Warning: Do not shop at Mood Fabrics while operating heavy machinery. That is, don't let yourself get distracted.
I was there yesterday on my lunch hour and the place was packed for a Tuesday. Lots of Upper East Side moms and daughters shopping and monopolizing the staff, and the lines for the cutting tables were long. I knew I wanted navy silk charmeuse for a jacket lining, and the charmeuse I always buy there is around $12 a yard. So I grabbed a bolt without pulling out the tag wedged deep inside it and had three yards cut. Went to the cash register and chatted with owner Eric Sauma about how busy the store was. Signed the receipt without looking at it (I know, I know) and got the heck out of there.
When I unpacked my bag last night I finally looked at the receipt: $75 for the charmeuse!! It was $25 a yard, not $12. Seems I grabbed the slightly heavier weight of charmeuse. Seventy-five bucks for the lining in a coat-jacket where the fashion fabric only cost me $15. Ouch. Don't be like me, readers. Check the damn label or ask what the price is before it's cut. Humor me and tell me you've done similarly stupid things like this.
Oh, yes I have! Only my mistake was silk crepe and the dress ended up a wadder, and I had to rush to buy a retail dress for the event.The final cost of my inattention was shocking!
ReplyDeleteActually yes...I did it last friday. Ran into to Nordstrom to buy Sean new sneakers...it was packed and my son hates shopping. We tried on three pairs of shoes...most of them marked 60 dollars...finally the third pair perfectly fit his extra wide foot ...told the salesman he would wear them home....signed receipt...needed to get him out of the Mall! Got home and realized the dang running shoes cost me 110 bucks!!! For an 8 year old's growing foot...meanwhile he is out in the alley on his scooter using the toe of his new shoe as a stop! Next time Payless! Felt good venting...thank you. This is a well guarded secret from my better half!!
ReplyDeletewhy don't you keep the more expensive organza for something else (a dress? or a blouse?), and buy cheaper one for lining?
ReplyDeleteI meant charmeuse, of course, the image above distracted me :-)
ReplyDeleteMarina, that is definitely a possibility...
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this has happened to me one too many times not only at the fabric stores but other places. And yes, it happened every time I am in a rush.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get distracted by heavy machinery at Mood, I usually end up buying several beautiful pieces of fabric, but forgetting to pick up the one thing (like lining) that was the reason I went shopping in the first place. There's not much to do but slap your head, yell "DOH!", and start planning what to do with your new beautiful fabric.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely use this for a nice blouse. $25/yard deserves a leading role, so consider it an accidental splurge.
ReplyDeleteHow about paying for fabric and leaving it at the store? That counts as a stupid, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteUm Yes. Let me count the ways.
ReplyDeleteAll learning lessons.
Yes- save the fabric for a great dress. Perhaps Vogue 1120?
That pattern requires a good 2-3 yards of charmeuse.....
Even better. I was at Britex Fabric in San Francisco and bought 2 yards of silk for a sport shirt. The first bolt I picked up was 18 bucks a yard. An OK price I thought, but I wanted a warm grey so I moved the bolts around and found just what I was looking for. Had the assistant cut two yards for me and went to the cashier. Are you ready? 90 BUCKS A YARD! I'm gonna have to become a wayyy better sewer before I cut into this.
ReplyDeleteI haven't, but mainly because Mood is so overwhelming to me that I usually run screaming to the elevator after a few minutes.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's ridiculous that you have to spend $50 to get a free shopping bag.* I'm not spending whatever they charge for bags just to look like a Project Runway wannabe. I did spend some time thinking about buying a large amount of muslin to qualify, but wasn't sure it was worth the delivery cost.
Use the charmeuse to make a dress.
*Oh, enjoy your bag.
New York Sewer
No, no... I've NEVER done anything like that! Just use the fabric for something that will be seen! A blessing in disguise, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteI meant to put that I am joking, of course. I've done that several times, especially when I'm not wearing my glasses!!!
ReplyDeleteHahahaha - soooo easy to have this kind of thing happen in Mood! I definitely agree with the other comments - $75 should be a blouse or dress.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite overspend story was when I ordered some tracing paper from Greenberg and Hammer before attending a Susan Khalje workshop in Seattle. How expensive could it be to overnight a few little pieces of paper? Hahahaha - $50! I think the total bill for shipping and product was $100!!!!! They felt it was required to send it rolled up and in a superlong cardboard tube. Serves me right - I didn't ask about the shipping charge!
Maris
http://sewmaris.com
Oh yes, I just did that recently, too. I ordered four patterns during the Vogue pattern sale, not realizing that one of them on the page was not on sale and was actually an $18 pattern. Grrr.
ReplyDeleteCindy - Creative Hormone Rush
Oh yes, I've done that. Though my problem is more along the lines of buying something I don't need--which is too expensive at any price. I've done several projects lately where the lining is more expensive than the fashion fabric. I just take the average!
ReplyDeleteWell my worst unintended splurge was at a celebratory dinner when I ordered not one but two bottles of Tattingers champagne. Unfortunately I didn't specify which one (there were two at alarmingly different prices). So I got the $80 bottle (this was 30 years ago, so it was just a huge expenditure for me). As for fabric, I've been so lucky at finding unbelievable bargains that the $$ average out.
ReplyDeletearrrrrgh. I know how you feel. I just sold/signed my own books at the Geneva Writers' Workshop over last weekend, so had to replenish my stock and ordered fresh copies from amazon. Forgot I had switched preferences to priority shipping. Copies arrived the next day (totally unnecessary as I have no signings coming up soon ) with the shipping costing more than the books.
ReplyDeleteDumbo Author has now switched her shipping preferences back.
Love this new blog, but frustrates me totally I'm not in New York!
One time I bought 1/4 yard of sale fabric for a doll/toy dress. I was getting some other supplies, but the total should have been around $15. When I checked out they charged me $60. That's about what I usually spend when I am buying fabric and supplies for a big project for me, so I didn't think about it until I got in the car because my bag was so light. I spent 10 minutes trying to read the receipt (which was weird because of the sales) before I figured out I got charged for 4 yards of fabric, not 1/4. Luckily I got a refund, but I almost drove off without thinking about it. At least now you have some awesome charmeuse. I would have spent $40 on 1/4 yard of tissue lame!
ReplyDeletePicked up an (overpriced, but awesome) sandwich at a deli on Saturday (in Norfolk, Va, not especially known for high priced food). Thought I'd splurge (on calories) and get a cookie. It was a gorgeous, crescent-shaped almond thing. $7.50! for one cookie! I didn't buy it, though the owner tried to shame me into getting it -- food prices going up, yada, yada. It may have been worth every penny -- I just couldn't justify the expense.
ReplyDeleteJust looking at your photo of Mood Fabric has me about to type imy Master Card number into the American Airlines website and hop the next flight from DFW to La Guardia!
ReplyDeleteSo, I did not pay too much but I had to reorder after I ruined fabric by picking up my rotary cutter instead of my rotary marker(with teeth) and sliced my fabric big time where the buttonholes would go- front and center!!
ReplyDeleteBe warned. Had to reorder fabric....
That sounds like something I would definitely do. Unfortunately.
ReplyDelete