Thanks - that is helpful and interesting.
One time I was at a fabric store - don't remember which one now - and I wanted the fabric cut at a certain spot because of the design - I didn't know the EXACT fraction I wanted - so I asked the clerk "Cut it and measure it"
Didn't seem like she could do that - - - she said "I have to know the amount before I cut it " - - the tickets are written up or printed up AFTER the fabric is cut so for the life of me I was not able to see the problem with measuring the piece AFTER it was cut.