laralea

I just have to share my small victory.
I live 75 miles from the nearest JoAnn Fabrics, which is in Columbia SC. A couple weeks ago I was in Columbia for another purpose and stopped in at JoAnn's. I purchased a beautiful flimsy lavendar poly fabric for a divider curtain. When I got home, I tore the ends off to get a straight edge. By the time I had done that, I no longer had enough fabric for the curtain. I was in Columbia yesterday and went to get more fabric. I explained to the person cutting fabric that I had lost a significant portion of what I had previously purchased and asked if I could tear the fabric and purchase whatever extra I tore off. She said no - customers aren't allowed to cut or tear the fabric. So I said, how about if I purchase then tear it? She said that was fine but I couldn't return it. So I can't have it straight and I can't return it crooked??! I knew there was a risk that I would buy, get home, tear, then have to go back for more. I had her cut 5/8 yd thinking that would give me an extra 1/8th just in case. I then paid for it, but I wasn't ready to accept that I would again have to pay for unusable fabric and drive 150 miles to get more if I didn't have enough. I went back to the cutting table and was lucky enough to get a different person to help me. I tore the fabric right there, fully expecting to only make my point and avoid another trip. After tearing the fabric, it measured 17 inches, a loss of 5.5 inches. The clerk decided to replace the fabric and decided to tear one side of the fabric to create a straight edge, then cut the other side. Before she cut it, she decided to go ahead and tear it!! She gave me 5/8 of a yard - all nice and straight! Here's the photos I took this time - sure wish I'd taken some of the first piece I bought. This fabric is 9.99/yd. with 30% off. I'm so tired of paying for fabric that has a built in loss factor once straightened and I wasn't giving up easily this time - maybe because it's pricey fabric. I love that Mary Jo's always tears fabric - at least I know it will be straight and if it also happens to be printed off-grain, it can easily be caught before purchase.

Quilty-Louise

That is pretty fabric.

cwessel47

Just beautiful fabric! Every time you look at that divider you can celebrate again. It's nice to know that some employees "get it".

Vanuatu Jill

I had a real "biddy" on Saturday at Joann's - needed a little guidance buying fulible pellon and sew-in interfacing for these dang purses I want to make and didn't know what to get-there are too many choices of that stuff. Anyway, without a smile, she turned away back to the cutting table without saying a word. So, I noticed on the back of the rack of fusibles (behind the cutting table), they had the rack FULL of fabrics already cut and ready to go back to the shelves and saw a great aqua that I might like. I just stepped one step in to see it, she turned around and again without a smile, asked what I wanted. I said I just wanted to look at that fabric, but could really use some help with Pellon-she just said "everything is behind you on the rack" and turned around again. I actually asked a very nice customer if she was familiar with the stuff and she helped me. Luckily, the cutting lady I got was really nice, smiled, asked if I had a coupon since the Pellon was quite expensive! Now, I know they had a sale on, but really, they only had 4 people in line with 2 cutters at the time, so she wasn't that busy!! I am a patient person, but I thought she was just rude. I think she was just hired for the sale or something because I hadn't seen her before.

ljsunflower

Pretty fabric but I can't stand tearing it. Or letting the clerk tear it. It's gotta be cut for me to buy it!

noahscats7

Wow! What a bummer to lose that much fabric because of a poor cut.