I was wondering HOW some of you say you can fit 6-8 yards of material in a flat rate envelope!! I can't even get close to that stuffing and taping the envelope shut!! Are these the same $4.95 flat rate 9 1/2 x 12/1/2 envelopes???? I would really like to know if I am missing something here?

I am like you. I do good to get 3 yards in a flat rate envelope. But you can get more in the padded and legal size flat rate envelope. The padded is the same cost, but not sure if the legal size costs more.

I have mastered the art of stuffing the flat rate envelope. I've gotten 8.5 yards in one. It was bulging at the seams but I wrapped that baby in tape. I've heard that's against USPS rules but they let me send it. I've also stuffed 29 yards in the flat rate medium box. My biggest achievement was 9 yards of minky in a large flat rate box. Big thanks to the hubby for helping with the origami folding to get it in there. I have to say...it's all about the folding. Just practice folding...you'll get it!

I order the padded flat rate envelopes from USPS site. You would be surprised how much you can stuff in them!

I mail a legal size enevlope today with only 5 sheet of copy paper in it. and it cost $1.08. was told that just becaue of the size of the enevlope it will begin at $1.08.

This reminds me of when I had to send bandages to our nurses at a medical mission in Africa. All I was allowed to ship was ONE shoe box, but it had a hundred bandages (2" & 3" strips of sheeting, rolled tight, and I mean tight), plus a roll of aluminum foil, the cardboard tube stuffed with ziplock bags, a container of Pringles, bags of M&Ms and I forget what else. That poor box weighed 24 pounds, and cost over $40 to ship, back in the early 80's. No way a little flat rate envie is going to stump me. If there's a will, it can be done!

the tyvek envelopes will hold quite a bit- are you trying a different type of flat rate envelope? there are ones that are for documents- and will not hold much fabric- but the tyvek ones are pretty (stuffable)

Are the tyvek ones the larger, but thinner 11/2 x 15 ones that are just priority mail? I thought they go be weight-I know I could stuff more in those, but the weight would cost more than a medium flat rate box. I got a few of those from the post office, but haven't used them yet because I thought they would cost more to ship several yards of fabric. They don't say "flat rate" on those.

If it doesn't say flat rate, then you pay by the weight.

I have been selling/shipping fabric for 10 years online and I have NEVER gotten more than 3-4 yards in an envelope! Even in the new bubble envelopes!

I can get 6 yards of regular quilting fabric in a FRE fairly easily.

It does require special folding - and I would not do it if I was running a business - it takes too long to make it fit.

It is worth buying a fairly accurate scale (accurate to 0.1 ounce) if one is planning to do any amount of shipping. I think a decent one can be purchased for less than $30.

We get 8 yards into the envelopes all the time. It is all in how you fold it.

Should say... that's 8 yards of 44" wide cotton. Only about half as much flannel will fit, and only one yard of fleece!

But are you talking about the $4.95 flat rate envelope??? What envelopes hold that much and do you pay by weight, then??

I know some one who can do this work up a tutorial on folding the fabric to fit! I sure can't figure it out.

Are you talking about a flat-rate envelope for $4.95? I don't see how that much (even half that) could possibly fit in a flat rate envelope. I have stuffed one until it was ripping, then taped it with wide tape to keep it together and closed, and still only got a few yards in. I know they have the larger envelopes, but they charge by weight. How much would 7 or 8 yards cost to mail approx.?

The PO told me there are now rules about how overstuffed the envelope can be. No more of the "if it fits it ships". There is a thickness guide.

Those 9.5" x 12.5" cardboard envelopes. There's a 4 pound weight limit if they're being sent internationally, but 8 yards of fabric always weighs less than that. You don't pay by weight, it's a flat-rate envelope.

There was a LOT of confusion within the Post Office earlier this year about how much you could put in the envelope. But it is still, "If it fits, it ships"... and yes, you can tape over the flap, and the seams of the envelope.

We had the local USPS Business Services Specialist come out to our shop and examine our envelopes, and check over our taping etc... and everything we do was within the guidelines of USPS so we've been sending those fat envelopes all 'round the world!

I order. for free, the plastic bubble priority 4.95 envelopes and they can hold up to 7 yds for me. I mail them all the time. Fold neatly and tightly. And not by weight but flat rate. It says so on the envelopes. You can go to USPS.com and look under priorty packages and order for free.Have fun.

Thanks everyone, I went to the PO today and the lady gave me a flat rate bubble envelope and said you can only get them on line. I was on-line and ordered the "flat rate package", and it didn't include a bubble envelope, only the cardboard ones, with the boxes. I will see how I do with the bubble ones, as they seem to hold more than the cardboard ednvelopes. Favorite Fabrics, I still don't see how you can get even close to 8 yards in those 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 cardboard envelopes!! I have even put it in zip lock bags and sucked all the air out, and still can't get more than 3-4 yards in it!

Practice makes perfect. You'll get it soon. Have a good evening. I order them all the time so I always have them on hand. Our USPS can't get them in the office either, just on line. Strange.

Thanks for the tip - just ordered some of the padded envelopes! Never knew they carried them...must be new?

Yep, and it always arrives safely. I've ordered with you. Works like a dream.

But while we're talking of packaging one piece of advice or question:

Could you please put the shipping costs on the outside of the package, too, together with the value of the fabric? Apparently taxes are also due on shipping and handling. Because they had to open the package I had to pay heavy - and I mean heavy* - tax fees on the last package I received.

*It was like 30$ of tax fee for 70$ of fabric, mainly because they had to open the package to find out the costs for postage and handling.

I will make sure to ask you to do that with my next order. For now, thank you for the perfect service I've received so far.

I see you're in Switzerland! I just looked to see if there was any information available for individuals in Switzerland who buy goods online and to my delight found that the official website can be read in four languages (including English)! :thumbup: :thumbup:

Here is a link to the page that discusses this issue:
http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en

I read it through twice, and it seems duty is charged based upon the weight of the package, and then VAT is added as well. On that page it also says, "However, alcoholic drinks, tobacco products, food and textiles are subject to higher duty rates. "

It didn't mention anything at all about shipping or freight costs being included or excluded from the calculation of the VAT, so I'm really not sure what happens on the receiving end.

I do know that in the UK, customers get taxed on both the goods AND the shipping charges.

I'd be interested to know how other countries handle this.

The on-line fabric store I buy from can get 8 yards in a flat rate envelope. I have noticed what they do is fold the fabrics together, not folded seperately. In other words that will lay a one yard cut on top of other one yard cuts and then fold neatly together. Sure does seem to cut down on the bulk. First time I purchased from them I thought they had shorted me on some of my material until I discovered they were folded together. It worked!

Vanuatu Jill - The Tyvek are the white ones that you can kinda see a "fiber" in them (they are impossible to just rip one) & are actually pretty light weight.

I read some time ago that the USPS wouldn't take the 4.95 flat rate envelopes if they were "fat"; but I'm still receiving them, so not sure what's going on. Maybe it just depends on your post office. I also have received some of these "fat" ones that have busted and marvel at how I received everything.

I get up to 8 yds in the Flat Rate envelopes all the time. It's all in how you fold it. They also have new Legal Size Flat Rate envelopes that are a bit bigger and are still $4.95 but you have to order them from USPS.

A #10 business size envelope will go for a first class postage stamp with 8 sheets of copy paper. Triple fold and PRESS those seams down to make them flat.

My sister and I send packages back and forth between NH and FL all the time. Amazing what we can fit in flat rate boxes. I have made quilts for her grandchildren for Christmas. I packed them in Space Bags, sucked the air out of them and they were teeny. She will remove them from the bags, fluff in the dryer and wrap them for Christmas.

We used to have a large padded manilla envelope that went back and forth many, many times for 3 years. Each time one of us sent it we added a quote, rubber stamp or some little gem to the outside til it was covered back and front. Got a new postmistress who refused to let it go thru....long before 9/11. Our mail carriers loved seeing how creative we were with it.

And I used to send things thru the mail to my grandchildren in 1 liter clear coke bottles....cut the bottom off, insert the items, hot glue it back together. Not sure if this would be considered legal now even tho you can see the items insde. They were fun things, more for the kids to get mail when they were small.

That's what we do, too. And we try to put the prettiest fabric on top! :D

Wow, many thanks! I will certainly follow up on the information supplied by you once I'm back from my business trip.

Thank you! You offer terrific service!

I"m with you. I can't get that much in those boxes either. Also I cannot ship 1 yd of fabric for less than $3.05. I was turned down for trying to sell 1yd panel for $11.00 including shipping. Was told it didn't cost that much to ship. I always go to P.O. first to find out shipping and it goes by weight and how far it goes. So just don't bother anymore.

I could not find the flat rate bubble or padded envelopes? What do I need to do?

Do any of you roll your fabric when mailing? I've done that with my clothes when traveling and it really does take up less space. Just wondering.

I don't think the local Post Offices carry them. I believe you have to order them online at http://www.usps.com .

In Vanuatu, you pay vat (12 1/2%) and duty on value of goods PLUS shipping/mailing charges. Not only that, but they charge the duty and add it, and THEN figure the VAT on the total!! When I lived there full-time for 19 years, I couldn't get anyone to ship to me, so I always had to have orders shipped to my son in San Diego, then rely on him to re-send it to me. So I paid shipping to San Diego, shipping to Vanuatu, VAT and Duty!!. This was until I started making a trip back once a year, then I loaded up myself and paid the excess baggage!

Yes, you have to order them on-line. I just ordered 10 of them today.

You can only get those on-line- USPS.com

Those flat rate cardboard envelopes don't have any thickness on the sides or bottom, so they won't expand that much without tearing. I stuff them, then tape all around the edges, but still never get close to 7-8 yards.

I saw this today too and recently I sold some fabric here and it was all I could do to squeeze in 4 yards and tape well so that it wouldn't explode in transit ... and worrying that the PO would tell me that I couldn't put so much tape on it!

Can't wait to read the answer to this one!

I can get 6 yards in a FRE, but not any more than that. I need to see a tut on getting 8 yards in one.