This is a article was originally posted in March of 2008. It’s one of my all time favorite posts…enjoy!
I wanted to share this with you so that you can be at the ready when going into some of these wonderful fabric stores! Kimberley just emailed this to me–it’s a play by play of her experience with a fabriteer as I like to call them. Read on, and enjoy…
I simply must share my conversation with the clerk at the snooty fabric store where I purchased my mistreatment supplies!
Clerk (middle-aged, attractive, though not pretty, uptight!!!!): How can I help you today?
Me: I need 4 yards of this fabric (a fabulous animal print that was only $13.95/yard, which is a miracle at this store!!!!!)
Clerk: This is a lovely fabric, what are you working on?
Me: (Here we go…) A decorator’s table skirt and two window treatments.
Clerk: Are you sure 4 yards is enough fabric?
Me: Yes, I believe so. I need 3 yards for the table, and whatever is left will be used for the windows.
Clerk: You don’t know how much fabric you need for your window treatments?
Me: Not exactly, but I’m sure a yard will do the trick.
Clerk: Are you working with a designer?
Me: Yes.
Clerk: Well, what kind of window treatments has she designed?
Me: Upholstery tack valances.
Clerk: Are you using one of our recommended designers?
Me: Nope.
Clerk: Who exactly is your designer?
Me: Nester.
Clerk: Who? I’ve never heard of Nester, and I know all the designers in town!
Me: She’s not in town. She’s online.
Clerk: She’s an online designer? How does she conduct her consultations online?
Me: She doesn’t.
Clerk: Then how do you know what you are doing?
Me: I don’t, I’m just looking at her pictures online and following her step-by-step instructions.
Clerk: I’ve just got to see this. Do you have her website? (She boots up her laptop.)
Me: Go to thenester.com. Yep, there she is. Click on the right hand side where it says window mistreatments. There you go!
Clerk: (After spending several minutes scrolling madly!) Well, these do look nice online, but I can guarantee you they don’t look all that great in person!!!
Me: I don’t know about that! My kitchen and family room look pretty fabulous–And all I needed were some upholstery tacks and unmeasured fabric with rough edges!!!
Clerk: (flustered) I’ll have your fabric ready for you in just a minute. Did you say you needed trim?
Me: Yes.
Clerk: How much?
Me: Oh, I don’t know, lets just eyeball it!
I sometimes feel like some of those women were just waiting to convince me that whatever it was I was doing couldn’t be done without the help of them and a $100 per hour designer. When they ask me what I am doing with what I am buying I’ve learned not to tell them! I’ll just say that my mom asked me to pick up a few yards of such and such for her or mumble something impossible to understand.
I’ll be the first to say that there are some wonderfully, brilliant, encouraging fabriteers/designers out there–let’s hear it for Jennipher {yes, that’s how she spells her name so funky!} at Printer’s Alley–this girl encouraged me to sell my tassels at a local shop! And I cannot forget Debbie out at 1502 she walked me through a purchase of 60 yards of fabric for a COM order! These girls really helped me make some great decisions!
it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful!