Black Friday @ TSWLTH

(TSWLTH = The Store We Love to Hate, aka Joann's)

I got to the Kenosha, WI, store, mid-morning. It wasn't terribly crowded and the cutting line was not as bad as I have seen it other times. I got 10 yards of Warm & Natural, a replacement Ott-lite bulb, a cutting table mat (32 x 60, on sale for $29.99). Oh, yes, and some fabric. (3 yds flannel, which I use as underlining. I've come to like 'mint-and-chocolate' (aqua/turquoise and brown) and added to that a collection. I bought some prequilted fabric to make a jacket -- also mint-and-chocolate. I'm not wild about the polyester batting used, but I figured that if I bought fabric for the outside and the lining, and then sandwiched something in between (e.g. flannel), and stitched it, I'd have the equivalent investment as in buying this fabric. (Regular price for the prequilted is $19.99; I used the 50% off coupon.)

By the time I had the fabric cut and was being checked out it was straight up noon. The clerk said that she wasn't sure if the 20%-off- entire-purchase coupon would be good, since it expired at noon, and as she rung it in it was about 12:02. Fortunately it did. Their computer system does not take into consideration the fact that people might have been in the store in plenty of time and were just caught in long lines.

Nann in northeasternmost Illinois

P.S. I replaced the Ott-Lite bulb, but no light comes on. Bum lamp? It's a clamp-on desktop model that I've had for about 3 years. (I use it at my comptuer desk.) Grrr.

Reply to
Nann
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Now that was fun. Thank you, Nann, for doing Black Friday at TSWLTH for us. (and reporting) I like to hear about it but am way far too cowardly to try it. As to the Ott bulb, there are a few things you can try before you decide the bulb is a bummer. Be sure you have put the bulb in 'right', may be upside down or not quite in. Plug the lamp in a different outlet. Outlets can and do wear out. I don't know how many quilters it takes to change a lightbulb but I do remember that we had a little trouble when we replaced ours. Good luck. Polly

"Nann" (TSWLTH = The Store We Love to Hate, aka Joann's)

Reply to
Polly Esther

I was in the Lakeland store on Friday. I took a number for the cutting table - mine was 98 and they were serving 53! When it got close to noon, I sent DH to the check-out with the rest of my stuff to get the extra 20%. The fabric I was getting cut was on the bell-ringer page, and the extra discount didn't work. I mentioned to several people waiting about the noon deadline. One went to the store manager, and she came to the cutting area and gave everyone a mark on their 20% coupon to verify it at the cash. They had 3 people cutting at all 3 cutting tables, and there were many waiting. My biggest deal was on flannel, which I was buying to back some scrap donation quilts my group is making. I got around 12 yards for just over $18, and the receipt said I saved $51!

Reply to
Susan Torrens

Oddly enough, this happened to me recently. I had the gray 18-watt lamp that either clamps on, or fits into a base. I never used the base, just the clamp. My lamp acted up almost from the get-go when I bought it about ten-plus years ago. I almost always had to turn on the switch and then thump the bulb to get it to light. A couple of months ago, no amount of thumping, or bulb taking-out-and-putting-back-in worked. So I bought a replacement bulb at Michael's, but still no joy. I decided it was the lamp that finally died, not the bulb. No more Ott-lites for me! I was never terribly impressed. My $20 Staples clamp on lamp with a 13 watt bulb easily gives light that's every bit as good as the Ott.

I found an artist's lamp that clamps on and is very flexible and that uses the same 18 watt bulbs. So at least I have a lamp to use my bulbs - assuming I remember where I put the bulbs when I eventually need them! I have about four lamps clamped around my back to back sewing tables now, every one different.

Iris

Reply to
I.E.Z.

I stayed home. I looked at all the cool discounts and coupons and made a quality-of-life decision. This was the fourth Black Friday in a row that I've made the same decision. I don't think I regret it, except maybe for the chance to buy batting at 50% off. But I think I can life with it.

Sunny

Reply to
Sunny

I bought the floor model Ott light at least 12 years ago. I have had no trouble with it. I use it every day. When I went back to college and had a LOT of reading to do, it was the only light I could use, that I didnt get headaches. I have it next to my needlework desk now. Maybe I just got a good one. Susan

Reply to
Susan in Idaho

I seldom venture out on Black Friday, and this year was no different - almost! I did go to Michael's yesterday to get some yarn (my latest non-quilting "hobby" is making prayer shawls) that was on sale. In addition, I had a 25% off coupon, so that made it even better. They really weren't busy at all (I went around 8 a.m.), but they had opened at 4 p.m. the afternoon before, and I think that probably contributed to the lack of people out shopping on Friday. To keep this on-topic, I must mention that I did buy a fat-quarter of fabric with cats on it so that my nephew could use it in the lap quilt he's making. We have the top put together and plan to quilt it tonight. I'll probably do the binding by bringing the backing fabric to the front and machine stitching it down so he can take it home with him tomorrow.

Reply to
Louise in Iowa

I'm with you. I didn't go out to do shopping. Did go to the Medical Center lab for some tests that needed to be done before next appointment on 12/8 - I walked right in, no line, no waiting at 10AM. Tried to convince the electrician guy for the complex to come over to troubleshoot my kitchen light, but he was out shopping with his family.

Don't miss the "specials" and "hot deals". Quality of life is a better choice.

G> I stayed home. I looked at all the cool discounts and coupons and made

Reply to
Ginger in CA

I just did some shopping at Fabric.com for a baby quilt, and a few others for various projects. Fabric.com is giving 20% for up to a $49 purchase; 25% for a $99 purchase; 30% for $100 plus. If I understand correctly, the discounts are good through the weekend. And they gave their standard free shipping for orders over $35.

It's not quite as rewarding as shopping in an LQS, but when you don't have one handy, this is the next best thing. :-)

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

Reply to
Michelle C.

To those of you who ventured out, I admire your determination and williness to stand in line. I stayed home and did some sewing on tote bags. Mid afternoon, I had to run to the hardware store and they were running a sale that I didn't know about, 50% off any one item. I asked the clerk if she had an extra coupon to get the discount and she gave me one. Jackpot...I bought our son a great set of drill bits for

50% off. Merry Christmas, son. So even though I had no intention of doing a Black Friday sale, I ended up finding a great bargain anyway! Donna
Reply to
dealer83

Like many people, I was too pooped to move on Black Friday! After 3 days of cooking and cleaning up, I despirately needed a sleep in day. As it was, I didn't go to bed until the wee hours of Friday AM as DD had to be up at 2:30 AM to go to work by

3:30 AM! Her store opened at 4 AM. so needless to say... I went back to bed at 3AM. when she left. Slept in till about 10AM and finished the cleaning up of Turkey Day. I must say, I even had a nap after she got home at 1:30 in the afternoon. We were both out for the count till later in the evening Friday. Only then, did we venture to the market for some replacement supplies...milk, etc., and a couple movies to rent and back home again! I used to go to the Mall every Black Friday up until 9 or 10 years ago...no more, I'd rather stay home and veg. I even got a little hand work in today watching the movies!

amy in CNY

Reply to
amy in CNY

Iris, that Ott model is the same one that gave me trouble. (But I didn't have to thump it.)

I'll return the Ott bulb that I bought Friday. Meanwhile my husband reminded me that I had a floor lamp (Ott knock- off) in the basement. I brought it upstairs, and it works just fine.

Nann

Reply to
Nann

Reply to
Julia in MN

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