I was in a quilt shop that put the patterns and books in separate sealed clear plastic and it was sealed with heat all the way around. One book of each was left not sealed for the store copy so everyone could look inside. No way a pattern could be returned and it not be noticed it was opened. The owner said she paid her teen son to seal the bags using a food saver. This keeps customers happy to be able to return items when they get home and find they have duplicates. That happens a lot.

Can you even imagine taking a pattern out of an envelope and getting it back into the envelope. Thinking dress patterns here. LOL

Yes, none returnable. It is a bummer because I bought a pattern of a little dress at a quilt store and I thought it was simple. Once I was able to open it I found out it was made of all kinds of pieced pieces. Not simple at all!

yes, and I understand why.

Yes, it is normal; it is posted in our quilt store as well.

I think it depends on the shop, if they know you and how quickly you bring it back. If you are a regular, they will be more liberal if they think that it might jeopardize your continued business or if they know you well enough to trust you.

Also, if you get out the car and come back in 5 minutes later, they may consider that you didn't have time to copy it and take it back.

But most of the time, you buy it, it's yours.

After working in LQS, returning patterns is not the norm. I know we could not take them back.

I have found it to be the same in my experience. I do sometimes like to look at the inside of a pattern to make sure it is not beyond my abilities. However, I was at a quilt show in March, and they saw me look at the inner part of a pattern (it was really pretty, but just wasn't sure if I could make it. I wanted to make sure the directions were clear and concise. and it had a zip lock top) The proprietress came over and said, "I am sorry, you can't do that. It is a violation of copyright laws." She was polite, but I felt like a criminal....after all, I wasn't copying it. And if she thought I could glance at a pattern and memorize the directions, then I must look way more intelligent than I am ;-)

Sometimes it really makes your wonder about people today. A lot of this stuff would never enter your mind as doing, but obviously people do. I just have a real problem with the way a lot of people think now.

Any quilt stores and fabric stores I have been to do not take back patterns or books. There has been a problem with people photocoping patterns from pkgs and books and then wanting to return them. They also try and return them when they have had them a long time and haven't used them.