Oh Joann's

I do most of my fabric shopping at Joann's using their 50% off coupons and 20% off total purchases coupons and digging through their remnants bin to find fabric.  I rarely actually buy fabric off a bolt for more than 3 dollars a yard.  

But...Pigg#3 is due to arrive in June and I want to make a quilt for him.  And I want to make it cute and actually try my hand at real quilting...no ties.  I was even ready to go look at designer fabrics at a specialty store to make sure I got cute fabric I liked...and pay more for it.

So here's my story...I went to Joann's first, just in case.  You never know.  And I did find fabric that caught my eye in their premium quilting fabrics.  (Woodhaven collection by Colorbok designed by Heidi Grace)  The sign said it was 50% off and you can't do much better than that at Joann's so I picked some up along with other fabrics in the line and a couple other supplies I needed while I was at it.  Checked out with a bunch of coupons because of their coupon commotion and went on my way.

At home I realized to actually make the quilt the way I want to, I need some more basic solid colors so I went back the next day with Pigg#1. (he chose to come.  Surprise!) we spent an hour and a half scouring the store for all the fabrics in the line that I loved and any other fabrics that coordinated well with it, decided what to buy, and getting it cut.  I am not quick about these things.  And when i looked at the ticket, I finally realized the fabric was not 50% off and not on sale at all.  The only reason I got the prices the day before that I got was because of my coupons.  Except I didn't have any more coupons.  I wasn't worried before going to the store because I really thought all the fabric I'd be getting was 50% off.

They didn't make me buy it, but I could tell the manager was irritated (I would be too.  Actually I WAS irritated, and I was the one who did it!) because he said he was going to put all my 1/2 yard cuts back on the bolt.  (what?  aren't cuts that small suppose to be turned into remnants?)  At home I searched the internet for more coupons and went back that night to get my fabric.  And sure enough, when I went up to the counter, each bolt had a 1/2 yard cut rolled back on the bolt.  The lady cutting my fabric thought it was odd and I just left her in the dark thinking it was a coincidence that all the cuts I wanted were already right there on the bolts-exact.  And the coupons worked and I got my fabric.

And I met a friend there who couldn't use any of the regular coupons because her fabric WAS on sale.  So I could give her the % off total purchase coupon that I couldn't use and save her money.  That was the good part to going back.

But oh the time spent getting that done.  I hope this is the best quilting experience ever!  And that I never do that again.  I'm sure my face was red the whole time I was in Joann's that last time.