Being shorted on fabric
 

I would just like to get what I pay for, not shorted to a yard being 35"! I now watch very closely and will ask for a re-measure if I'm not convinced that I'm getting it all. Phyllis/VA

At JoAnn's and Hancock they cut with a scissors, which is sometimes straight and sometimes not. At my LQS's they rotary cut and always check to see if the beginning cut was straight or not before cutting my piece from the bolt. I generally don't wash my fabric, but it does shrink sometimes, so if I'm getting fabric for a specific project, I'll buy 1/8 yard more, just to be safe.

There is a small fabric shop in Boston , Massachusetts called Sewfisticated which sells all sorts of fabric for the different ethnic population in addition to upholstery fabric and cottons for quilting . They are very very generous with their fabric . I think all of their employees go to The School of Generosity . Their prices are good and so what is they lose a few inches on a yard , they gain it by loyal customers and word of mouth which is free and rewarding. I try not to go in too often as I spend lots of money . Quilting cotton is $3.99 a yard on the bolt , if it's on the table it's $2.49 . They also sell lots of lace for embellishment . It's a treasure trove !!

***
*** I always look at the fabric on the bolt &
if the last cut was crooked, I tell them to cut
from the most inward spot, so that I am
not SHORTED on one end of the cut.

*** Sometimes they look at me like I
am crazy but my $$$ is hard to come by
& not very much so I want what I am
paying for.
***

I am with amandasgramma, I just want what I pay for. I can not tell you how many times I get fabric home and when I go to cut it and straighten it out I have been short a few inches or more. And don't get me started on fat quarters, lol.

No, but I watch very closely when the fabric is cut. Every once in awhile the lady at my local Hobby Lobby will fudge a little and give me a tad extra; but I don't expect it. However with the cost of fabric rising I want every little inch I pay for.

I usually buy a 1/4 yard more than I need to compensate for the fabric not being wound straight on the bolt.
I make many scrap quilts so it all works out.
Sharon

Our LQS "tears" the fabric across WOF, so no matter what the condition of the fabric on the bolt, you get an even yard or whatever measurement. I used to worry about stretching but the LQS handles decent quality and so if there is any stretching it is minimal.

I usually buy just a smidgen extra (1/8 yd. or 1/4 yd. if not sure) for shrinkage... I WASH EVERYTHING!! that way there are no surprises, esp. with color running or fabric that's been twisted-catiwampus on the cardboard.

I just expect what I asked for .. and if its my fault then I go back and ask for more -pay for it .. But if they short me, then I expect it to be taken care of ..
IF I ever get any over I pay for it, to me its just the proper thing to do ...

__________________________________________________ __________________
That is why I make my own fat quarters !LOL

I'm with you Caswews! Fat quarters are probably the most inconsistent unit of fabric one can purchase.

Years ago (like 30) it was customary to receive a litte extra to make up for uneven cuts. When I stand at the counter and watch my fabric being cut I still expect to receive "a little extra" but never do.

I'd venture to say that the shop owners have a budget for advertising, promotions, etc. Good will brought on by an inch (say, per cut, if it is over a yard) would do a lot for the sales department. Everything cuts into the store owner's profit including salaries and keeping the lights on and stores warm. Without satisfied customers she'd have no business whatsoever. Then what kind of profit would she have?

Plus, I'm reasonably sure that there is a budget for waste, ruined fabrics, quilt samples, etc. that is already worked into the price of fabric.

100% agree. I've had some shockingly short undercuts after correction of grain.

I never gave this much thought untill you mentioned this. So today when i stopped at the new Joanns in Faribault,Mn today i watched the lady cut my fabric and this one was very good about giving me a little extra without me saying anything, because it was crooked. Loved that...so then i stopped at the walmart an got some more fabric and this guy was cutting fabric and there was about 1 1/4 on a couple of bolts so said i would take it all and he only charged me a for a yard...felt good about that too.

I don't expect anything extra, but I won't buy from a store that consistantly does not cut straight. There are two large fabric stores near me that I will not trade with because I would end up with one side of the fabric up to an inch off. I worked very hard for my money and I'm not about to waste it on a store that either does not train it's staff or doesn't care how they perform. Let some other dummy give them money...just not me!

Whenever I buy fabric at JoAnn's, I ALWAYS buy extra because it is always crooked. 30 yrs ago when I worked a Joann's they had mechanical fabric measurers that you ran the fabric thru that measured it for you. If they're so concerned about accurate measuring - they should go back to those. The LQS that i go to is always more accurate than JoAnn's.

JoAnn's tried to charge me for 8 extra inches on some decorator fabric that had a 24 inch repeat on my latest valance project. I paid for a certain amount, the transfer paper said the amount sent was what i had ordered and I wasn't going to pay for it. I had used my teacher discount, but didn't have the paperwork w/ me and she wasn't going to give me that either. There was a place where the repeat was going to be wasted and when I said I didn't need it and i I wasn't going to pay extra for it - cut it off. The clerk looked annoyed. DUH!! Not sure how JoAnn's is going to "make money" on an 8 inch piece of decorator fabric that has a 24inch repeat, but they once again pushed me out the door.

I would rather have the fabric store increase the price by $1/yd and "give" me the extra inch or two than make a big deal about making me pay for it.

Which end was the extra 8 inches on? If it was on the cut end, I would have bought it it without saying anything.

However, I have had " discussions" with cutters about where and how to cut something!


I, too., would prefer to have the price for the " extra inch"be factoreed into the " yard " price.

I do expect a little extra to make up for cuts that aren't straight. I, too, have noticed that most of the LQS cut the exact amount with a rotary cutter, so the cut should be adequate and straight unless it's crooked on the bolt. And some of the cutters at JoAnns try to cut the exact length, but sometimes let their fingers slip so that it's a little short. I've noticed in the shops that do cut generously, you usually get about an inch over, regardless of the length you want.

I don't expect to get any extra, or don't feel entitled to a little extra, but I surely want what I pay for, and if that means their allowing for crooked previous cuts, so be it. Now... if I could only figure out how to get extra gasoline. Hehehe. Actually, I've had two rewards cards from CVS for $10 each for Shell gasoline... not half bad. And a little extra gold wouldn't be amiss, either. Let me know if you find a legal way to do that!

I don't expect extra and I don't always get it. Sometimes it depends on who is cutting, usually if they notice it's crooked coming off I'll get it, otherwise I point it out and they'll give me a bit more depending on how bad it is. I'm a serial over buyer though, so I don't worry about running out either. I had one lady at Joanns a few months ago throw an absolute fit when I pointed out the five and a half yards she was charging me for was only four yards. The manager came over, measured and it was only four. I got a huge discount, but really she threw a huge fit.

I only expect exactly what I pay for. No more or no less.

A smart shop gives you a couple thumbs extra, for me good service goes a long long way.

I use to work in a fabric store and would cut a "generous" amount....meaning a tiny bit more that requested to allow for the customer to get their "full" amount. I wouldn't know if the person before cut straight or not. I appreciate the benefit of a TINY bit more to make sure I get my full amount.

Two online stores that do generous cutting: BatiksPlus (1 yd = 40" to allow for fussy cutting), and GRS Creations in Spring, TX (1/2 yd turned out to be 20"). GRS is actually easier than some LQS because the fabric lines are kept together instead of rearranging things by color.

hugs,
Charlotte

I don't expect it. I would be frustrated if it was so off grain that I lost useable fabric.

Cheers, K

I just bought some this weekend - I got several 1/2 yard pieces. The lady tore each one rather than cutting. problem with that is she allowed no extra for tearing - and I had to trim up the raw edges so I came out with less than what I paid for. Not happy - especially at $11.00 a yard. Will think beforeI return there again.

I don't expect it, but I do take note of those shops that cut slightly over the mark versus those that cut exactly on the mark.

The one fabric I insist be torn is wide backing. I have lost 6" on both ends of the cut (12") total. You really have to watch cutting the wide fabric.

I work at a chain fabric store and generally give an extra inch when cutting fabric, even though I'm technically not supposed to. I just know I like to have the extra to square it up (lower quality fabric is usually printed off-grain.) But my managers would have a S**t fit if they saw this. And I guess I'm just a little resentful at how badly pay and treat their employees.

Occasionally at chain fabric stores I get a little extra if when they are cutting they notice it is really off. Either that or they try to square it up some first. I think I've seen the same at my LQS. I can't recall about the times I've ordered online from small quilt shops, I never really thought about it. I'll be sure next time to check out of curiousity!

You are cutting into the retailers profit if you expect more than you pay for, which is not correct. The retailers have a difficult time these days with cheaper shops competing all the time. Let's face it we picked or it picked us, is an expensive hobby and to do it correctly we must pay our dues.

After washing I have found the cut is off sometimes to short me. I always ask to have a smidgen larger to compensate for the possible problem. Any quilter or seamstress can understand that if they work at a store.

I don't expect more than I am paying for but often get shorted and not happy about that. We have one local shop that always gives a little extra to make up for the wrongly cut pieces and of course I really them for doing this. What I do hate is when a clerk stretches the fabric to get the yard or whatever was asked for. The chain stores seem o be the worst for that.With the high prices we now pay for fabric I think it is no more than fair to pay the price for a useable yard and get it.

The local LQS where I work, we always give at least an extra inch, because we know we're not perfect and neither is the fabric. I understand that at JoAnn's, they're corporate, and they have strict rules about how they cut the fabric. So I always get a couple extra inches when I buy there.

I think expecting/wanting "extra" to make up for possible shrinkage is about as reasonable as expecting extra meat to make up for the bone or fat that is inedible.

The store probably pays for the fabric as it comes on the bolt. So if there are 10 actual yards on the bolt, they were probably charged for 10 yards - regardless of how it is on the bolt.

That said, I will favor a shop or store that cuts generously to one that cuts "short."

I agree. I don't want to be shorted but I don't expect an extra inch.