I bought some fabric from Walmart
04-27-2011, 05:32 AM
#91
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,666
Back to the burn test:
I put the candle either in a large metal cake pan, the concrete laundry tubs in the basement, or a porcelain/cast iron sink - and have an ash tray and a glass of water nearby.
If one has a lot of fabrics to check - it's a good idea to do this outside. The fumes can get to be a bit much - especially from the synthetic fabrics.
Back to purchasing fabrics:
As long as I get what I ask for - and the cut is perpendicular to the fold line - I won't complain. (If I buy something at the deli, for example, I have to pay for every bit I get.)
I have learned, however, to check for grain lines, etc. before purchasing - and then if it is off-grain - decide how much it annoys me and go from there.
I've also learned to let the fabric do what it wants to after washing and drying it. I can attempt to "straighten" it, but it seems to revert back to whatever it did after I washed it.
I put the candle either in a large metal cake pan, the concrete laundry tubs in the basement, or a porcelain/cast iron sink - and have an ash tray and a glass of water nearby.
If one has a lot of fabrics to check - it's a good idea to do this outside. The fumes can get to be a bit much - especially from the synthetic fabrics.
Back to purchasing fabrics:
As long as I get what I ask for - and the cut is perpendicular to the fold line - I won't complain. (If I buy something at the deli, for example, I have to pay for every bit I get.)
I have learned, however, to check for grain lines, etc. before purchasing - and then if it is off-grain - decide how much it annoys me and go from there.
I've also learned to let the fabric do what it wants to after washing and drying it. I can attempt to "straighten" it, but it seems to revert back to whatever it did after I washed it.
05-02-2011, 12:35 PM
#92
Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2
When I worked at a fabric store I was told that the profit was in the last 3" of a yard. Rent,salaries,utilities, warehouse,etc cost the first 33". We gave a thumb's width extra. Panels, plaids, etc were cut one layer at a time. JoAnn fabric department supervisor told me they are required to cut the exact amount. When they stretch trim so the measurement is short, I have a supervisor remeasure the piece and recut.
05-05-2011, 05:53 PM
#93
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by Airwick156
I bought 3 peices of fabric from walmart, 1 yard, red, 1 yard white, 1 yard black all the palencia brand. Because I am going to make a quilt called "Ants go Marching" from McCalls Quick Quilts September 2009 Issue.
Not sure if the brand matters or not, but I have found that the palencia brand is thicker then some others.
Anyways I give the fabric to the lady to cut and I tell her I would like 1 yard of each fabric. So she opens the bolt to measure out a yard and I noticed that she had not butted it up to the beginning of the yard stick they use, she had went BEYOND the yard stick about 3 inches. I was stunned and I told the lady "Wow do you realize that you are giving me about 3 inches more then the yard". The woman says yes I do did you not want me to do that. I told her oh no she can do it however she wants to and I was just shocked that she was doing that. She told me that she is also a quilter and it makes her madder then a hornet when they measure the fabric EXACTLY for what you ask for. Then she says...And if Walmart wants to fire me over it ...LET THEM. LOL.
Not sure if the brand matters or not, but I have found that the palencia brand is thicker then some others.
Anyways I give the fabric to the lady to cut and I tell her I would like 1 yard of each fabric. So she opens the bolt to measure out a yard and I noticed that she had not butted it up to the beginning of the yard stick they use, she had went BEYOND the yard stick about 3 inches. I was stunned and I told the lady "Wow do you realize that you are giving me about 3 inches more then the yard". The woman says yes I do did you not want me to do that. I told her oh no she can do it however she wants to and I was just shocked that she was doing that. She told me that she is also a quilter and it makes her madder then a hornet when they measure the fabric EXACTLY for what you ask for. Then she says...And if Walmart wants to fire me over it ...LET THEM. LOL.
05-05-2011, 11:33 PM
#95
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Originally Posted by Txmamabear4
When I worked at a fabric store I was told that the profit was in the last 3" of a yard. Rent,salaries,utilities, warehouse,etc cost the first 33". We gave a thumb's width extra.
So, IMO, "so called 'profit'" is subjective. One may have more profit if they don't have such fancy stores since they have less invested in equipment, fancy machines, huge warehouses, or just plain better management.
In Poland, the difference between wholesale and retail fabric appears to be like this. What they pay 2 zl/meter for they sell for 6 zl/meter (something like batting). If they pay 12 zl/meter, they charge 36 zl/meter, etc. What the owner chooses to spend on the bells and whistles of their store is completely up to them.
Years ago my DH's mom owned a fabric store in an area where there were no chain stores. She did well--40-50K a year in the early 80's. That was what she made. But she sold before Joann's came to town.
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