When I tell the cashiers in the local Goodwill that I am buying the men's shirts to make quilts from, they get all excited and tell me to be sure to bring in the quilt to show them when I get it done!

However, once when I was making a braided rug from old wool coats, I was buying a nice wool coat at a garage sale and I told the woman what I was going to use it for. She was indignant and then refused to sell it to me. She said it was way too good a coat to be just cut up and put into a rug! I was so disappointed because it was a great coat to put in my rug, but it was an old lady's coat that no one else would have ever bought!

No way would I ever tell them what I planned to do with anything I buy. Our thrift stores around here has mainly junky stuff and no fabric and not much useful stuff.
We had, as a custmer, a tool & die shop that use to get clothes given to them by Salvation Army store and they would do their jobs wearing tuxedos, suits, etc. Some of the clothes are so outdated, noone would wear them.

Reminds me of the time I went into a thrift store to look for some small grapevine wreaths. I was chatting with the cashier and she asked what I was going to do with them. I told her I make tobacco wreaths. They are a small bit of loose tobacco placed in 4 different colored pieces of fabric. I use black, red, yellow and white to symbolize the four directions.
She asked if I was Native American, I replied yes I am. Then she asked if I dance around a fire-pit.

My answer to that................
Sure I do, I have one in the middle of my kitchen. I just whip it out, fire it up and dance around howling.
She had the most dumbfounded look on her face. And the Lady behind me, just laughed.

I laughed out loud at this one!:D But I particularly liked your comeback to the clerk, which is much like I myself would have answered - not being one to keep a retort to myself. She had some nerve.:rolleyes:

Jan in VA

Here's yer sign!!! (OMG, and these people actually vote, too!)

Jan in VA

If the purpose of having these stores is to sell items and make money, they shouldn't ask or care what the buyer does with it. My opinion anyway. I've been known to cut up blouses my mom has given me because I'm sure not going to wear them. I do like the fabric though! haha

I could just picture the workers in "party" clothes working on greasy machines. haha

love all your stories .... I have long quit telling workers what I do with the items I buy, usually after they've been there for months and are marked down far below original price. At least I'm buying these items before they're dumped.

I agree with all of you. I also think the prices keep going up and up for the clothing, especially the items that people would really wear. I know many people can't afford those prices when they need clothes. I usually donate my clothing to our local Community Service League or a thrift store affiliated with our school, because they give the clothes away by allowing people to pick out four or five outfits.

EXACTLY what I was thinking! Chasing Hawk, your response was priceless.