Rude, of her. I often use my phone for planing. At JoAnn last week with my mom looking at home dec fabric. I surely do not want to dig through all the samples again. And all so used to show family members fabric when making things for them,my sons can't always go with me to store. End bolt information could come in handy too, if for nothing else keeping record,just in case you need more.

This is an interesting thread. Several years ago I had a clerk at a LQS jump me for taking a picture of a quilt. It was an idea for my small group as a project and we would have purchased patterns, fabric and so on for six people. Every year we would pick a technique or two to work on and make a quilt with that technique. We always brought in project ideas before narrowing down our choice. The quilt in question was perfect for what we wanted to do, so I knew it would be picked. The clerk in question absolutely blasted me in front of a number of other customers. I was totally humiliated and totally innocent of wrongdoing. I left my cart with several bolts and patterns and walked out. Never returned and our group found the pattern elsewhere and purchased there. To my knowledge the others stopped shopping in this particular shop too. To this day I cannot forget how I was treated. I do have sympathy for shop owners who struggle to stay afloat, but if they can't do so without hurting potential customers maybe they are in the wrong line of work. If you are kind, cheerful and generous to others you probably will be treated in the same way.

LQS have to make money but they make more money in repeat customers who like the service than the one-times who drop $100 and are never seen again. That service was inexcusable. I would have walked out and told everyone, never to return and I would have googled it for price right before I left.

I too always ask before taking photos in that kind of shop. I think they appreciate knowing your intentions and the courtesy.

I always try ask whether I'm in a LQS or at a quilt show. But, I was at a quilt show a couple weeks ago and noticed an item outside the booth that triggered a memory that my late mother-in-law had had a similar (collectible) item and I had no clue what had become of it upon her death. So...without thinking I snapped a picture so I could send it to my sisters-in-law to see if any of them knew what had become of it (none of them sew so a picture was definitely worth a thousand words). Well...the vendor (a gentleman) jumped down my throat and pointed to a teeny-tiny sign posted inside the booth that said no photographs. It was a bit upsetting to me, to say the least. I apologized and tried to explain why I took the photo but he was just very rude. I walked off...and never did step foot inside his booth (which appeared to be quite a popular booth). So...he quite possibly lost a sale to me that day.

Your question "Is it OK to shop the fabric and even take photos in a quilt store?" yes, I'll tell you why because I have taken a picture of batting at wal-mart and the lady that worked in that department didn't care. I wanted to take the picture so I could remember to ask the quilting board about it so I could buy some next time I went to Wal-mart. I like buying fabric were I can touch the fabric see the colors like you said. I think that she came off tacky and rude by saying that to you assuming that you were going to buy it online. Another thing it takes longer when you buy it online then it does when your right there in the store. At least you know next time you might want to take a note pad in stead, guess that's what I need to start doing.

they should post a sign if they don't want you to take pictures, I mean all business.

Completely agree.

Well, obviously you gave your LQS two more chances, so.... yeah, why not? The worst that could happen is you learn the employee wasn't just having a bad day, the LQS hires rude people and you move on.

It's one thing to boycot a store if the owner is the one being rude, but if it's a clerk I think you should at least let the owner know what happened and give him/her the chance to make it right. They may have no idea at all that a clerk is treating people badly. Many businesses rely heavily on customer feedback for that information.

I've taken pictures of fabric and sent them to someone I knew was looking for this or that and never thought anything of it. I may have gotten looks from the staff but I never noticed it! I can see both points of view.

And I always look at the bolt end. I want to make sure of the WOF, content, washing instructions (if any). I'm not willing to take a chance on blind shopping...except maybe (and that a big maybe) on the clearance table.