I posted a while back about the prodigal fabric order from Keepsake. It finally came after about 12 days. It finally came, after about 12 days.
Now on to the batting. I took Pat's suggestion about the Quilter's Dream Puff, for a really soft hug quilt. I ordered it from Hancocks of Paducah. It came pretty quickly, but I opened the package and found Quilter's Dream Wool instead!!
I'm so disgusted I haven't even called them yet. I just hate the hassle of sending things back.
Well, yeah. The wool is $10 more than the Puff. That's why I haven't called them yet. I like wool batting, I just didn't want to use it for THIS quilt. So this little voice is telling me "Just keep the wool for the next quilt -- you got a bargain." The other little voice is saying, "That wouldn't be honest." Grrr. I hate those voices.
I had a friend who was once very surprised to get an invoice from a major department store in Chicago showing a CREDIT for the return of a pair of down pillows he never purchased and thus never returned. He called them about it, and they thanked him and said they would remove the credit. One month later he got a notice of credit for 4 down pillows. Again, the call and the assurance. The 3rd month the credit was for 8 down pillows. Same call, same assurance. The 4th month it was a credit for 16 dowm pillows, and the 5th month it was for 32 down pillows, and the 6th month for 64 down pillows. At that point he met with his attorney, who laughed, called the store, and followed up with a letter noting not only the ridiculous situation about the phantom pillows but also stating that the gentleman felt unable to use his credit card at the store until the matter was resolved. The written response from the store manager was a huge apology, a promise that the matter had been resolved (it really had), and a non-expiring gift card for the value of the credit amount for the 64 pillows. Well, my friend took the lawyer to dinner in the store's very fine dining room, did a bit of shopping, and then used the rest of the gift card bit by bit throughout the opera season with dinner each night before the opera. By the time the gift card was down to about $250 he decided that a pair of down pillows would really be very nice in the guest room, but bought them at Saks instead.
This is why I almost never buy anything online sight unseen. I would rather spend an afternoon and visit a few places and try and find what I need locally. It also helps the local economy.
That's a very good thing; but I live in a rural area. Our local economy is....Wal Mart. I just refuse to buy WalMart's batting. We have a pretty good LQS for fabric, but she only carries a couple of different kinds.
I used to live in a tiny rural town in Montana, where the next nice- sized town meant a 300 mile round trip. Not always easy to arrange, and sometimes we'd make it an outing and have a lot of fun, staying a couple of days.
I now live in a large enough city where I can shop and usually find what I want. However, I don't drive anymore, and have to depend on my family to take me places.
I have always loved Keepsake Quilting! I keep the catalogs and like to look back thru them -- get lots of inspiration and ideas. I've ordered from them several times during the past few years, because it's been so conventient for me. I like that I can compare prices first, too.
It's impossible for me to run all over town and hoping I find what I'm looking for. Shopping from catalogs, or online, is the best way for me to do any shopping. I could order groceries online, but I do like to check out what's in the store and shop "for real" when I get groceries.
As to Keepsake, I don't remember ever being upset over an order. I also love to order from Quilt in a Day online. Fun!!
There are some very nice quilt shops here and in towns close by. It's a real treat to go and fondle all the fabric. But I find that I'd rather order online or catalog because I'd like to see all the collections and everything within that collection. The local shops may carry 2-3 prints within a line, but not all of them. That's what I want -- to look at them all, then decide what to buy. That's not to say I don't buy a yard or so when I see something I love and just have to have it in my stash. :)
About ugly FQ's -- I had a few set aside to get rid of. They were godawful ugly! Then I got involved with some 30's retro prints, and guess where I found just the right coordinates -- in my Get Rid Of Ugly FQ pile. Suddenly they weren't so undesirable. :)
That's a very good thing; but I live in a rural area. Our local economy is....Wal Mart. I just refuse to buy WalMart's batting.
:: I know what you mean as I also live in a rural area. The nearest city where they sell fabric is 20 miles away. I have bought batting from Wally World. I've had no problems with it. The close WM (9 miles away) no longer sells fabric so I have to drive to the city. I do buy most of my fabric and notions at WM since it's usually cheaper than at Hancock's Fabrics. There is a LQS in that city but her prices are beyond what I can afford at $8.99 yrd. She has an excellent selection if you can afford the prices.
We have a pretty good LQS for fabric, but she only carries a couple of different kinds.
Thank you, Rene'. I agree w/ you about Keepsake Quilting, & online shopping. The only time I had a serious problem w/ an online order was w/ that shop in Paducah, H.o.P.. Learned my lesson and moved on to better customer service. [It's a neat store to shop in, in person.] And I understand about the "ugly" FQ, too. ;-D Sometimes the "ugly" just needs a new place to perform.
About ugly FQ's -- I had a few set aside to get rid of. They were godawful ugly! Then I got involved with some 30's retro prints, and guess where I found just the right coordinates -- in my Get Rid Of Ugly FQ pile. Suddenly they weren't so undesirable. :)
I once got rid of some "ugly" fabric making a doggy quilt for a friend's dog. The dog loved it. :-)))
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