stepped away because the money had become the whole motivation? That bottom line, you know!
I did not see the information either that the pattern was included, but only looked at about 20 kits....

Well... unless you are a member of this board and have read this message? How many other quilter's would know to "ask" for the pattern too?
Not a very good business practice, and it could end up biting them in the butt!

Won't be buying from them any more.

Seems like all the magazine carries are patterns that need Their fabric--Kits without patterns, not what it used to be. I can get free catalogs from Clotilde and not have to pay for a subsciption for one.

I used to love their show, lately however during every show Maryanne discourages viewers from writing down measurements and directions for the quilts saying "don't bother to write down the instructions. Just go to the website and we'll let you know in which issue of the magazine they can be found." Maybe it's just me, but it's less trouble to write instructions than to go hunting for a certain issue of a magazine. Things started to change when they teamed up with QNN. :x

I thought that was why you bought a kit, it included everything from pattern to material. Possibly not the backing, but I would expect the pattern.

Seems they have followed suit along with the rest of the big companies..all ruled by GREED

The very word "kit" seems to indicate complete materials, as one dictionary definition is "a packaged SET"--no, I am sure none of use expect batting and backing, but really, this is ridiculous!. They sure lost me.

They certainly aren't the only ones selling kits without the patterns. I have bought several PP kits where the pattern was separate, and I agree that it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Some of my LQs's have also been guilty of this practice on occasion.

I would think twice also. Even if I did suscribe to their magazine,maybe it got torn up or lost. I think it's natural to assume that a pattern would come with the kit.It is not a very good way to treat your customers,since those kits cost a little on the high end.

Ditto.

I won't buy from them either. But ctquilter's comment says it all. I don't understand why everyone on TV assumes everyone has a computer! Yes, we do -- but I know a # of people that live out where they can't get reception without paying $$$$ they can't afford. Or their reception is very very very slow. I hate it when I see newspeople saying something happened...and for us to go online to find out more!!!!! What if you don't have ONLINE! And companies that have you go online to buy!!!! What about people that don't have ONLINE!!!! The same with F&P show -- go online --- what if you don't have ONLINE!!!!!! They're sure cutting out a lotta people. Oh -- they'll say "go to the library"....last time I was in our library there was a line of people waiting to get to the computer. I'm sure they'd love it if I went online to browse looking at patterns!!!!!

I have bought their glue sticks.If you don't use it up at once it turns to muck.

It would be great if everyone in the world had a computer and printer the way some companies think ,but not everyone can.The worst insult is when you tell a customer service person that after they tell you to"go online", they act like you're not serious when you say you don't have a computer. It took me 2 years to save the money to buy me and my granddaughter each a computer.

I've never been a fan. The magazine never seemed to contain enough to justify the price for me. Reading this post says it all - you send people to the website for a printout of the instructions and hope they purchase something while they are there, especially since they can be writing it all down for free while watching.

But to discourage viewers from writing down instructions so they can go to the website and purchase the magazine?? That does seem like an obvious grab for revenue on their part.

I just purchased the subscription this summer. But I'm not going to renew it. So far the patterns I've tried have turned out terrible and I threw them away. I got the magazine because I hadn't quilted in a while, and wish I had found this board before I ordered it. I learn way more here, then their magazine, or web site. And this board is free. Although I get too many ideas, and keep ordering fabric and templates. LOL But that's ok. If I didn't love to quilt I wouldn't buy the stuff.

Seems like F&P has taken some lessons from Sears.

A long time ago, we bought a new electric dryer from Sears. After it was delivered, we couldn't find the electric cord to plug into the wall. We called the store, and they told us that the ELECTRIC dryers don't come with an electric cord - you have to buy that separately.

Apparently we are slow learners, because we later bought a dehumidifier from them. We got it home and couldn't find the drip pan. Now, the purpose of a dehumidifier is to remove the humidity (water) from the air. Yup, you guessed it. The dehumidifier did not come with a drip pan and you had to buy it separately. And yes, there was a specific drip pan you had to buy to fit it in dehumidifier - not just any pan would do.

Sounds like F$P went through the same training that Sears did.

ROFLMBO I knew there was a reason I didn't shop Sears anymore.

I wouldn't expect the backing either,but my gosh I'd expect the supplies needed to make the top and the instructions.I'm like some of the others here,I don't always start on a project as soon as it arrives in the mail. If I'm working on something else, then it has to sit on the shelf and wait it's turn.