I do watch as they cut. I think if you watch and they see you watching they will be more exact.

I have to watch the clerks very close it has happened to me a lot and even on line with Marshall Dry Goods.

Honestly the logical thing to do is if you're going to need a full yard, buy a yard and an eighth. That gives you enough for shrinkage if you prewash and straightening.

I have noticed that at my local Hobby Lobby that they always give extra. When I remarked to the lady cutting mine, she said that if they get caught short changing anyone, they get in trouble.

This is a real sore subject for me, there are not a lot of fabric stores around me but we do have a joanns and when I ask them to straighten out the edge or compensate for it they give me attitude. I am seriously comtemplating buying online but haven't yet.

In our small-medium online store, our practice is to give at least an extra inch on each yard and at least an extra 1/2 inch on each half-yard. We use precision rotary cutting with a locked t-square system to make sure our cuts are as straight as possible but the fabric isn't always rolled straight on the bolts. So the extra inch is sufficient in most cases to compensate for that and any ruler wiggle there might be. If it's really cockeyed on the bolt, we have to do more work to keep it straight. We also try to inspect every piece of fabric that goes out for any flaws. We end up cutting out a lot of flaws in the fabric on some fabrics, so this is a big expense as well.

It takes longer to cut precisely, and it costs a lot to include extra inches, but we feel it's worth it in customer satisfaction.

Chain stores that have employees tend to stress giving exact amounts, because they are watching every penny and are accountable to the owners and/or stockholders.

Being the owner has it's advantages. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I don't think the store owes me extra fabric for shrinkage, or my cutting mistakes, but neither should I suffer for their bad cutting or off grain fabric. I definitely return to stores that give a generous cut.

As far as I know I have never gotten less then what I asked for. That being said, I have never ordered fabric on-line from Joanns. Has anyone had a problem with short cuts from them? I'm thinking about placing an order.

Thanks

Do you ever package up these seconds & sell them, at a discounted price? :D

QKO is right, about having to cut out all the flaws. How could I have forgotten about that??

They're especially noticeable on light-colored fabrics, and what quilt doesn't include a fair amount of light colored fabrics?

For us, little flaws that result in "short cuts" usually wind up on sale as remnants.

Really badly flawed pieces we would never try to sell, even at a discount, because it would just be bad for our reputation. We put them in our "free-for-the-taking" bin that walk-in customers can help themselves to.