How the Grinch Stole Christmas or $21 & Some Change

UPDATE:  Uggh!!!!! Would you believe after all that, the salesperson forgot to put the patterns in my bag?? I just called and they are still at the counter.



Hancock Fabrics, I have tried to love you. I put up with having to go to multiple locations to get my patterns because each store apparently gets only four of each in stock when the new ones come out. I make a little game out of it and think of it as the Great Pattern Hunt. I do this even when I know Jo-Ann is always well stocked and will honor your sales flier. I choose you for my Ponteroma knit, even though I could get it at Jo-Ann too (and they also have beautiful rayon knit jerseys, ITY and rib knits a you don't even bother to carry).

I like your value fabric, but don't you want to be more than that to me? Besides, Fabric.com and Fabric Mart have claimed more of my heart and wallet.  You're lucky that Discount Textile Warehouse is so inconvenient ... Let's not forget about Vogue and New Rainbow Fabric.

My point is I have options. I choose you even when I know I'll have to go to another store to get something else for the same project. That's what love does.

I've wanted your Kashmir Fleece for months. (It's a good thing I can see the colors online because no store seems to have the complete collection.)  It's $20/yard, which is why I've admired it from afar. How happy was I because it's 50% off until Christmas Eve?  And, thank you Jesus, I got a 20% off entire purchase coupon from Jo-Ann (includes sale and regular items). It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I went through every coat and jacket pattern trying to find the right one for this fleece. I settled on New Look 6006 in either plum or rust. I couldn't wait to get to the store last night. I looked at every possible fabric that would make a cool lining for either color. Finally, I found it in the Kaleidoscope collection.



This was a big purchase for me; it takes a lot for me to pay more than $5/yd. I just don't have the sewing skills or money right now to roll with anything more.  But it's Christmas and I'm playing low-budget Santa for myself.  *Deep breath* Okay, since I'm here, let me get my other splurge fabric, stretch velvet, for Butterick 5562 View D. It was $9.09/yd.  Whew. I have a 20% coupon, so I better make it count, right? I looked at all the sale fabric to make sure I didn't miss anything. *Deep breath*  Let me get to the cutting counter before I lose heart.

To the register we go. With some regular fleece, patterns and thread thrown in, the subtotal is $108 something. (Let me point out that the Simplicity patterns were $2 each; I usually wait until they are 5 for $1.) $108? Am I crazy? Is this really how I want to spend my money -- on something I won't sew for a year? For real, I need a cake pan now and it's only $34. I could be using this money for gas ... BUT, it's my one gift to me this Christmas and I really, really, really like it. Deals like this don't come around that often. I'm so glad I have a 20%-off-entire-purchase coupon.

The sales person told me I qualified for $25 off my next purchase. I told her I had a 20% off coupon. The other salesperson overheard and said that I couldn't combine discounts. All I want is my coupon. The first lady tried to key it in and couldn't. She was new and thought that scanning it would work. Bless her heart. The other lady came over and tried. The register was only discounting one non-sale item, thread. I ask if they can enter flat dollar-off discounts. She says no.

She apologies for the wait. She picks up the phone and starts to franticly call store managers (There are now four impatient people behind me; I am chillin'.) She gets someone on the third try. "We aren't honoring the Jo-Ann 20%-off-the-entire-purchase coupon are we?"  Well, I guess not when you phrase it like that. This is also one of the locations that refused to allow me to use Jo-Ann's coupon's on patterns even before Jo-Ann changed the language on the coupons to exclude patterns.

I very calmly said, "You have made this very easy for me. Please cancel the transaction. I'll take the $3.99 fleece, patterns and a spool of thread. Here's another coupon for the thread." My new subtotal is $20.62. Here's what I left behind:

Unseen on the counter are also pieces of my heart and customer loyalty. See, I don't think you understood what you were up against. I chose fabric over a much-needed and long-awaited trip to the Norstrom make up counter. I chose you over EA Sports Active 2. I chose you over DVDs of movies I absolutely adore like North & South and the re-mastered Pride & Prejudice. I was willing to take public transit a little bit more and eat a little less fancy for this one last fabric splurge.

Oh, you didn't know this was going to be last you see of me for awhile? One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop "collecting" fabric. I will only buy fabric if it's needed for a project I'm actually working on. Given how long it takes me to complete anything and the stash I already have, it will be a long time before you see me browsing again. I wanted my last purchase to count, kinda like the last meal you eat before starting a diet. Oh well.