"I'm at the fabric store, and I have a question!"

[sofadoc]

I hear this from time to time. I give a customer a yardage estimate. They go to a fabric outlet, and call me from there with a question.

Usually, they've found a piece at a very attractive price, but there isn't quite enough, so they want to use a contrasting fabric on the outsides, and need an ammended yardage esttimate. Or they've decided to add skirts at the last minute, and want to know how many yards to get for that. Or they've found a piece that's chocked full of flaws, and want to know how much extra to allow for.

I was dealing with a lady who was calling me from a fabric outlet yesterday, when something occured to me.

I remember reading here that some of you let your answering machine or voicemail pick up while you're working during the day, and you return calls later. The lady yesterday had driven 75 miles to a fabric store, and probably would've been PO'ed if she couldn't have reached me while she was there.

Does this not ever happen to any of you? I get customers calling me from the store at least once or twice a month. Don't get me wrong. If they aren't going to buy their fabric from me, I don't have a tremendous amount of sympathy for them. But if it's a foregone conclusion that their job will be COM, I might as well do my part to make it go as smoothly as possible.

I understand that many stitchers don't want to be disturbed while they are "In the zone", but I don't think the voicemail thing would work for me.

[DBR1957]

My answer would be " I have no idea". Pattern has a lot to do with yardage. You
can't see what they have in their hand and the store clerk can't see the item the
fabric is for. Also, you don't know what you will be able to do with the amount that
is available.

[byhammerandhand]

I once heard my late uncle respond rhetorically to this type of question, "How much water does it take to fill a leaky barrel?"

[kodydog]

I hear this from time to time. I give a customer a yardage estimate. They go to a fabric outlet, and call me from there with a question.

Rhetorical question. Why can't we just say, ask the sales person at the outlet? Their making the money on the fabric.

[MinUph]

The answering machine idea is your best bet. Ad to the end of your outgoing message to call your cell if it is an emergency and can't wait until you are free to return their call. Or something to that effect. Is that an A or E in effect  :P

[sofadoc]

The answering machine idea is your best bet. Ad to the end of your outgoing message to call your cell if it is an emergency and can't wait until you are free to return their call. Or something to that effect. Is that an A or E in effect  :P

I did jokingly leave an outgoing voicemail message while I was on vacation last year that said "If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911".

Effect is a noun. Affect is a verb. If I restyle your sofa, I have affected an effect on it.