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Again, check that each skein has the same dye lot # and buy enough to complete the project. You will learn the do's and don'ts as you continue crocheting. Enjoy your new hobby!
Always buy enough yarn. Dye lots can vary enough to almost change color.
I'd read about dye lots, but like most self-taught beginners, I guess I just underestimated the amount of yarn I'd use. That lesson is learned, as is the lesson of using a store-specific yarn. The afghan I'm making has varied bands of color anyway (v e r y p i n k . c o m » Crochet for Knitters – Rugged Ripples Blanket), so hopefully any variations won't look too bad.
I agree with your frustration. I would have been extremely ticked to drive that far only to find out that there were NOT only not 29 skeins, but not even one. Maybe somebody gave you incorrect information, but who else would be buying the exact yarn you were looking for, in that quantity? Also, what if the dye lot would not have matched what you had already been using - it would have ruined your project anyway (trying to inject something positive here - forgive me!) Anyway, I have had my share of frustrations with Michael's over the years and other than their jar candles which I now only stock up on when they are on sale, I have found that I prefer JoAnn's for buying my craft items. They have a nice variety, it doesn't overwhelm me the way Michael's does, and they run some excellent sales, at least in my area. Good job learning to crochet - my grandma and Mom taught me when I was really young but I haven't done it in ages. I tried to self teach myself to knit a couple of years ago and never quite caught on - I may try again.
Yep, I think I'll chalk it up as a lesson learned. I have to say, the interwebs are a wonderful tool for learning crocheting. I bought a little book, but that wasn't nearly as helpful as actually watching people demonstrating the techniques on youtube.
On your subject of availability, I am amazed that extremely large chain stores (Home Deport. Lowes, your issue)
do not keep their inventory online information up to date. I'll be told that they have six widgets at their other store, get there, and there is nada, nothing, long gone.
With all the computers out there, it's still garbage in/garbage out and the system is only so good as the idiot behind the desk.
On your subject of availability, I am amazed that extremely large chain stores (Home Deport. Lowes, your issue)
do not keep their inventory online information up to date. I'll be told that they have six widgets at their other store, get there, and there is nada, nothing, long gone.
With all the computers out there, it's still garbage in/garbage out and the system is only so good as the idiot behind the desk.
Yep. I was talking to a colleague today about my misadventures, and she said she went through basically the same thing with three different Target stores this weekend. Which is funny, because after I left Michaels I tried to go buy ice melt at Target, and they had absolutely nothing. Not as in, "all their stock was sold out," but as in "we don't carry it."
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by campion
So today I drove to another state (I'm close to the border of DE) to go to the Michael's that supposedly had all this yarn that I wanted. I got there, the bin was empty. The store manager told me I should have asked them to "hold" the yarn for me. No, the customer service people at the other store should have known to do that. That's their job, isn't it? If they're going to suggest I go 20 miles, to another state, to buy said yarn, they ought to be checking on these things.
Uh, no, not unless you asked them to and they said they would. Even if they did the other store won't hold it very long.
They are out west, too: that's funny, Delaware to WA State. Who knew. Three of them that I know of around here, which probably means three more I don't know about.
What you're describing is fairly advanced inventory and logistics controls, in conjuction with pretty high-powered web-tech (costs big money). Yes, it's very convenient to know Sears has two so-and-so gadgets left, I'll hop on over or buy-n-hold online, then pickup at the store. Did that the other month on a closeout tool box. The cost to get all that going is substantial to massive, for bigger chains: IT guy here just sayin'. I am not, however, giving them a pass as they'll be DOA in ten years or sooner if they don't have stuff like that in-place. Maybe 5 years, worst-case.
No. 2 "racket" is their coupon system: sale ends Saturday, two-fer. Sunday morning, it's all 50% off. Give me a break. Since I only wanted three (particular item) anyway, last time, it was smarter to wait to Sunday. Why do they bother. Online is pretty but worthless, I had to laugh at their audacity and lack-of-content.
Didn't stop me from going in-person though, did it?
Hard to say when to shop there, for the reasons you describe: hit and miss, big time. Reminds me of Woolworths from when I was a very small kid, early 1970s when they were on the way out. Yes, they should probably move 80% the stuff straight to Amazon and get out of brick and mortar, though I will suggest that the primary clientele (women, kids, and crafts-types) tend NOT to like the online experience quite as much as, say, the average electronics shopper/techie type. This is what we've noted from our surveys regarding cloud applications and retail marketing at (Giant Software Company out West).
Thus, they're in their sweet spot *at the moment* and appear to try and work it by drawing you into the store directly. To the detriment of "easy" shopping and your peace of mind. But jeez, those occasions when I need a gorgeous frame, or something custom framed (twice), or custom faux-floral arrangements (during home decorating), they are truly the bee's knees for service.
We have a pretty decent Michael's here, but the prices have been going up and up on yarn and I haven't been purchasing as much as I use to. My frustration comes when I call ahead and ask them to hold a specific number of skeins in a specific lot# and when I arrive the person didn't hold it and come to find out it was just put out on the shelving and gone before I could get what I needed. Twice that has happened to me.
I typically buy 4 skeins over what I need when I am working on a project. Just in case. You never know. They are returnable.
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That lesson is learned, as is the lesson of using a store-specific yarn. The afghan I'm making has varied bands of color anyway (
