I'm usually much smarter than this but....I was selling at a boutique, I had lowered the price on some of my children's fleece jackets because they had been in my inventory so long and a gal came along and bought one but needed 1 more for her granddaughter in a size I didn't have. So, if she provided the fleece, how much would I charge to make one.

Now I'm kinda caught here because I had lowered my price and if I charge her what I should, I'm going to have to have a conversation about why and in the back of my head I'm thinking "just say NO, no time, not taking orders, what you see is what you get, it's too close to Christmas and you have a 101 projects to complete, remember the input about taking orders on someone's post recently, but no............I thought ok, it's her granddaughter and this is a really simple pattern, she's providing the fabric, I can whip it up in an evening so why not.

Well, the why not is because 1) she didn't call until 2 weeks later confirming she wanted the jacket (it's getting close to Christmas, I've moved on), 2) she said she'd have the material to me that day but she never showed, I gave her 2 weeks and then I threw out her telephone # and figured she'd had a change of heart, 3) she calls me tonight and says she is dropping off the fabric for the 2 jackets she wanted - 2??????, when did we go from 1 to 2?????? and finally 4) she did drop off the fabric while DH and I were out to dinner and there isn't enough to make 2 jackets, maybe not even enough for 1, not sure.

So I'll do the original one she asked for, if there's enough fabric, and if there isn't enough fabric to do a second one I'm going to tell her I don't have time to do another one. And next time I will listen to my inner voice when it says "Just Say NO!". Good grief!

Been there done that! No is good sometimes.

Those inner voices are there for a reason. :):)

I'd still tell her no and have her come pick up her fabric. It's not worth the stress.

DEFINITELY!!
This is incredibly ballsy behavior. In the interest of helping her break such habits and refrain inflicting them on others in the future, turn her down NOW!

My favorite quote (for you to her): "Lack of planning on YOUR part does NOT constitute a crisis on mine."

Jan in VA

Very inconsiderate of her.

Wow! Some people amaze me! I am grateful that my parents raised me better than that woman. I would not put off projects I needed to make before doing hers. I am still shaking my head at how she treated you.

I would give her a call and have her pick up the material, to late to make the jackets now and now enough material. Or you could offer to make them after Christmas. Just my thoughts,

do you ever wonder why it's so hard to say "NO" when it's such a little word?

The fact that she dropped them off to you when you were out - indicates that she knows she was doing a little sneaky something. I would return the whole thing and simply state that what she is asking is not what was originally agreed upon. You will be glad to do them for her at a later date and an agreed price after Christmas if she still wants.

Don't feel bad. I have a problem saying no too. Even when I know its an almost imposible task :( It sounds like you have it all worked out though, and I think you've made the best choice under the circumstances. (Just my opinion)

"What takes NERVE to ask

Takes NO NERVE to refuse."

You are being manipulated - and that's a horrible place to be.

Give her everything back. She broke the agreement. (I watch Judge Marilyn Milan and that is what she would say!) and don't feel bad about it. You can do it...NO repeat NO repeat NO :thumbup:

You don't owe her anything today or even next month. She knows what she is doing.

My favorite quote (for you to her): "Lack of planning on YOUR part does NOT constitute a crisis on mine."

True.
Stand in front of the mirror until you can say the refusal speech without emotion. Then call her.
Give her the fabric back. Tell her you're not able to do it because she did not meet the agreed arrangements.
Then close the door and walk away. You OWE her nothing.

There is no use arguing, or negotiating with people like this because they just don't get it.

Move on to people who appreciate you.

Ditto to everyone above. YOu need to call her and have her pick it up and tell her exactly what you told us above. NO. Happy holidays.

I do hope you can have the courage to tell her that her not letting you know in a timely fashion, voided the deal -especially since SHE picked the time being the next day. A time limit for her to take advantage has certainly expired! I hope we can all have the little voices of "the board" to confirm our first thoughts! Why should you sacrifice your limited time, especially before the holidays, for a stranger? Boy, I'm giving myself a that same lecture!! :)

Repeat after me: NO!NO!NO! I have finally learned how to say it and it is amazing how good it feels!!! Just wish I hadn't waited until I was 60 :lol:

I totally agree with everyone.....you are the one that will suffer for trying to please someone else....a stranger yet. It is one thing when it is family....but pleeeeze, you will never see her again. Tell her thanks, but no thanks, she isn't doing you any favors!!

I have a hard time saying no too!

Next time you have that feeling:
turn your head to the right and say "no" then
turn your head to the left and say "heck no" then
turn your head back to the right and say "no" then
turn your head back to the left and say "heck no"
(Keep repeating until the message gets through)

She has a lot of nerve. I would say the agreement was one jacket 2 weeks ago not now. Tell her you ran out of time. I think that why she left the material when you weren't home.

I agree -- NO WAY! I might even mail the fabric back to her. There is nothing that makes me as mad as rude inconsiderate people who try to take advantage of me. No note, just the fabric in the envelope and I think I would wait two weeks to mail it to her.

I agree have her pick up the fabric and tell her it it too late for Christmas. She has no idea what it takes and how long and then if you can not make 2 from what she gave you that is not fair. Why should you stress out to make her happy.

I quit sewing for people for just this reason and the fact that the price agreed on was never what they wanted to pay after the goods were done. I made a cute costume for one person for her little girl and she said "oh, the money was in the bag with the fabric" Not!! And another time made a vampire cape for one of the girls I worked with and she paid me half and said can I give you the rest payday? Of course payday never came. So now I just say NO and back to my quilting. So.. I guess the thing is...Just say NO!!!

I agree with the others! NO, NO, NO!!! She has probably pulled this before and gotten away with it!
It's called, winning by intimidation......don't be her victim!!! :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

I totally agree, I do craft fairs all the time and I put a cut off date of 11/15 for all orders to be placed. After that date, I will consider it, but on a one on one basis. I would call her. She doesn't seem to have a clue.

Don't take a check from her when she does pick it up.

I have a "last minute" boutique coming up this saturday and I have already decided that 99% of requests for another quilt or whatever in different size, fabric, etc will get a no. the maybe 1% i say yes to will be at least double the price.
I have old items that I am also reducing the price on and the quilts I made were easy patterns with fabrics that I had bought at a great price.

that was so rude for her to take so long and then add to the order last minute.learn to say no.

Some people are just so selfish. They are also SO clueless about the time and effort that is required to make things. I say all of that to say that I also have a hard time saying no, but I am learning to do it more and more.

I second this thought. She changed the terms of the agreement several times, her crisis should not become yours. I would just let her know that because it is now so much later than when you originally agreed to make 1 you no longer have the time.

It is hard when you are a good person to deal with users! It is okay to turn her down even at this late date. Just let it sit, and do nothing. You do not have to respond to her at all. If she has been a TERRIFIC customer in the past, MAYBE you can decide to do something in the future, but you don't have to stress yourself now.

I love that quote.

This is going in my repertoire, if I may infringe!! Love it and need it often!

When we do not listen to that angel, we pay the price. If we learned from this then it was wortth it, if not....

Still listening to my angel give me heck for a few things.

I second the motion....and it is passed!!!

I think we so often try to please everyone when we can, and that's when others can take advantage of us!

don't do it. you'll be sorry.

if she thinks that there's enough fabric for more than one, and you only give her one, she'll think you stiffed her on the fabric. she's not reliable and i wouldn't go near her. i also wouldn't trust her to pay up.

i'd call and say when you didn't hear from her, you assumed she had changed her mind and you made other commitments. you hope that she keeps you in mind for any future products she may need.

in reality, she had a lot of nerve dropping everything off with you not there to discuss the project.

I totally agree, also she must know there is not enought fabric, you would have told her the yardage needed for one jacket, never mind two.
Please let us know the outcome.