/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

Tread relevant to my job.
If you are using a pattern,please realize that the sizes are by measurement, not by "dress" or store size. I never had cosplayers do this, but it's prom season and I hope those girls make their dresses and they don't fit.

does joann's still have sales on patterns? i remember they used to have things like 10 for 10 sales on different brands fairly often

loved seeing some shit like "you saved $200" at the bottom of my receipt

of course i already have a fuckton of unused patterns but so many make me go "i could use that one day!!"

Haven't been to Joanns in a while. When did they get rid of over HALF of their fabric section in favor for expanding their home decor?

Hancock anon here.

Mostly cosplayers are alright, at least in my area. Sometimes we get the odd grandma who wants to make her grandson's Link out of felt (and will not listen to reason), but for the most part they're pretty okay.

We get a lot of crazy Russian and Vietnamese customers though.

>>6767925
JoAnnsFag here! Yes, actually! I think on some of the Simplicity ones there tend to be 5 for $5 on some, and Butterick ones like to go on sale for 99c. Do you get the mailers? Like, sign a little card?

It's annoying to hunt through the coupons, BUT, the little catalog generally lets you know when things are gonna go on sale (like patterns) at least two weeks or so before they activate, so you can scout which ones you need.

JoAnns basically sets itself up so the only way to get ahead is using coupons. Know how to play the game and MAKE OUT LIKE A BANDIT. You can use as many coupons as you want per transaction, just not on the same item. So when you get up to the front just throw them up and be like SCAN ALL OF THOSE FUCKERS.

Some customers have been coming in with 20% Off Everything Including Sale Items coupons that are on the back of Walgreens Receipts? I don't know how you get them but FIND OUT because then you can slap it on top of the Daffodil Dash thing we've got going on and for some things that's like... easily 70% off? Shit's incredible.

>>6768068
Whaaat, I had one of those said Walgreen's receipts and I just let it expire. I am disappointed in myself now.

Get a Student Discount card (10% off everything, not stackable with other coupons, works like a regular 20% off everything coupon). You will never pay full price for anything again.

is Kona Cotton ever NOT $1 off? That shit counts as a "sale" so I can't coupon the stuff.

JoannFag. I know several cosplayers that comes to my store.

But there is this one that no matter how hard I tried to talk to her, refuses to be even remotely social. I know she's buying the fabric for cosplay, I've seen the fabric she uses on her cosplays at local cons. But when I try to be friendly at work and ask what's she making, she always lies. What a bitch.

>>6768293

Eh, I always lie to the people cutting my fabric [when they ask], too. What business of their [and yours] is it to know what I'm making? It's not an issue about being ashamed or anything, but mostly me just being too shy. Maybe you're the one being a bitch by being so intrusive.

>>6767925
Oh god, I love that too.
>Buy 10-15 patterns at $1 a piece.
>mfw dem savings

>>6768303
Making small talk equals being a bitch???
Defensive much. The ladies at my Jo-Ann's loved seeing my outfits and were seriously impressed that I made a vinyl corset with 3 months experience. (No seriously, I live in a small town so they knew the second I started sewing.)

>>6768303
Dude, that's her job.

>>6768303
Haha, she called it friendly, you called it intrusive.

You called it shyness, she called it lying.

It just goes to show you that no two people go through the same experience. Maybe the same thing happens to each of them, but each person will think differently.
Don't you guys realize? That means neither of you are right. Isn't that great?

>>6768303
I laughed out loud at the notion that a retail store employee making small talk with a customer qualifies her as an intrusive bitch.

>>6768227
Seconded. I got one like a year ago. I rarely even use it since I almost always go there when I have better coupons like the "20% off the entire world" one, but if you need something and can't wait for a coupon to come up, it's nice to have on hand.

>>6768293
JoAnnFag from before. UGHHH I hate that... I mean, I usually ask "What're you making?" and if they seem open to it, I love chatting about what people are making. I've been really surprised to see how many cosplayers are in my area. AND all kinds, too! Ren Faire folks, cosplayers, SCA, all sorts.

I'm always tickled when I cut for someone and ask, and I KNOW it's a cosplay just by the color choices and they act shy. Like, "Oh... a costume...." And as soon as I tell them I cosplay too and it's OK they just light up and gush about what they're making and... Aaaa, it makes work worth it for me.

Also teaching baby cosplayers about fabric choices. No, baby, don't pick Glitter Costume Satin for Sailor Saturn, it makes a rip sound when you unstick it from itself.

>>6768318
>>6768314
>>6768312

Oh yeah, these people make a good point, too, Social Anxiety-san.

>Waiter: Hello, Sir! What'll it be~?
>Customer: WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME SO MANY QUESTIONS, YOU ASSHOLE?!

>>6768162
It's OK, anon! I think they're still doing it.
My Employee discount does that, but I want to like shout from the hills that it's a thing that's happening. I've only seen two of them so far. I'm not sure how one actually gets them? Is it a certain purchase that makes that print?

Also, just bought one of these for myself today as a Con Emergency Sewing Kit, and to put my own Emergency Sewing Shit in it so I don't just... throw my really nice Gingher scissors into my suitcase to float around.

JoAnns fag here. The best way to save money in our store is to sign up for our mailer, you'll get coupons via snail mail and e-mail. Also, download our app for smartphone and check our website or like our Facebook page there's almost always a coupon on there. If you're a teacher with a teacher card sign up for the teacher rewards card, I think you get like 10% off every purchase. And get a student discount as mentioned by >>6768227 You'll need an acceptance letter or a student ID to get one. We offer so many discounts and coupons that I seriously don't understand why anyone would come in a pay full price for anything.

I don't get many cosplayers at my JoAnns, although I wish I did. It's mostly really rude Indian people.

I almost always ask what people are making to kill time while cutting and for small talk, however if they don't even acknowledge my, "Hi, how are you doing today?" Then I don't bother asking.

Does anyone have any tips on what to do for a student rewards card?

I've applied twice now and have never gotten a letter in the mail to take into the store. I know for sure that I put the right address. I also got acceptance e-mails sent to my uni email account.

What gives? Are they holding out because I'm not a fashion student?

>>6768390
Something has to be wrong with your address because I'm not a fashion student but I still got mine in the mail for two years at two different addresses when I applied both times.

Or someone is throwing it away or it gets stuck inbetween random junk mail so it goes unnoticed. Stuff happens.

>cutting the customers fabric and their gaZE BURNS INTO YOUR SCISSORS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET EVEN CUT/ MORE THAN REQUESTED
> and/or they put their hands on the other side of the fabric to try and shift it to "help" when all they're doing is meSSING IT UP
>"what do you MEAN I can't use coupons on sewing machines?!?"
>"what do you MEAN this item is on sale! YOUR SIGNS ARE MISLEADING!!11"
>the moment you finish ringing them up and hand them the receipt, only to have them remember their 20% off transaction coupon AFTER YOURE DONE and demand to have it taken off so you have to do a return of it all and RESCAN literally 40+ items and hand type in the long scroll of fabric UPC numbers
>they expect you to know how to make quilts, knit, crotchet and breathe fire so to help them with their project; and scorn you if you're useless
>grumpy lonely old women
>unfortunate husbands that wait at the front for them

All the feels

UGH i've signed up for the mailers like 5 times since i moved last summer....STILL don't get the flyers via mail....sometimes i get a random coupon card sheet, but that's it.

especially annoying because the nearest store is now 45 minutes away as opposed to right across the street from my old apartment. so going on a fabric run is more of a chore than it used to be....

>>6768400
You forgot about the entitled foreigners, snapping at you to tell them the price of everything ever. They were the pits.

>>6768399
>>6768405
To be perfectly honest, I've heard many a tale like this. All I can say is that Jo-Ann has a really shitty mail system - just keep trying. It's a pain in the ass but it's worth it for the coupons and the sale notifications.

>>6768405
>>6768410
This is gonna sound really weird, but did you write your home address AND your email?

For whatever reason, when the Mail system gets both, it tends to flip the fuck out and you either get nothing, shitty mailers (like the little cards) or just emails.

The best way to do it is to ONLY put your home address. I usually catch people and make sure that's how they do it.

>>6768400
I've gotten into a habit of lightly snipping my scissors in the direction of people's fingers when they do that. And claim a weird company policy that involves not touching the fabric when I'm cutting it. Usually they get it.

My list:
>fucking chILDREN IN MY STORES PAST 8PM wreaking havoc on my damn store. It is PAST 8, please take your children home. They are tired. They want to go to bed.
>People who saw a thing on Pinterest and now think they are experts/can make that thing with zero prior experiences.
>Brides doing the 100% original Burlap and Lace weddings. See above about Pinterest.
>cut everything. THEN have them stop, look at the receipt, and hand it back going, "Oh, I thought this was on sale," and wander off. ...IF YOU HAD ASKED FIRST I WOULDN'T HAVE TO REMNANT ALL THIS, keysmash etc.

BUT I am super excited because a lot of JoAnns are getting remodeled (including mine) with pricing towers so customers can find out the prices on things themselves. FINALLY??

>>6768417
>Burlap and Lace weddings
That sounds like something only one or two people can get right, and the rest fail miserably.

>>6768419
Pretty much. THEORETICALLY, it's actually kind of pretty. But if I had a dime for every time a Hillbilly Hipster Bride has come in gushing about their "turt-lee yew-neek" Burlap and Lace wedding and being confused when I know exactly the items they're trying to make because I've cut for them before... welp.

It's STILL not as bad as the women who wanted to make a RealTree Camouflage/Hunter Orange baby room. Pic related. Also realtree prom gowns/bridesmaid dresses. Just stop.

I wanted to strangle them and scream about babies' sight development and how it could make their kid go blind.

>>6768427
Oh god...

>>6768400
>Customers who don't know how much they need for a project and expect you to magically know
>"How much do I need for a skirt?"
>"Uh, it would matter the person and what kind of skirt. You can check our pattern book for measurements."
>"A NORMAL SKIRT FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME, WHY DON'T YOU KNOW?"
>Women who put their fucking purse on my cutting space.
>People who put their kids on the counter. I GOT FUCKING SCISSORS IN MY HAND AND AN ELECTRIC KNIFE. Take your kids off the counter.
>Customer asks for x amount, confirm they want x and cut them x. "I DIDN'T SAY I WANTED X AMOUNT, I WANTED Y."
>hands near the cut lines
>"You're going to charge me for 5 inches!?"
>custom cuts, "Can I have six pieces of two and half yards?"
>bolts of fabric on top of rounders, on the floor, in shelves, along with empty Starbucks cups.
>also, fuck cutting ultra cuddle

Whenever a customer touches my fabric while measuring I just stop and put my hands behind my back. When they get the idea I remeasure. I once had a customer give me some real attitude when I put my hands behind the back. She was trying to help by, "straightening" the fabric, but I had already done so. After I gave her ticket and fabric she snatched her fabric out of my hands and complained to her husband.

>>6768427
>RealTree Camouflage/Hunter Orange baby room

What? Why would you do that?

>>6768417
thanks for the tip on the address thing...i'll try again next time i hit the store....i've already changed my address in my online account, but HOLY SHIT the joann's website is terribad.

these days if i know i'm going there i go online and find someplace i can print out whatever coupon i need....definitely hitting the daffodil dash next weekend.

I am really embarrassed by my previous excursions to Joann's.

I'm sure people were groaning at the fabric I was about to waste when they cut it for me.

What type of fabric should I use to make something like this?
I was thinking of going to my local fabric store and browsing but can anyone give me advice on what would work best?

>go to sale section of the store and browse fabric for gijinka costume
>"oh shit! Its (I don't remember the price but its cheap). Geeeettt itttt"
>go to cutting counter
>reciept says its 4 dollars more.
>look at bolt tag
>it says a difference price
>tell girl at cutting counter
>she looks confused and asks for help from a manager
>manager takes one look at us and goes into defense mode
She went on to say that certain clearance bolts get a certain color tag while the others get a different color tag. We didn't understand but basically she said someone switched tags and her eyes were very accusing. I've never wanted to cry out "I swear we didn't we found it that way!" before..

I understand why she got defense and accussing. Considering the other clientele.

I almost always buy from Joann's unless I know they don't stock a type I need. Usually I wait for Coupon Commotion and NEVER buy patterns unless they're on sale. I find that McCall's goes on sale more than Simplicity, and so I try to only look at McCall's when I'm figuring out what patterns to use.

I'm working on Holo the Wise Wolf right now, and felt I really scored on fabrics at Joann's. I'm using cotton gauze for the tunic, and linen for her vest, skirt, and pants. I just love sewing cosplays that work with different textures and such. To me, it's really shows skill being able to coordinate and match textures and fabric types.

I have bought online before, but like to only do so for cotton or when I'm SURE of what I'm getting. I fucked up and bought peachskin online once thinking I could use it for a coat and it turned out I had just spent $30 on essentially lining material. I was able to use it after all to line things, but I prefer to be able to touch and feel fabrics.

I also buy a lot of basics at Hobby Lobby, but that's for plain cotton and one or two prints. Joann's has the best apparel fabric selection in my opinion, it's quite easy to sew a cosplay out of their fabric. Holo is going to be like 90% Joann's. The only thing I'm buying online is the faux fur.

>>6768042
Other HancockAnon here.

I wish my cosplayers were like yours. Most cosplayers I have in my store refuse to tell me what their working on, even though I have Squirtle and DC comic pins all over my apron. I like anime and shit too. I'll probably know what you're talking about and can help.

>>6768400
Pretty much everything you said, but these guys in particular get to me:
>they expect you to know how to make quilts, knit, crotchet and breathe fire so to help them with their project; and scorn you if you're useless
>grumpy lonely old women

>>6768417
>People who saw a thing on Pinterest and now think they are experts/can make that thing with zero prior experiences.
THIS. Holy shit. I've never been on Pinterest, but I've never felt such hatred in my life.

>>6768432
And ^ ALL of this.

Plus, Indians, East Europeans, and Asians. Not all of them are bad. But when they're bad, they're TERRIBLE. If one more person taps a zipper on the counter while I'm ALREADY ON THE WAY THERE, I may fucking scream.

>>6768627
It's hard to tell what they used, but I personally love using sportswear twills for things like that. And the dark purple looks like an interlock of some form to me.

Really wish there was a way to tell if a cosplayer works at a fabric store...
I'd be more inclined to ask for help. I'm very nervous about letting the workers know what I'm doing.. though how weird is it to just say
"comic convention"?

>>6768417

so glad I quit Hancock before pinterst got popular...

>>6768844 here.
>>6768858
I don't think that's weird or to uncommon at least. That's actually also a decent way too see if cosplayers work there too. Every time someone mentions cosplay at my store, my coworkers say "Oh! There's a girl who works here who does costumes like that too!" and if I'm working, they'll call me over.

I can't believe the amounts of cosplayers I've met who don't know about those juicy 40% off coupons.

I've had the cutting counter lady that won't stop digging for what I'm making. I can't tell if this means they can somehow tell my white suiting and red gabardine is for cosplay or the store makes them do this.

>>6768432
A quarter of those things you listed are just beginner mistakes, and I am sure you hear it plenty, but cut someone some slack ffs? The few times I've asked for some yardage advice (I don't use patterns) the ladies were really helpful and saved me from having just barely missed the amount I needed. Also, I've never seen a cutting counter woman who didn't appreciate me pulling the corner straight all the way across the table. In fact sometimes they ask me to.

>>6768635
No, they are not supposed to accuse customers of doing something like that lol. I'd have walked out right then and there because of her poor handling of the situation. It's cool if she couldn't fix the price, but accusing the customer like that is not alright.

>>6768888
Not the same anon but I live in a college town where football and cowboys dominate so mentioning cosplay gets me antsy and nervous. Thankfully the JoAnn's employees here don't pry very often, they probably get too many college girls who want to have craft nights and figured I was the same (believe me, those girls fill up all the registers at Hobby Lobby every weekend). I do have one girl who recognizes me because I go so often though, haha.

>>6768335
>I'm not sure how one actually gets them? Is it a certain purchase that makes that print?
Disappointed anon here, I got mine through buying nail polish that was on sale and a bottle of travel sized shampoo. This happened about two months ago, if it helps any.

I wish some of you anons worked at my store. Most unhelpful Joann's workers of all time. All I want to know is if you're ever getting sweatshirt fleece in stock or if it's gone to online only, and nobody in the damn store can say anything besides try next week when the store's a half hour away?

Fucking hell

>>6768427
I read that as "'totally eunuch' burlap and lace wedding" at first and figured eunuch weddings were some kind of weird hipster fad I'd never heard of before

>>6768434
Deep South, man. I don't know about other regions, but people would come to school in waders and camo/RealTree all the time. It's something that'll never go out of style (so to speak) in my area, regretfully.

>>6768926
Ohohoho BULLSHIT. At least at my store you can scan them and know if it's on order. And, you can generally special order the fabric and have it delivered to your store. RAGE.

>>6768894
Most of the time they're just curious. Also, it IS a good idea to ask, in case it's a material that won't work for it/you might need more. Like I had a girl trying to make a circle skirt with one yard. Unless it's the shortest skirt in the universe it wouldn't work.

>>6768858
My store actually has no less than five costumers working there. Three of us are cosplayers, at least two of us do LARP/Ren Faires. It's not actually uncommon!

I confess I actually intentionally dress pretty weeb at work (I braid my hair in two braids to get it the fuck out of the way, with a bright-colored bandana because my hair frizzes, wear weird earrings, and word candy-bracelets)- it's mainly because the kids like it and think it's fun. Sometimes they play with my bracelets. It's adorable. It also is a giant beacon over my head of you-are-welcome-to-talk-to-me-about-your-cosplay, etc. Most of the time people catch on and are comfortable telling me what they're working on. But sometimes I get shy ones who just kind of mumble "a costume..." When I tell them I cosplay so they can tell me, it's so nice to see them light up and say, "Oh really?? Awesome! I thought I was the only one in the city." (If we had a goddamn con in my city it would help, djgndfjkg.)

...But for real, fucking Pinterest, I want to burn that to the ground. If you could know how many damn Burlap Ruffle Tree Skirts I cut for people claiming that no one else would have one like it...

>>6768303
Actually all of the cutters are SUPPOSED to ask customers what they are making. It's part of the job description.

>3 years ago
>Hear all of this hype about Joann
>Decide to go check it out
>Walk inside store
>Black kid, maybe 4 or 5 years old, runs up to me and bites me in the leg
>mother does nothing

I have never been back

I'm really excited, a JoAnn will be opening in a few months and I'm just itching to apply. The closest one here is a 40-50 minute drive from here. It actually surprised me that they'd open one in this tiny little town. I saw the sign go up a week ago and all I've been able to think about is "fuck yes".

>>6769014
>go to a business
>a customer's child- no one associated with the business itself- acts out
>OMG NEVER COMING BACK TO THIS STORE /OUTRAGE

wat

>>6768888
That makes me feel better. Ill try to feel less awkard about it. I don't see why it makes me nervous.
>what're you making?
>green fabric
>...uh....uh..............cos...costume...
>oh is it a turtle?
>y-yes!
>oh that's cute!
Thankgod halloween was so close.

>>6769055
Just say you're making a quilt.

>>6769057
I should've but I really do want help since I'm fairly new to sewing.

It is tough to admit you're making a costume, but I've seen from general experience that if you say you're going to a Comic Book Convention [even if it's not] most people get the idea. Or you do just say a generic name for what you're doing - "ninja costume" or something - and you're going to a costume party. Most people tend to pry less if you just answer the questions. Of course there are those few extra-nosy folks who need to know everything...

>>6769014
That's when I'd try a different store location. I do the same thing with a lot of stores, drive out of my way to go to stores located in nicer neighborhoods (or stores I know are less crowded). I also try to plan trips to the store before 2pm Mon-Fri, because most kids will be in school and most adults are still at work.

I have to buy from Joann's online because there isn't one in my state. Though I usually go with fabric.com because of the over 35$ is free shipping deal.

So, how is Joann's on pleather? They
are the only seller I found with the colors I need but I've never ordered pleather from them before and I've heard stories that due to shipping that it'll melt/stick togetehr and ruin the fabric.

>>6769067
Yeah, most people get if you're just like, "Costume Party!" or "Comic Convention." ComicCon has been on enough TV programs now people at least kind of aware of it.

Also, if I ask what/where the event is, I'm not trying to be creepy! It's usually because I wanna know so I can go, too. I only just moved back home to this city after college and stuff and there are all sorts of new events I don't know about!

>>6768894

were seriously just bored and curious. you would be too

My city has a small convention right across the street from our local Joann's. About a month before the convention, you will see the obnoxious weebs walking around with their references shouting about how "kawaii" they're going to look. Other than that, I think I'm the only cosplayer that really comes into the stores and the workers know it. I tend to get more flack at Joann's than at Hancock. At Hancock, the ladies are all very excited to hear about what I'm making and like to see my work. At Joann's, they ask me what I'm making and when I tell them, they tend to wrinkle their nose and either ask "Is that an anime thing?" or "Are you SURE you know what you're doing? Making [type of clothing] isn't EASY, you know."

I'll be fine give me fabric and let me leave. I understand why they do it, because they get a lot of idiots trying to make costumes. It doesn't help that our local con is right on Halloween. I try to get my stuff in advance so I don't need to go to the store in October. It's busy and I hate having to explain "Yes it's a costume. Yes I promise I know how to do princess seams. Yes this is enough fabric."

>>6767925
Yup! Right now McCall's are 99 cents and Vogue are down to 3.99

>>6768427
Baby? What baby?

>>6768463
joann's website is seriously awful. their search engine needs a new wind-up key and just... everything about it is bad.

Actually to the contrary of most of these stories, I prefer the Jo-Ann's in the poorer area of my town (5 miles away) to the richer one (15 miles away). I know where everything is, it just got a huge overhaul so it's clean and well-lit, and it usually has what I need/am looking for. The one 15 miles away, while twice the size and having more variety of fabrics, actually has less of each stock per fabric type, and half the store is reserved for scrapbooking/flower-arranging bullshit on top of it. And our Hobby Lobby doesn't have shit.

>>6769470
Thank you so much anon. How do you find out about these? My boyfriend and I are on the email list but I don't get any notifications like this.

For fabric anons: How do you guys feel about making a cosplay out of fleece and cotton? I'm using the fleece to make a hoodie-jacket and the cotton to make a top and puffy bloomers. Is the fabric "wrong choice" or...? Forgive me for sounding noob, but it's a babby's first cosplay. Only thing I've done before this is make a skirt for another cosplay (which most of the work is for a modified hoodie + gun).

>>6769557
Cheaper fleece doesn't photograph well, but the anti-pill stuff I think is really nice especially for hoodies and such.

What type of cotton are you using? Cotton comes in all sorts of varieties. Quilting cottons, twills, interlocks, etc. Cotton as a whole tends to be nice since it breathes and it's matte (good for photography), but it also wrinkles A LOT.

Ex-JoAnn's employee here. Worked there for three years while doing the school thing solely because I wanted the employee discount while on a tight budget.

Only got a couple of cosplayers in my store since it's pretty remote. More often had Ren Faire peeps as customers. Went the distance for one such SCA costumer to make sure they were getting 100% cotton materials without blemishes or stains on the billion yards of fabric they needed. They gave me free faire tickets and parking passes. Felt good to help someone out like that since I knew they appreciated quality goods on the same level that I do.

It was one of the worst places to work since all their freight comes from China (cue being perpetually sick from unpacking mystery shipments). The whole having to cut fabric that parents let their kids chew on thing was intolerable. Being young, I had all of the old women trying to scam me by saying fabric was on sale from x section when it came from clear across the store and was regularly priced. They'd always try to bully me into discounting fabric, but they didn't realize they were dealing with an asshole hiding her power level for sake of good customer service and a paycheck.

As a fun bonus, being the only sewing non-quilter on staff meant I had to deal with all the "I'm new to sewing and want to make a boned prom dress for my daughter's dance next week lol we can't find a dress" idiots. The people who expected me to watch every HGTV show and automatically know what supplies they needed for a specific project were also pretty spectacular.

And fuck everybody who makes fleece blankets.

>>6769665
>And Fuck everybody who makes fleece blankets.

We called Christmas Tie Blanket Purgatory.
I am pretty sure everyone in my city has at least five of them by now.

I get so mad when I go to JoAnn's because their couponing system is so shallow. Like sure I have this 50% off coupon but 80% of things are on sale.

And if you check the prices with online fabric stores, everything is doubled, so you pay the same price as you would online and that's with the best coupons.

>>6769665
>>6769692
I worked at a Hancock. We had a woman who would come in any time the fleece was on sale (about once a month). She'd buy 2-4 yards of every print and color that was on sale. One day, I finally asked her why she was making so many tie blankets, if she sells them or what. She told me that she doesn't tie them, but bastes them together on her machine in double layers and then adds bias tape made from quilting scraps to the edges. She also doesn't sell them, but donates them to a local animal shelter each month. The animals ruin/shred so many that she just continually replaces them with new ones.

She probably spent $600-800 per trip and came in at least once a month for her fleece.

>>6769699
That's really sweet.

>>6769699
Kind of similar, but my mom works with a charity that makes baby baskets to send to local hospitals. So, she and some of the other women involved will go in to Joann's every time they have a big sale, and buy countless yards of fleece and flannel to make blankets. They'll usually just serge the edges of the fleece, but actually fold and stitch the flannel.

Mom's working full time now, but she still makes between 1-2 dozen blankets per week.

>>6769665
>And fuck everybody who makes fleece blankets.
What the fuck is up with fleece blankets? It seems like that fabric is one of the only things my local stores want to stock. Every regular store has fleece blankets pre-made for less than half the price of fabric at a craft store. It's idiotic.

>>6769721
We supposedly had a couple of older women who came in for flannel for that same reason. I never met them, though. Just the woman who did the shelter blankets. I tended to work the later shift during the week and they came into the shop in the mornings.

I like those kinds of stories, though. Make me feel warm and fuzzy and a bit less cynical. A friend (who worked at a JoAnn's) organized a knitting circle to donate items to a local women's shelter when I was in college, as an example. I couldn't participate because of classes, but bought needles and yarn to donate to the group.

>>6769738
Easy craft project? I made one when I was in college for my bed because the ones that were sold pre-made were thin, too small for the extra-long single matresses we had, and came in boring colors.

>>6767944
Really? Our home dec department is about the same..instead they get rid of fashion fabric for a shit ton of fleece and printed flannel that one one ever buys.

I used to work at Joann's. Worked for a month during midnight shift for a renovation. They hired me as regular part time once the renovation was finished. It was awful. The customers were picky with their fabric, no one knew where anything was, and the manager was gross and fat and knew nothing about crafts. Also there was an assistant manager that was a bitch to me. Wrote me up for stocking the remnants wrong.

They gave me less and less hours until I just didn't get anymore hours.

I'm glad I left when I did because now its awful. There's never anyone at the registers so you usually have to wait five minutes before someone notices you. One time I just walked out with my item because I couldn't find anyone. The bitch employee is now all nice to me and tries to be my friend.

>>6769758
>manager ... knew nothing about crafts
Been there. Had a general manager who would pass any and all questions that weren't "where can I find _____" off to other employees. Hell, sometimes she even passed those off to other employees because she didn't know what the fuck they were asking for. One woman came in looking for woolly nylon. Our GM walked her to the yarn section. Then to the sportswear/dancewear section. Finally, she stopped me while I was with another customer and asked where it was. The woman looked fucking pissed as.

Unfortunately for her, we didn't carry any. The nearest shop that did was a specialty shop about a mile off.

>>6768068
Just backtracking on your post about coupons. Yes you can use as many coupons as you have AS LONG AS THE BARCODE HAS AT LEAST ONE NUMBER DIFFERENT I cannot stress this statement enough. The system only takes a certain coupon code once per transaction. Also, corporate has been cracking down on transactions where the customer has like 8+ newspaper coupons (ie. same barcode) and the cashier having to ring a transaction for one item. We are now to deny multiple coupons like this because of the other options we have coupons (mailer, email, app, website, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore). Also, with a transaction coupon, the system only allows one per transaction. It's the same with the employee discount. Also, the employee discount has the same limitations as coupons (doesn't apply to patterns, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU).

I've been with JoAnn since August 2008 after quitting my position at Michaels. I work every department minus being a manager.
Funny story, some older lady after arguing with a coworker was passed on to me (I was Guest Services). While I applied all her forced discounts (she was a true bitch about getting her discounts), she asked me five times "Are you sure? You sure it won't take another discount even after a coupon? Are you sure? Are you sure?" Took quite a bit for me not to snap at her that day.

Thank god I'm off the next three days after working 6 am shifts all week. Though I need to go fabric shopping......

>>6769776
this makes so much sense now... I was wondering how some people got major discounts and I was only getting minimal.

I just moved about a year ago and Joann's is about 5 minutes from my house without traffic. It's awesome - but the women there ARE SO FUCKING OLD AND SLOW. They do some things different from my old ones which I find interesting. We're next to a college so I always go during the week after work and of course all the young women are in school so it's all the old ladies. I avoid it like the plague during weekends if I can because the shopping center it's in is always so busy.

When I first started going there they made me take a number even if I was the only person there which I think it's kind of retarded. ESPECIALLY the other day when the old fucking woman skipped over me to help some soccer mom even though I'd been there the whole time. There's this one old woman who's the worst, she's so skinny her polo falls off of her, she's so slow, and she cuts the fabric so uneven. She's a space-case too. One day I was the only person there, and she noted me multiple times, then would go adjust some fabric, tell me she'd be right with me, adjust some more, finally she calls me up and I put my shit on the counter, she starts helping me, then goes and adjusts more fabric... then I made some comment about them not being busy or something and she'll respond like 1 minute later. There's only one older woman who seems to have her shit together but she's rarely at the counter. There used to be a cosplayer who worked there, I recognized her from cons in my state, but I think she quit. Nobody ever asks me what I'm making thankfully, because whenever I've said it to other old ladies in the past I get dirty looks and it makes me come up with something else instead.

They HAVE to pin the order receipts to the fabric which I find unusual, none of the 3-4 other Joanns I've been to do that. Also some of them will NOT touch my phone when I have a coupon. Makes me wonder what kind of bad shit these poor people have been put through. I fucking hate retail, so glad I'm a cubicle rat.

>>6769776
Argh thanks for the note on the barcode thing, forgot about that.

>>6769758
That's nothing. The manager at our local one doesn't even sew. She USED to though and apparently that's enough of a qualification.
The employees at the one in my small town are incompetent as fuck. I've overheard them give some of the worst fabric recommendations to people ever.

>>6769793
Legally, we can't hold or touch a customer's phone. In the past they didn't really care but there was an incident up north (I think around Chicago?) where the cashier was holding the customer's phone, it fell and the screen shattered when it hit the ground. So now, we can get into a lot of trouble for holding a customer's phone. I was actually chewed out by an older manager one day for doing it. It's actually how I learned 10-key by just looking at the phones.

>>6769699
Ah, yeah. If they're making animal shelter blankets I grin all the way through.

>>6769806
fffFFFFF- I was told it was fine so long as you asked for permission and it's sort of a shift of liability. Then again, I'm at cutting counter, and just helping the customers find the JoAnns app.

Sort of unrelated??
Guys, I teach kids at my local JoAnns. Basically, my General Manager and my Education Manager went to MTAC with my EM's daughter. She was twelve and wanted to go, so they went, and came back with all these ideas. Mainly because they knew the shit that was sold there could be easily made. I.E, tiny tophats. My manager was really excited about doing a class that was three crafts in one session (three hours). I came up with one- Glitter Jars/Mind jars, since it's a neat lesson on water tension. But I need two other things.

I thought of doing the cute beaded cat ear headbands, since they're quick and easy, but I dunno if I can trust 8-year-olds with wire.

Any ideas for sort of cutesy Kawaii Desu crafts?

>>6769873
What's it like teaching classes there? I sometimes see "instructors needed" thingies posted, but I'm not sure what qualifications you need to teach (sewing) or what the pay is like.

>>6769873
maybe adjustable band rings or necklaces using these as the base?

>>6769873
or little clay rings?

>>6769873
>Guys, I teach kids at my local JoAnns. Basically, my General Manager and my Education Manager went to MTAC with my EM's daughter. She was twelve and wanted to go, so they went, and came back with all these ideas. Mainly because they knew the shit that was sold there could be easily made. I.E, tiny tophats. My manager was really excited about doing a class that was three crafts in one session (three hours). I came up with one- Glitter Jars/Mind jars, since it's a neat lesson on water tension. But I need two other things.
>I thought of doing the cute beaded cat ear headbands, since they're quick and easy, but I dunno if I can trust 8-year-olds with wire.
>Any ideas for sort of cutesy Kawaii Desu crafts?
That's adorable, good for you and the others! Just small ideas off the top of my head:
- ribbon/strips of fabric/laces + button + safety pin/quilt pin = flower pins on clothes or for hair
- a lot of materials to make bracelets
- dreamcatchers

>>6769776
I have a question:
Can you use regular (40% off etc) coupons in the same transaction as a X% off total purchase coupon? I'm confused how those work, because I think you can't stack the discounts, but could you like have the total purchase one affect any leftover items that aren't covered by other coupons?
I can try to clarify if that doesn't make sense, sorry.

>>6769899
Basically the X% off total is on things you DIDN'T use a coupon on.

>>6769889
It's... well. I have never in my days had such a GIMME THAT LET ME DO IT urge. I've taught Applique, and pillowcases. Pillowcases was with 5 Eight-year-old girls, who all knew each other. It's a three hour session, and I spent an hour getting everyone's sewing machine hooked up. In some cases girls actually had nice machines- but one girl brought one of those Piece of Shit "Pixie" machines Singer sells that we try and steer people away from. It broke 5 minutes in and I just set her up with one of our machines.

Some girls got it right away, but God help me, one kid could not sew a straight damn line. Like. I gave her all the tips I knew of to sew straight- lining it up, how to hold the fabric, etc. But... It was a class her mom signed her up for and it was obvious she had no real interest in it.

It's sort of why I wanted to do a three-crafts-in-one-session. Little guys just CAN'T focus on something like that for three solid hours. It's much better to do three little things.

As for pay, I'm not sure. For me, I'm just given what I normally get for my hourly rate, plus a percentage of how many kids sign up.

Speaking of- a lot of times, I'm scheduled to teach, but not enough kids sign up so it gets cancelled, and I lose those hours. BLUGHHH.

Also, most of the class curriculum is determined by Simplicity, and is really... kinda random. Like, other than pajama pants and pillowcases, it's mostly stuff kids don't really want to do? So yeah...

>>6768427
If yellow rooms are proven to make babies cry more, than this type of nursery would make them explode.

>>6764592
I was at joann's once.


Then I walked next door to Sam Ash.

>>6769899
From what I've seen, you can use the 40% off one item, and the 20% off will work on the rest of your purchase.

>>6769931
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I TOLD THEM.
Actually, a combination like this could make the baby go blind, or at least have bad visual development. The orange is WAY overstimulating, and then the mush of the camo isn't stimulating/distinct enough. Colors that bright could actually give the kids massive headaches or even make him sick.

I tried, Lord knows I tried to tell them this. But they just stared blankly at me and went, "Wail his daddy's a hoonter, so" ...The kid is a baby, he does not give a shit what his dad is, think of the kid for a second.

Captcha: Glasscock fuFaques
Indeed.

>>6769971
>Glasscock fuFaques
I now have a new awesome curse phrase. Thanks Captcha.

>>6769931
*then
I'm so tired, sorry.

>>6769971
My parents moved to a rural area from a city and everyone dresses their kid in this stuff, they teach hunting like it's a religion.

>>6770003
I had a lady mad at me because we didn't have "sheer" RealTree camo to make hair bows for her daughter.

FabricAnons, what is the weirdest thing you've cut?
I've cut for two really hot male strippers at one point- I'm amused because I looked them dead in the face and told them what they picked would chafe their ass and they sort of paused and said, "ah, yeah....."

I think the Camo Baby Room is the most Oh Fuck No thing I've cut, though. Three of my bosses do drag, so we've got a lot of goofy stuff to cut for them before. I love my JoAnns. Customers are shit but all my coworkers are awesome.

>>6770010
>Big burly guy with jailhouse tats comes into store now and then
>Everyone is terrified of this 6'3" mofo
>Often wears sunglasses inside to hide teardrop tattoos under one eye and cross under the other
>Glasgow smile scars carved crookedly into his face
>Find him looking lost in dancewear one day, ask if he needs help
>"No, ma'am. I'm just waiting for a phone call."
>Go to tidy fashion while he waits near an empty cutting table for his call
>Five minutes later, he comes to find me, asking for "stretch sequins"
>"Fabric or elasticated band?"
>"Hold on."
>He texts someone
>We wait
>"Bands. Elastic band."
>Go to trim section and show him selection, he thanks me and says if he needs anything else, he'll come find me
>A few minutes later, he walks up with the sequins and his phone
>"My wife wants to speak to you."
>He holds the phone to my ear while she gives me directions for what she needs, because "he's so clueless"
>Help him get what she directed him to buy
>Go to cutting table and start cutting away, he's looking super proud
>Ask him what his wife needs all this for?
>Guy puffs himself up even bigger, like he's on the defensive and in a super deep voice:

"My wife makes stripper clothes."

I thought the little old quilting ladies behind him in line were going to faint. He came back quite often and sought me out for help after that. One of the most polite customers we had. And certainly one of the least likely to bitch about prices.

>>6769929
is that why there's no good classes? i really want to learn to draft a pattern block, but no one around me teaches that "advanced" of a course.

Fabric-anons. What fabric would you suggest for Eleanor's big sister suit that could pass off as the real thing?

>>6769665
>And fuck everybody who makes fleece blankets.

I once cut 32 bolts of fleece for a customer so she could make fleece blankets. 32 cuts plus a shitton of end of bolts.

Also, fuck tutus. Everyone and their grandma wanted to make tutus for Halloween and they completely destroyed the tulle isle every night in October and they never knew how much they needed to make a tutu.

>>6769699
What a gentle soul.

>>6770020
I remember this story! Always fun to read, haha. What an experience.

>>6767925
Patterns, by brand, go on sale at Joann's usually monthly. Sign up for the mailing list (snail mail) and the ads will print out when those sales are. They'll be printed in the small boxes about the pattern sales. They are almost exclusively a 3 day sale special. Usually Thurs-Sat.

Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls will usually be $.99/1 with a limit of 10. (Bring a friend to buy more in a separate transaction.) Vogue patterns go on sale for $3.99 (again limit 10).

>>6768068
>You can use as many coupons as you want per transaction, just not on the same item.

Wrong, the system will only take as many different coupons as you have in one transaction.

Look at the barcode numbers on all the coupons you plan on using, if any of them are the same number, you CANNOT use them in the same transaction.

>>6768363
Teacher rewards is 15% off (http://www.joann.com/teacherrewards/)), Student Rewards is 10% off (http://www.joann.com/studentdiscountform/)), and VIP Rewards is 10% off (http://www.joann.com/vipdiscounts/).). For being JoAnns fags, you sure don't know your info.

I kinda hate working at JoAnns. Tonight I had someone ask me what a measuring tape was and how to use it, and someone else asked me where we kept our glue by the yard.

I feel like these are the people I see much more often than those who actually KNOW HOW TO FUCKING SEW.

>>6770041
Argh, yes. Unfortunately for classes they need a minimum of 3, and for some Advanced classes, more than that. Most of the time the higher-up classes won't go at all.

>>6770064
FUUUCK tutus. A while ago the city college was having a Greek Sing, so we had 3/4 Sororities, each with around 70 girls, all making color coordinated tutus. It was hell. Bunches of us just started twitching when college girls headed up to the counter with arms full of tulle.

Also, fucking... We had a Youth UN assembly in March, which entailed making cultural clothing as costumes. (I don't normally put my Social Justice Tumblr hat on but god some of the shit said bothered me.) And every single group somehow found out that I made costumes, so they refused to listen to anyone else and sought me out, demanded I tell 16+ high school girls, each, individually, how to make a circle skirt, when most of them refused to sew and were attempting to hot glue it... It was a nightmare.

>>6770169
>I feel like these are the people I see much more often than those who actually KNOW HOW TO FUCKING SEW.
That's probably because they buy from local shops or are privy to online sources...

>>6768432
>"You're going to charge me for 5 inches!?"
>also, fuck cutting ultra cuddle

ohhh myyYY GOOOOOD

>>6768432
>cutting ultra cuddle

Wow... people do that? Touch the fabric on the table?
Hell most of the stores I go to they don't even use a table. They just measure out with their sticks on the spot and cut down.

God I love New York and their hundreds of fabric stores <3

>>6770282
>>6770334

>ultra cuddle?
>what the fuck is ultra cuddle? it can't be that hard to cut!
>google
>The NEW Loungewear Phenomenon...

>oh... oh god no.

I wish some of you fabric-anons worked in the Joanns near me. It is literally the worst. Super creepy and awkward despite being huge (no music playing ever, just squeaky fans up high in the, like, warehouse ceiling), I've never NOT had a heinously long wait to get my fabric cut, these wieners take like 15 minutes to cut 1/4 a yard. I'm used to independent fabric places where bitches got places to be and will have your fabric all set in minutes. Joanns is closest to me and it still takes longer to go there than it does to take the metro 6 miles out of the way (six miles is a lot in Los Angeles traffic) to go to a smaller shop. I wish they didn't carry so much of what I need! Blargh! Seagulls, go work at the store on Lincoln and Colorado, please.

>>6768363
Kind of want to ask if you work at one of the JoAnns near San Jose. Every time I go there, the place is swarmed by Indian families that are all incredibly rude.

>>6767925
>loved seeing some shit like "you saved $200" on the bottom of your receipt

Ohhhhh yes such a fantastic feeling. One time I bought a few McCall's patterns for $1 and Vogue patterns for $3 and saved close to $200. I think I still might have the receipt.

>>6770169
>glue by the yard

Top lel. You for real?

>>6770334
This seriously couldn't be more accurate.

>>6770496
Yes, I work at a JoAnns near San Jose and, yes, some of the Indian families can be incredibly rude and persistent. I suggest if you want to shop at JoAnns avoid Sunday like the plague. For whatever reason Sunday shoppers are the worse, tear up the store, and we're almost always so understaffed that there's always a long line and piles of fabric that need to go back. Hell, Black Friday was nothing compared to that Sunday. We literally only had three cutters and 44 numbers out.

>>6770619
It's not the one on Stevens Creek, is it?

>>6769617
Lost my reply there. I bought the anti pill blizzard fleece? when it was on sale for 4.99 per yard. It felt nice. I bought Kona cotton I believe, because it was a nice shade of yellow. Kind of a weird color but Im the anon whos been posting for help towards a Digimon cosplay.

Also thank you everyone for alerting me of said sales and student discount. It feels so good.

>>6770776
Wouldn't the Stevens Creek one be considered Cupertino? SJ one would be on Almaden, I think.

These stories make me afraid to apply for a part time at either Joann's or Hancock's...

>>6770617
Things people have asked for:
>tree bark by the yard
>real fur by the yard
>real leather by the yard

I love my boss' response, she said, "Sorry, ma'am, we couldn't get the cows to stand still enough for us to roll them up on a bolt."

>>6770884
I haven't been paying attention lately, but I'm gonna guess Gabumon?

>>6770976
...tree bark?

Did you ask them what for? Please tell me you asked them.

>>6770884
Oh, okay, you should be good then. The anti-pill fleece is better (photographs better and lasts longer) and kona cotton is good too. It's one of the higher quality quilters cotton. I've used it before for vests and trim and it photographs really nicely.

>>6769557
It's not by email, it's JoAnn's App.!
The screenshots I posted were just from the digital version of the ads you get from the mailing list, but I tend to get to read through the ads before the physical leaflet gets to me

>>6771023
For table runners for weddings. We asked if she meant like tree bark patterned FABRIC, but she huffed and said NO, REAL tree bark. BIRCH tree bark, only the best for her daughter, etc.

>>6771194
I got these vase cover things made of birch bark on etsy once, and it was like sheets of bark veneer that were cut and then glued into cylinders. So even though she sounds like one of those nightmare weird customers I guess that birch bark "by the yard" must exist somewhere.

>>6771208
Yeah, all of us huddled around a computer and googled it after she left and went ohhhhh. It comes in sheets/chunks though, not BTY.

can we include Fabricland despair here too for the Canadians?

>>6770957
That's why I said near San Jose, not in San Jose.
>>6770619
Wow, I'm kind of surprised that I was right there. I went in last Sunday to pick up some fabric and this huge Indian family was blocking the entire cutting counter while only one person was getting fabric cut. They had to have five or six people lined up right in front of the counter. Why do you need your entire family to come in when only one person needs fabric cut? And then they pretend to not speak English when other customers ask them to move. That must be infuriating for you guys.

>>6771257
Sure, I don't see why not. Reveal your wisdom anon (stories,discounts,whathaveyou)

>>6771505
Buy a club discount card on a very large purchase. Even if you're only going to use it that ONE time, you'll still save more than what the card is worth on that ONE purchase.

Also, club members get invited to a friends+family event where most everything is 70%off.

The store I visit knows me very well and we talk about costumes all the time and sometimes even I help the people walking awry in the aisles. I put all my bolts back they cut for me, especially the heavy ones.

>>6770776
It is not.

>>6770957
Despite the stories I love my job at JoAnns all my coworkers, with exception one and my head manger, are awesome and a blast to work with. It's retail so, like any retail job, you will get really shitty customers. Plus we get a 20% discount and that's awesome. I say go for it. I rather cut and put fabric away than fold shirts all day.

>>6771489
I didn't work last Sunday since I was out of town but I'm not surprised. It's infuriating because they're in the way of the cut space, really rude, and their kids are tearing up the place. But, I imagine it's much worse at the registers because that's where people get real nasty and mean over coupons. I was supposed to be trained for registers in February, but my hours were cut and I only work closing on weekends.

Also, fun story, about a month or so on a Sunday it was busy as usual and everyone was trying to get the lines down. My manager was going around the store doing go backs and recovery and then suddenly we hear over our radios, "Oh my god, someone pooped on the floor." Apparently someone took a shit in the back corner of the store by yarn. And two weeks ago someone took a shit by the toilet in the women's restroom. I seriously do not understand people.

>>6772188
Genuinely curious, how much knowledge did you go into the job with? I'm a self-taught sewer with minimal/basic knowledge on other crafts. I'm afraid of freezing up when people ask for help with fabrics because I only know a few very well.

>>6772193
I took some sewing and jewelry classes at the JoAnns I work at, and I took a stitchery class in high school. At the JoAnns I work at it is not required to know how to sew to work there. If a customer asks you a question you don't know just ask another coworker. It's understandable if you don't know everything.