butterflywing

because of the shape, i was not able to stuff 16 yards of fabric into that box, but i will try again. you're right that that is the best deal. will report back


:roll: :roll: :roll:

pennyswings

butterfly:
My sister just spent that, $41.95, for the box of fabric she sent me, about 8 yards. I told her to do the envelope because it was cheaper. But did she listen???? Nooooo. I would never order fabric if I had to spend that much in postage. It gave me a stomach ache. LOL
I ordered 9 yards of Japanese fabrice from the web site below. It came in a USPS bulk envelope. below was the communication with them and her website. She ironed all the fabric to made it less bulky, which is probably why she can fit more in the envelope.
Sincerely,
Penny

Hi Penny!


Thank you for choosing Debsews Fabrics for your fabric needs. Your gorgeous fabrics will be in the mail tomorrow. Please let me know when your items arrive so that I'm assured of their safe arrival. A complimentary fabric gift will be included with your items.


Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can assist you in your future fabric needs. I am able to fit up to 8 yards of fabric in a flat rate priority mailer for $5.50 and up to 25 yards of fabric in a flat rate priority mail box for $11.00. I am also able to send up to 40 yards of fabric in a large flat rate priority mail box for $14.00.


Thank you very much for your purchases.


Deb


Website: Debsews2
Contact | [email protected]

butterflywing

i

the flat rate small box may be better than the mid size, but this price sounds too good to be true. when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

if i'm wrong a will be delirious with joy and more than happy to kneel at your feet in apology.

also, i agree that $41.95 is way too much for 8 yards of material. but i am not doing 8 yards. i'm talking 33 + yards. that much just doesn't fit into a small package. also, they seem to basing their rate, at least partially, on the fact that you are buying from them, which i am not. rather, i am buying from me and shipping from myself, so to speak.

i'm going to check on the smallest box/envelope and see how much i can squeeze into that and for what price.

this has been a very interesting lesson on world shipping, don't all of you think?

Prism99

Here is the shipping information page from the Debsews website:

http://www.debsews2.com/shin.html

Debsews is shipping from Hawaii. Scrolling down to the international shipping information, she is saying she can fit up to 8 yds in a priority international mail envelope (which would be same price as the small flat rate box) and up to 25 yards into the regular flat rate box ($41.95). Looks like her published postage rates may be lagging behind post office changes, but they are very similar.

Anyway, looks like the flat rate envelope will hold more than the flat rate box. 8-9 yards for the envelope, but only 4.5 yards for the small box (based on my calculations). That's probably why she doesn't even list the small flat rate box as an option; the flat rate envelope is the same price ($12.95) but holds more fabric.

Now I have to go back to the usps website and see where that flat rate envelope is for priority international mailing. I didn't see it there when I looked before.

The key points seem to be that no matter how much we stuff into any of these flat rate items, they will not exceed the weight limitations. I do think the amount of yardage that can be stuffed in will vary somewhat with the brand of fabric, since some cotton fabrics are heavier and more tightly woven than other and less yardage will fit into the flat rate package because of that.

Prism99

Here is the website I have been using for priority international mailings:

http://www.usps.com/international/pr...ernational.htm

The "prices" link there says that both enveope and small flat rate box cost $12.95.

When I look at the "supplies" link and view all, I see only cardboard mailing envelopes. It seems to me that some of the people here are talking about softer padded envelopes or bags, as I can't see being able to stuff more fabric into a cardboard envelope than into a small flat rate box. However, I haven't actually tried those two options.

Is the mailing envelope we are talking about that cardboard envelope? Maybe my calculations were wrong on what the small flat rate box will hold, since it seems only half of what the envelope will hold.

butterflywing

yes. the weight of the fabric does depend on the density of the weave. gauze would weigh less than twill. but it will also take up less space, so i think that's a tradeoff.

butterflywing

the only envelope i was shown was a large (? i didn't think so much) padded envelope that only allows 4 lbs. i didn't try it, but i could see at a glance that no way could i fit 4 bs into that. i did send 4 lbs overseas and the package, which was a squishy, was way larger that theirs.

as for companies setting their own shipping prices, one of the most popular fabric places we all deal with has a reminder that 1 yard = 1 pound. so go figure. that's their disclaimer for overcharging for s+h. i wish i could remember which one it was.

this subject will definitely be continued on monday when i go back to the post office, where they now know me by my first name. i want to find out if there really is such a thing as a bulk rate box although i think he would have told me, since i threatened him with a painful death unless he told me the cheapest way.

i think the only bulk rates refer to national shipping, not international.