Not for quilting but I was buying fabric to make purses at PA Fabric Outlet. Thank God my friend Bev was with me that day. She told me to tell the woman cutting fabric that I wanted my 1 yd. cut BEYOND the big "empty" square where someone must have asked for a sample. I never saw it but her being an experience/professional seamstress spoted it right away. She warned me...from now on when you pull the bolt to have it cut...open it and check it in the shop/store. She said she learned the hard way and wanted me to know to do this every time.
Of course when I order online I can't see the yardage I am getting but so far fabric.com has been great and very generous with their cuts. And when I buy at Joann's I always look at the fabric while the lady is cutting someone elses fabric. I also watch it when she unrolls it. I WILL say one of the ladies that works there will flip the piece over before she folds it and she does check it out.
But thanks for the reminder...sorry you have had to deal with this. It's great that the quilter will take care of it for you...she must be a pretty special person.