# Unethical knitter?



## Ms. Stitch (May 3, 2012)

I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


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## Jacqueline M Gray (May 26, 2013)

What a cheapskate!


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## hilltopper (Jul 16, 2014)

Not yet - and sorry you did Ms. Stitch. Things like this is what makes people grow grouchier with age.


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## crafterwantabe (Feb 26, 2013)

I have had that happen too. Now it try to squeeze them to
see if they feel the same.. sorry this has happened...


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## tmvasquez (May 7, 2013)

No thank goodness. I am surprised the store didn't check out the merchandise before putting it back on the shelf. Sorry you had such a nasty experience.


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## K2P2 knitter (Jan 31, 2013)

You would be amazed at what some people will do. My LYS had a woman come in to purchase some knitting needles. She came back a couple days later to return the needles however the needles she was wanted to return were not the needles she purchased from the shop. She had put her old well worn needles into the package and wanted a refund. The shop realized what she was attempting to do and refused her the refund. My LYS no longer will give refunds on anything. They check the item thoroughly then and only then will they issue a store credit.


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## Munchn (Mar 3, 2013)

I can't believe that a knitter or a crocheter would do this. Certainly is stealing/ dishonest. :thumbdown:


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## Bobbie9 (Apr 14, 2011)

Awhile back a lady brought an infant in a stroller into one of our local stores. Cameras caught her stuffing things under her baby's blanket in the stroller. It is amazing what people think of in order to avoid paying for merchandise. They don't care that theft raises the prices for all of us; stores have to make up for losses and they do that by raising prices. I can't fault the stores, it is the fault of the thieves.


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## Beachkc (Aug 24, 2012)

I guess all kinds of people knit too. Years ago, I worked in a hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans and we were people often drove away with towels and ash trays. But we were always amazed that it was the nice older couple who drove away with the bedspread and drapes.


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## st1tch (Dec 13, 2011)

Thats disgraceful, could you take it back and complain?


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## Bobbie9 (Apr 14, 2011)

I also know a lady who works for Wal-Mart and watches camera screens all day long. A woman cut a slit in the lining of her coat. She took her coat off and hung it over the shopping cart handle. She was stuffing things in her coat for which she had no intention of paying. It is really sad that people have time to think this kind of thing up instead of going out and getting a job so they can pay for their items. I'll shut up now; thieves just make by blood boil.


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## luvrcats (Dec 7, 2014)

So far in my knitting years, I have NOT found a shortage of yarn...but, I have to tell you, that I don't trust the general population any longer--and have often given this matter thought when I buy. I do not understand what the world is coming to--less respect, dignity, modesty, consideration, pride....the list goes on and on. Perhaps someday, if ever, the world will become a better world again. One can only hope for this.


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## Ms. Stitch (May 3, 2012)

St1tch, I have enough yarn for my project, so I will keep what I have - but I still feel cheated by a fellow yarn enthusiast.


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## granknits (Jun 19, 2015)

Jacqueline M Gray said:


> What a cheapskate!


 No, what a thief. I hope you can return it for credit.


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## chubs (Nov 5, 2011)

But what do you want to bet , that if you did take it back , they would think you were the one that used it and wanted to return for another skein or refund...


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## KroSha (Oct 25, 2013)

Stooping VERY low ! !

I hope it wasn't a mis-wind from the manufacturer ? ?

~~~


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## knitnanny (Feb 28, 2012)

How does that person sleep at night???


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## K2P2 knitter (Jan 31, 2013)

knitnanny said:


> How does that person sleep at night???


Unfortunately they sleep just fine. In the first place if they had a conscience they wouldn't do that and secondly anyone who would do something like that really doesn't care they are not only cheating the store but another fellow craft person.


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## cindye6556 (Apr 6, 2011)

I had that happen at Joann's. I told the clerk it felt light and just didnt look right. As luck would have it I had just purchased a new kitchen scale, so got scale weighed the yarn and 1 1/2 oz missing out of 4 oz skein. She gave it to me for half price, and made comment guess we need a scale and start weighing yarn returns.


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

Not yet and I hope I never do. That is so not right.


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

it happens more than we think. I used to belong to a machine knitting group and the gal that ran the group also sold yarn and machines. I remember her giving someone a length of yarn off a new cone saying that whoever buys it will never miss it. I have also seen people take pieces off a ball of yarn in the store, and when approached about it they say they are just trying to match colors with something they have at home. Not right but it happens. There can be a small difference in weight of the ball of yarn and that is caused by moisture or lack of.


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## mirl56 (Dec 20, 2011)

I've never noticed a ball being less then it should. I have heard similar horror stores though, but not usually as much missing as your case!


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## luvrcats (Dec 7, 2014)

Bobbie9 said:


> I also know a lady who works for Wal-Mart and watches camera screens all day long. A woman cut a slit in the lining of her coat. She took her coat off and hung it over the shopping cart handle. She was stuffing things in her coat for which she had no intention of paying. It is really sad that people have time to think this kind of thing up instead of going out and getting a job so they can pay for their items. I'll shut up now; thieves just make by blood boil.


 :thumbdown: And the sad thing is if the customer gets out the door.....the associates can't do a darn thing about it. And people who "steal" don't care!! Sick world!


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## Grand8ma (Feb 16, 2014)

Yupp! Was putting my purchases on the counter at Jo-Ann's and noticed one of the balls of yarn was very light. Went back and got a new ball. They were on sale and I needed all of it for a project. Clerk said the incident would be discussed at their daily meetings and posted on the bulletin board. Know of another case where employee was making samples for her store and would put used materials back on the shelf. Place is not in business any more. 
One more thing to be vigilant about.


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## uk betty (Jul 18, 2014)

I picked up a skein of yarn at Michaels a few weeks ago. It was very light. I mentioned it to a salesperson standing by. Sure enough it was a little over an ounce short from a Red Heart Super Saver skein. He took it from me and gave me another ball. Then immediately put the original one back in stock.It seems one can't trust many people nowadays. I did mention that he had returned the skein to stock but he just shrugged his shoulders.


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## gr8 (Jul 4, 2013)

Ms. Stitch said:


> ... I realized it felt incredibly light... someone used ....retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund... Has anyone else had an experience like this?


Yes, I ran out of Red Heart 'Mexicali' and went to the nearest Michaels's and there was a skein with the same dye lot as the ones I was using but it was very light and thin - the clerk was very young and the manager was not there/unavailable - so I just took it and paid for it - glad for the match. But then wouldn't you know, it wasn't enough to finish the blankie so I had to go find more at another Michael's - further away - in order to finish - and of course it was not the same dye lot. I took a bit of the yellow as a sample to the store to get as good a match as I could - fortunately with the 'Mexicali' it worked out well but it was quite aggravating. 
Stealing makes everyone mistrust everyone else -


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## dragonfly7673 (May 13, 2014)

luvrcats said:


> :thumbdown: And the sad thing is if the customer gets out the door.....the associates can't do a darn thing about it. And people who "steal" don't care!! Sick world!


And if you stop them before they leave, they can claim they were planning to pay for it all along, even if it was stuffed in a slit in their coat.


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## K2P2 knitter (Jan 31, 2013)

dragonfly7673 said:


> And if you stop them before they leave, they can claim they were planning to pay for it all along, even if it was stuffed in a slit in their coat.


I worked for brief time as an assistant store manager at a large fabric store to close the store. While on duty one day I noticed a rather young looking woman staying only along the notions wall. I motioned for one of the clerks to watch the register while I hung back to watch this woman. Sure enough she walked right out the door with an arm load of notions. I followed her to the parking lot. I hollered for her to stop. Her comment "I wondered why these items weren't in a bag". I said "perhaps it is because you didn't pay for them". I then set her butt down on the curb and called the police. They came and demanded to see proof that she paid for the items in her purse. I signed papers to press charges so they hauled her to jail. In Missouri you MUST let the shoplifter leave the store so you can prove they didn't pay for the items in their position.


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## britmaid (Jul 26, 2011)

K2P2 knitter said:


> You would be amazed at what some people will do. My LYS had a woman come in to purchase some knitting needles. She came back a couple days later to return the needles however the needles she was wanted to return were not the needles she purchased from the shop. She had put her old well worn needles into the package and wanted a refund. The shop realized what she was attempting to do and refused her the refund. My LYS no longer will give refunds on anything. They check the item thoroughly then and only then will they issue a store credit.


a few weeks ago I ordered a pair of knit needles ideal length for knitting scarves as they advertised when I received them the order was incorrect I emailed their customer service only to be told the original needles no longer stocked and they would be happy to refund if I mailed them back at my expense I emailed them a letter short of cussing and they have just ignored me -wish I could complain to bbb im now out 7.95 stuck with needles I don't need grrr


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## chickkie (Oct 26, 2011)

britmaid said:


> a few weeks ago I ordered a pair of knit needles ideal length for knitting scarves as they advertised when I received them the order was incorrect I emailed their customer service only to be told the original needles no longer stocked and they would be happy to refund if I mailed them back at my expense I emailed them a letter short of cussing and they have just ignored me -wish I could complain to bbb im now out 7.95 stuck with needles I don't need grrr


if you used PayPal, ask for your money back


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## K2P2 knitter (Jan 31, 2013)

britmaid said:


> a few weeks ago I ordered a pair of knit needles ideal length for knitting scarves as they advertised when I received them the order was incorrect I emailed their customer service only to be told the original needles no longer stocked and they would be happy to refund if I mailed them back at my expense I emailed them a letter short of cussing and they have just ignored me -wish I could complain to bbb im now out 7.95 stuck with needles I don't need grrr


They should have contacted you prior to shipping the wrong needles. It was their mistake and they should not make you pay to correct their mistake. I would tell the world what company you ordered the needles from and I would go online to give them a bad review.


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## cah (Oct 2, 2014)

britmaid said:


> a few weeks ago I ordered a pair of knit needles ideal length for knitting scarves as they advertised when I received them the order was incorrect I emailed their customer service only to be told the original needles no longer stocked and they would be happy to refund if I mailed them back at my expense I emailed them a letter short of cussing and they have just ignored me -wish I could complain to bbb im now out 7.95 stuck with needles I don't need grrr


I would like to know the name of the company where you ordered the needles. Wouldn't want to mistakenly do business there. :thumbdown:


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

K2P2 knitter said:


> They should have contacted you prior to shipping the wrong needles. It was their mistake and they should not make you pay to correct their mistake. I would tell the world what company you ordered the needles from and I would go online to give them a bad review.


I ran into the same problem with purchasing a skein of yarn from Knit Picks to finish a baby afghan. They didn't have the dye lot number I needed and sent another which did not come close to matching. I ended up loosing money because of the restocking fee because they could not afford to take the lost. Like I have a money tree in my back yard and can toss money their way! Never again will they get an order from me!


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## settermom (Dec 19, 2012)

Beachkc said:


> I guess all kinds of people knit too. Years ago, I worked in a hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans and we were people often drove away with towels and ash trays. But we were always amazed that it was the nice older couple who drove away with the bedspread and drapes.


 :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :evil:


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

I have suspected some of my skeins are short, they just don't feel as full. Then one day I got a bag of my most favorite from a thrift store, you expect them to be 'used', but one of them was so full and tight there must have been twice the amount of yarn the others have. That was Dale of Norway Baby Ull. Sure is a nasty thing to happen to buy only half a skein of yarn, when you are expecting a full one. Takes guts too, to use half of one then return it.


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## settermom (Dec 19, 2012)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


 :-( It is SO disgusting when this happens but it DOES happen...more often than one would think. It has happened to me several times. :-(


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

Bobbie9 said:


> It is really sad that people have time to think this kind of thing up instead of going out and getting a job so they can pay for their items. I'll shut up now; thieves just make by blood boil.


Just as many well-heeled people shoplift. And what they try to steal! My daughter was working at a Lowe's Garden Center when a man came to her gate with a large screen TV on a trolley. He told her over and over he was returning it (heading the wrong direction for that) and had left the receipt at home. Yeah, right. She told him to leave the TV with customer service and go home for the receipt. He started getting ugly, so she called the manager. He took off without the TV. The guy was nicely dressed, looked like middle-America.


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

To imply that shoplifters are not working is a big misnomer. It is an addiction like many other forms. Just like women who return shoes after wearing to one affair. Common practice with Nordstrom who's father had the same policy with his Best Shoes store. That is were the Rack came from by the way. At least they marked them down.

Yes there are many that use yarn from the center pull skein and return them at the end of a project. Stores don't care so good luck with changing the world. I even found one with the yarn all wound by hand pushed back in and was not even close to the outer yarn--now there is balls for ya.


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## Gail DSouza (Nov 12, 2012)

I bought a book on knitting,at Jo Ann's I think it was 400 patterns in squares and when I got home I found two pages of the cable patterns had been ripped out!
I took it back to the store but they did not have another!
It was a real shame that someone would want to do that!!


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## quirkycrafter (Jul 9, 2013)

I think what's crazy is some stores will accept return on just about anything whether it is right or not. These are the same stores that are losing their bottom line and can't figure out where it's going. Even with putting the "light" skein back on the shelf. At least move it somewhere and mark it down.

Don't get me wrong as I'm not complaining, but everything has changed and I think sometimes some companies lose focus on where they should be and where they are. I don't think they would have trouble of us keeping them in business if they market themselves in all aspects like they should. Just saying.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

uk betty said:


> I picked up a skein of yarn at Michaels a few weeks ago. It was very light. I mentioned it to a salesperson standing by. Sure enough it was a little over an ounce short from a Red Heart Super Saver skein. He took it from me and gave me another ball. Then immediately put the original one back in stock.It seems one can't trust many people nowadays. I did mention that he had returned the skein to stock but he just shrugged his shoulders.


Also sad is the store staff do not really care.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

K2P2 knitter said:


> I worked for brief time as an assistant store manager at a large fabric store to close the store. While on duty one day I noticed a rather young looking woman staying only along the notions wall. I motioned for one of the clerks to watch the register while I hung back to watch this woman. Sure enough she walked right out the door with an arm load of notions. I followed her to the parking lot. I hollered for her to stop. Her comment "I wondered why these items weren't in a bag". I said "perhaps it is because you didn't pay for them". I then set her butt down on the curb and called the police. They came and demanded to see proof that she paid for the items in her purse. I signed papers to press charges so they hauled her to jail. In Missouri you MUST let the shoplifter leave the store so you can prove they didn't pay for the items in their position.


Good for you to do something. Many would not bother. Amazing that someone will risk their families knowing they stole something or possibly loose their jobs, if they work.


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## kittygritty (Mar 2, 2015)

There were previous comments at other times here on KP about that happening. Hope you can return it. It amazes me that there are people like that-and topping it off they are fellow knitters or crocheters! Awful!


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## brims (May 15, 2012)

K2P2 knitter said:


> You would be amazed at what some people will do. My LYS had a woman come in to purchase some knitting needles. She came back a couple days later to return the needles however the needles she was wanted to return were not the needles she purchased from the shop. She had put her old well worn needles into the package and wanted a refund. The shop realized what she was attempting to do and refused her the refund. My LYS no longer will give refunds on anything. They check the item thoroughly then and only then will they issue a store credit.


Even store credit cheats the store


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## klrober (Mar 20, 2013)

Most LYS will NOT accept returns on yarn (or needles) & maybe that is what the dept/box stores need to start doing!


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## BobnDejasMom (Jun 2, 2011)

A while back someone on the forum said they bought some yarn that had a sponge (or batting??) inside.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

K2P2 knitter said:


> They should have contacted you prior to shipping the wrong needles. It was their mistake and they should not make you pay to correct their mistake. I would *tell the world what company you ordered the needles from* and I would *go online to give them a bad review*.


Exactly what I was going to say!!

Then send them an e-mail with a link to your topic about them and let them know the current number of registered users on KP; it's on the homepage. They might re-think their policies.


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## StaceyK (Aug 2, 2013)

It could have been an unethical crocheter..........maybe.

I made an afghan years ago with yarn purchased from Wal-Mart. I was past the halfway point when I discovered that one skein had about 1/3 of it missing. I had enough to finish the project, but wasn't happy that someone was willing to make someone else's day unpleasant....arrgh.


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## lildeb2 (Jul 14, 2013)

No, that takes nerve.


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## kiwiannie (Jul 30, 2011)

No thankgoodness. :thumbdown: :thumbdown:


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## rujam (Aug 19, 2011)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


I haven't but a girl I worked with took yarn back and was wrongly accused of having used the yarn before returning it. Did you return it to the store?


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## RV living (Jan 6, 2015)

I needed just a little more of a color of Red Heart to finish a Christmas stocking. Went to The local Wal-Mart and there was only 1 skein of the color I needed left on the shelf. Grabbed it and finished my shopping. While I was putting my goods on the conveyor at checkout I noticed a strand of another color yarn sticking out of the center. I gave it a tug and a hand full of multicolored tidbits of yarn came out in my hand. Some people can be so crooked. Someone had stuffed the center with scraps and returned it. If that little strand hadn't been hanging out I would have been very upset when I got home and stuck my fingers into the center and found the scraps.


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## God's Girl (Jan 29, 2013)

No and I hope I never do. That is so unfair to both the retailer and to you who bought it in good faith for a project and now do not have the need thread. That really is low.


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## mossstitch (Nov 6, 2013)

Indeed people steal ALL the time . I include here banks , nowadays they can take the money I put in savings , invest it and possibly make up to 8% on it and they can get away with paying me less than 1% for the pleasure of keeping my money in reserve .
Stealing part of a ball of wool is new to me !!


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## tyme2sew (Dec 20, 2012)

Personally I hope her or his dog throws up and pees on their item. God has his way of letting us know he is not pleased.


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## nmorris (Oct 14, 2014)

When we used to travel to Spain I bought my yarn from a lovely lady over there but any returns she weighed first as it had happened to her. Someone had obviously used what they wanted and returned the balance making it look as though not used. I used to feel guilty when she weighed mine, although I would never have fiddled anyone. Some of these people struggle to make a living as it is without someone doing that to them.


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## LindaH (Feb 1, 2011)

So sorry this happened to you.


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## JoyceinNC (Oct 28, 2011)

If you paid full price for it, please take it back and ask to exchange. Be aware, though, some stores will sell the remainder of the ball/skein that was used to make the sample hanging from the yarn bin. They probably don't sell this partially used skein until the yarn has been discontinued - that's what happened to me. When the Bernat Baby Jacquards were discontinued, I tried to pick up as much as I could. The last ball I bought was deeply discounted because it was the one the store sample had been made from. For my purposes, it was OK, but it could have been a problem otherwise.


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## God's Girl (Jan 29, 2013)

Gail DSouza said:


> I bought a book on knitting,at Jo Ann's I think it was 400 patterns in squares and when I got home I found two pages of the cable patterns had been ripped out!
> I took it back to the store but they did not have another!
> It was a real shame that someone would want to do that!!


Not that this is right but they could have at least made a copy and left the book in tact.


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## Maplelkknitter (Dec 19, 2013)

Know your vendor.


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## Sadiebell (Sep 6, 2015)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


So sorry this happened to you. Has anyone else experienced this when 
ordering online? I am housebound and buy all my yarn online.


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## knittyben (Dec 31, 2012)

Years ago I worked with a young guy whose wife would buy beautiful designer dresses for weddings or special parties and would then return them after the event. This way she would always have a lovely different dress to show off. And he bragged about it!


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## gigi 722 (Oct 25, 2011)

Few things surpriseme anymore.


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## gigi 722 (Oct 25, 2011)

Few things surprise me anymore.


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## Maryellend (Dec 11, 2014)

I agree with you. It's hard to understand the lack of moral code, good social conduct, respect, kindness, compassion in our society today. What happened to that act of unconditional kindness that makes our hearts soar when we either see or experience it? A very sad commentary.


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## latchmomma (Apr 8, 2014)

Purchased a bottle of perfume from Ebay that was advertised as new. When it arrived was 1/2 full. When I questioned the seller about this was told that is how manufactures packaged their products now to make money. I might be a little old but not stupid. After filing a complaint with Ebay received a refund. Guess you have to watch everyone.


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## momcat531 (Oct 27, 2011)

My LYS is in a very nice part of town and the customers can afford to pay for the yarn. The owner has had to use the plastic ties to secure the knitted samples to something that can not move because people were stealing the samples.


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## Lal (Aug 18, 2013)

Not a very classy thing to do. How cheap can you get?????


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## fourbyin (Oct 6, 2013)

luvrcats said:


> So far in my knitting years, I have NOT found a shortage of yarn...but, I have to tell you, that I don't trust the general population any longer--and have often given this matter thought when I buy. I do not understand what the world is coming to--less respect, dignity, modesty, consideration, pride....the list goes on and on. Perhaps someday, if ever, the world will become a better world again. One can only hope for this.


I agree completely


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## ptspraker (Apr 13, 2012)

I had a similar experience with printer ink. I bought a package at Walmarts took it home and started in install the one I needed out of the four colors. The package had been opened and taped back, (I did not notice when I bought it) and all the ink had been replaced with empty ones. I took it back but wondered if they thought I did it. I cannot stand thieves and liers. From now on I check to see if a package I buy has been opened, if it has, I do not buy it.


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## Deenasan (Apr 7, 2013)

What a low thing to do. I'll start squishing my yarn to make sure it's a full skein.


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## hobbyknit (Jun 23, 2013)

How about shorting you on a prescription? We changed pharmacy's after we found out it was shorting us pills some of them were suppose to be 90 and they would give us 60 and at times as much as a couple of weeks short! This is honestly true. needless to say we switched Pharmacy's so it's not just yarn,It may effect peoples health. So ladies COUNT YOUR PILLS.


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## bonster (Jan 28, 2011)

Nothing people do surprises me anymore. I work at a major department store and we always get returns of boy's suits right after Easter.

I was checking out at Michaels and noticed one of my skeins was short. Glad I discovered it before I purchased it. I was buying several skeins or I might not have noticed it being short when I took it out of my cart.


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## igott153 (Feb 1, 2012)

Yes, I bought yarn at Michael's like that. I didn't notice because I purchased a large assortment of yarns. I was almost embarrassed returning it because I didn't want them to think I did it. It's not only knitters. I was shopping for make-up and someone put their used almost empty pressed powder compact on the shelf. I'm sure whomever that was, took a new one.


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## ElyseKnox (Sep 16, 2011)

These profoundly sad examples all go to point up the truth that laws don't change anything, only when peoples hearts are changed is a difference made. That was the lesson God taught Israel when they were a nation and the same is still true today.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

Haven't had an experience like this--yet, anyway. What a terrible thing for someone to do!

Hazel


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## sherimorphis (Oct 11, 2011)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


..................................................
Yes I have and always at Michael's! It's happened to me enough times that now when I go there, IF I go there I bring my scale to weigh what I buy. Sheri


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## mmMardi (Jun 26, 2012)

No, I've never had any problems buying yarn on line. I've bought yarn online from Etsy, Craftsy, KnitPicks, and JoAnn's.



Sadiebell said:


> So sorry this happened to you. Has anyone else experienced this when
> ordering online? I am housebound and buy all my yarn online.


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## cherylthompson (Feb 18, 2013)

hilltopper said:


> Not yet - and sorry you did Ms. Stitch. Things like this is what makes people grow grouchier with age.


 :thumbup:


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## Frosch (Feb 5, 2014)

Who would do something like this?


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## mmMardi (Jun 26, 2012)

Unfortunately, some people don't have a moral compass, but I still believe most of us do. Unconditional kindness is still our there!!! Sadly, the media rarely ever reports it because it's not sensational. Remind yourself of all the charity work that KPrs do. Remember all the wonderful responses to local and world disasters. Caring people volunteer and support Food Banks, Shelters, Help for the Needy, etc. I try to remember these people and groups when I read the news.

I also remember something that my mother said about sixty years ago. In those days there were less people and many didn't lock their cars, my mother being one. We had left four or five bags of groceries in the back of our car while we went in a dress shop. The groceries were gone when we returned to the car. I was angry, as only a 10 year old can be. My mother told me to calm down. She said, "They must have needed the food more than we do."



Maryellend said:


> I agree with you. It's hard to understand the lack of moral code, good social conduct, respect, kindness, compassion in our society today. What happened to that act of unconditional kindness that makes our hearts soar when we either see or experience it? A very sad commentary.


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## Longtimer (May 23, 2013)

We once bought an appliance in the hardware department only to find that it had been opened and parts removed before returning it. We always check the tape to make sure the product has not been opened.


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## CdnKnittingNan (Nov 17, 2011)

It is practices such as this that cause LYSs to implement policies whereby they do not give refunds or credits for yarn returned. I live a fair distance from my LYS and I frequently buy 'an extra' ball, just in case. I've often wished I could return the unused ones but their policy is NO and is clearly stated at the time of purchase. (They staple a coloured paper to the receipt). Consequently, I often end up with an extra ball or even an extra ball and a bit but it is still cheaper than gas to drive and buy more and to run the risk of them not having anymore. 
The nerve of some people amazes me!


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## Dlclose (Jun 26, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> I guess all kinds of people knit too. Years ago, I worked in a hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans and we were people often drove away with towels and ash trays. But we were always amazed that it was the nice older couple who drove away with the bedspread and drapes.


OH my! A bedspread? And the drapes?!!


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## lainey_h (Dec 14, 2013)

Oh Ms. Stitch, I'm so sorry to hear about this incident. I haven't even considered this happening, but now I will take a closer look at every skein I buy. It's unbelievable what people will do now - and they're only hurting themselves in the process. Everyone will suffer with higher prices and restrictions on returns for their dishonesty.


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## lainey_h (Dec 14, 2013)

Years and years AND YEARS ago, I received an inexpensive model of a stand mixer for a wedding gift from some family friends. The problem was that it was just placed in a large cardboard, unmarked box, and was UNWASHED! Just another example of people gaming the system. Not the same, of course, as people returning half used items, but it strikes me that it's another example of dishonesty. I'd rather have received nothing, frankly.


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## Zoe2 (Feb 22, 2015)

Deenasan said:


> What a low thing to do. I'll start squishing my yarn to make sure it's a full skein.


From what I've read here, just squishing the yarn might not even be enough! I had no idea this could happen with yarn!

A friend of ours worked at a large DIY store and told us that a guy came in with 2 buckets of paint that he was returning because he "bought too much for his project". The buckets were full of water!


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## PauletteB. (Feb 7, 2012)

No but not really surprised.


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## scrapbookbabs (Nov 24, 2014)

That's terrible. Why do people have to go out of their way to be dishonest


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## Tessa28 (Sep 26, 2011)

My friend and I often travel to different cities for a long weekend. We book hotels and theatre tickets or Arena tickets where ever we go. On one trip we were in a hotel and our room was on the ground floor and backed onto a garden. The hotel had just been refurbished and the rooms were lovely. We had been in our room for about 5 minutes and the housekeeper came with light bulbs and said the last people who used the room had taken them all. About an hour later we wondered what was happening in the next room, it sounded as if the were rearranging the furniture. What they were doing were stripping the room and loading it into a van parked on the lawn behind the rooms. I rang reception and told them what was happening and they called the police. It turned out they waited until a hotel was refurbished, booked a ground floor room and stripped it. The police called us and said they had been charged with nearly 60 counts of thefts from hotels, they had taken beds, bedding, towels, chairs, sets of drawers, lamps kettles and curtains from every room they had stripped. The police said they were looking at 5 years in jail. Its no wonder hotel prices are going up. Tessa28


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## Britty43 (Jan 8, 2012)

Disgusting..I hope you took it back for a refund


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## KnitterNatalie (Feb 20, 2011)

Ms. Stitch said:


> St1tch, I have enough yarn for my project, so I will keep what I have - but I still feel cheated by a fellow yarn enthusiast.


I'd encourage you to let the store know that this has happened to you so that they can become more aware of the problem...and they should give you a store voucher for another skein of yarn (IMHO). BTW, I have had this happen to me as well, and I squeeze the skeins of yarn to see if each "feels" the same as the other (not precise but the best I can do standing at the counter)!


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## Louette (May 9, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> I guess all kinds of people knit too. Years ago, I worked in a hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans and we were people often drove away with towels and ash trays. But we were always amazed that it was the nice older couple who drove away with the bedspread and drapes.


Bedspread and DRAPES !! My word. I don't understand how they live with themselves...


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## Kaitlyn25 (Dec 30, 2013)

If I am a poor college student that can afford to pay for yarn why cannot people be respectable and pay for yarn as well?

I have bought yarn with my scant housekeeping tips and found out when I got home that it underweight and returned or stuffed but if I return it (since I normally I ride the bus) I have to come back the next day and I get accused of being the one who did that rather than the original perpetrator. The joys of being a college student in a college town!


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## Louette (May 9, 2011)

KnitterNatalie said:


> I'd encourage you to let the store know that this has happened to you so that they can become more aware of the problem...and they should give you a store voucher for another skein of yarn (IMHO). BTW, I have had this happen to me as well, and I squeeze the skeins of yarn to see if each "feels" the same as the other (not precise but the best I can do standing at the counter)!


 :thumbup: I think it important to at least call the store and let them know.


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## sherimorphis (Oct 11, 2011)

I reported it about 5 times to our local Michael's and they continue to take back the remaining skein/ball, but what gets me is Michael's puts the used skein/ball right back on the shelf for sale and at full price! Since this is becoming a problem maybe Michael's should do what I do and weigh the yarn being returned. Sheri


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## lainey_h (Dec 14, 2013)

sherimorphis said:


> I reported it about 5 times to our local Michael's and they continue to take back the remaining skein/ball, but what gets me is Michael's puts the used skein/ball right back on the shelf for sale and at full price! Since this is becoming a problem maybe Michael's should do what I do and weigh the yarn being returned. Sheri


Unfortunately, our local Michael's doesn't have people who are 'dedicated' to the knitting/crochet supplies. So the employees probably don't even think to do that. As the employees work different shifts, even if there is someone who would think to do that, they're not there all the time. It's a great solution, but hard to carry through in such a large store, with so many different kinds of crafts supplies on offer.


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## DeePickens (Mar 22, 2015)

In Peru twenty years ago you had to show your ID in the big stores and when you left they checked you to see that you had not taken anything. There was a closed gate at the exit and security people to chech you out of the store.


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## WestieMom2 (Jul 2, 2013)

Yes I have. In Michael's. Fortunately for me, since I was purchasing more than one skein, I noticed it before I reached check-out. You have to be careful with everything nowadays. Such a shame.


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## Kaitlyn25 (Dec 30, 2013)

I was just about to start a project this morning and I discovered it was underweight... Grrr... and I love my Lionbrand Heartland too! My mom got me some this summer to add to my stash


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## sherimorphis (Oct 11, 2011)

Kaitlyn25 said:


> I was just about to start a project this morning and I discovered it was underweight... Grrr... and I love my Lionbrand Heartland too! My mom got me some this summer to add to my stash


........................
Do you know where Mom bought it? Sheri


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## Kaitlyn25 (Dec 30, 2013)

sherimorphis said:


> ........................
> Do you know where Mom bought it? Sheri


Joann's closer to home. I am away at college lol


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## Magicnymph (Aug 20, 2014)

Cdambro said:


> Also sad is the store staff do not really care.


No It is sad that the people around here teach and encourage shop lifting for our youth... Now I'm not saying who or how many but when My children were in high school, they were encouraged to try to shop lift. Two of my children actually got good at it.... However they both learned it doesn't pay....


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## sherimorphis (Oct 11, 2011)

Kaitlyn25 said:


> Joann's closer to home. I am away at college lol


.....................................
Thank you!! I have not had a problem with JoAnn's, but now will bring ye ol' scale there too as I do buy a lot of yarn there. Sheri


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## Kaitlyn25 (Dec 30, 2013)

sherimorphis said:


> .....................................
> Thank you!! I have not had a problem with JoAnn's, but now will bring ye ol' scale there too as I do buy a lot of yarn there. Sheri


The one here in Oshkosh last I check I believe actually weighs yarn returns


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## sherimorphis (Oct 11, 2011)

Kaitlyn25 said:


> The one here in Oshkosh last I check I believe actually weighs yarn returns


...........................
See then it is a recognized problem. I saw this underweight yarn a lot in the Fun Fur's. One day my husband and I went to Michael's and we just shook our heads at the difference in weights. We just weighed one ball after another so that would be one type of yarn and the other yarn is baby yarn. Sheri


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## WelshWooly (Jul 4, 2012)

My Lys does not take returns now for that very reason.


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## lainey_h (Dec 14, 2013)

sherimorphis said:


> ...........................
> See then it is a recognized problem. I saw this underweight yarn a lot in the Fun Fur's. One day my husband and I went to Michael's and we just shook our heads at the difference in weights. We just weighed one ball after another so that would be one type of yarn and the other yarn is baby yarn. Sheri


So glad they're 'on the ball' at some of their stores! I can tell you that they wouldn't be at our store.


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## liz morris (Dec 28, 2014)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


I buy my wool from a well-established market stall where the owner does not take returns but is happy to put a ball of wool aside for you for a short period if you think you might need it, as long as you are a known customer. Of course, you then let her know asap if you don't.


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## Mollie (Feb 23, 2011)

This is somewhat along the same lines. Last week when I was at Walmart perusing the nail enamel there was a woman in her 20's or 30's randomly trying out different colors of polish! None of the bottles were labeled "sampler." I couldn't believe it; she was painting her nails and admiring them like it was OK! My parents always taught me it wasn't yours until you paid for it. I guess she's not aware (or doesn't care) about health issues such as fungus!


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## korteruckmar (Dec 2, 2011)

hilltopper said:


> Not yet - and sorry you did Ms. Stitch. Things like this is what makes people grow grouchier with age.


If they choose that way. My favorite guy, Abraham Lincoln, said "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."


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## Lalane (Aug 23, 2011)

Not yet, but that is disgusting.


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## Lenaki (Jul 3, 2011)

Sorry to butt in on this conversation, but that happened to me a couple of years ago. I was furious because had bought while traveling. I called the yarn company and they sent me another skein. They said it could have happened at the factory. It can't hurt to try! Good luck.


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## KnittyGritty800 (Apr 1, 2014)

I recently went to Walmart to buy a specific color of Red Heart supersaver and realized that the first skein I picked up was soft, mushy, and very light.OOPS! I found another, full skein, to purchase. Glad I caught it before I brought it home.


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

When buying a skein of yarn I put a finger in each end at the center and squish and wiggle until my fingers meet in the center. I see to many yarns that are questionable in Wal-Mart.


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## Crochet dreamin' (Apr 22, 2013)

KnittyGritty800 said:


> I recently went to Walmart to buy a specific color of Red Heart supersaver and realized that the first skein I picked up was soft, mushy, and very light.OOPS! I found another, full skein, to purchase. Glad I caught it before I brought it home.


Yes, you have to beware. Walmart particularly has lots of skeins that have been re-taped. Who's to know if the full skein is there? On another note, I went into Jo-Ann's the other day, and bought several packages of buttons. What a delight! I needed nine buttons, but the package stated there were 8 buttons per package. When I opened the package and sewed them on the cardigan, there were 9! Wow! I opened the other package, and there were 9 in that one too!
When I was in Michael's a week or so ago, I bought some dpns, sewing needles and other notions. I went up to the counter as usual. The cashier and I were talking, and my DH was waiting in the car so we could grab a bite before heading home. I got out to the car, realized that below the basket near the handle at the top of the cart, there were some dpns not in the bag! We both missed them! I ran back into the store and waited in line and paid for them. The cashier thanked me. I told her where they had hidden, so she would be sure to check from now on. I don't want thievery to put all my craft & yarn stores out of business!


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## Nanato2 (Apr 20, 2015)

Shame on them! That is stealing! I hope you took it back to the store. Maybe suggest that any yarn being returned should be weighed. A little kitchen scale costs $20. So sorry this happened to you.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

It has been many years since I last bought a ball of yarn at a place that stocks yarn, and reading these eight pages has convinced me that I'm better off buying my yarn from Goodwill, church bazaars, garage sales, etc. I do not expect that all balls will be full, so I'm never disappointed. 

This is why most packaging - not yarn ... yet - have seals. Pills, toothpaste!, drink and juice containers, etc. Perhaps this is why none of the yarn stores in Latakia (Syria) have the yarn out where customers can touch it? It wouldn't surprise me, though I'd never thought about it before.

People robbing others isn't news. It only hits 'home' when it happens to you.


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## lindseymary (Oct 29, 2011)

Tessa28,I just read you post.Now, do you have a cure for the bruise my chin made when it hit my chest? That is unbelievably bad.Lindseymary


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

My son did in a Seattle, WA high end LYS. I told him if he buys yarn again to have them check each ball to see if it is all there. Yes, there are yarn thieves out there.May all their projects turn to dust in their hands. :thumbdown:


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

A correction here, Do not put yourself in the same category as this person. If they were a yarn enthusiast they would know better then to do such a thing. They are just a thief and nothing more.


Ms. Stitch said:


> St1tch, I have enough yarn for my project, so I will keep what I have - but I still feel cheated by a fellow yarn enthusiast.


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## Ginny K (Jun 1, 2011)

The lengths people go to to cheat - yikes!


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## MrsC (Jul 10, 2011)

I woud have called the store and spoke with the manager/owner and told them what happened. I would tell them I wouldn't bring the yarn back because they only had my word that I bought it like that, but thought they should have been made aware of it.
I never buy yarn with the wrapper taped or somehow altered.


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## Woodsywife (Mar 9, 2014)

Wow! How can they have a conscious????


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## Bea 465 (Mar 27, 2011)

dragonfly7673 said:


> And if you stop them before they leave, they can claim they were planning to pay for it all along, even if it was stuffed in a slit in their coat.


I thought the rule of thumb was as soon as the thief stepped out of the store security could apprehend them, or the store associates.


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## Bea 465 (Mar 27, 2011)

britmaid said:


> a few weeks ago I ordered a pair of knit needles ideal length for knitting scarves as they advertised when I received them the order was incorrect I emailed their customer service only to be told the original needles no longer stocked and they would be happy to refund if I mailed them back at my expense I emailed them a letter short of cussing and they have just ignored me -wish I could complain to bbb im now out 7.95 stuck with needles I don't need grrr


That's why I always pay with Paypal so I have a recourse if the store refuses to cooperate.


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## dragonfly7673 (May 13, 2014)

Bea 465 said:


> I thought the rule of thumb was as soon as the thief stepped out of the store security could apprehend them, or the store associates.


The store is in a mall and family owned. While the mall has security, the store itself doesn't and it's not easy to flag down the one mall security guard who might be at the other end. Employees are discouraged from trying to take care of it themselves because it may place them in danger. (this has been true of other retail stores I've worked at too)


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## knitwit42 (Apr 23, 2011)

This topic reminds me of when I was a girl and my father worked at The Central Market. He watched a women put packages of bacon and a ham under her dress and tried to walk out of the store. Sixty-five years later I still remember him telling that story.


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## ozarkmountainwilliam (Jan 9, 2013)

Have never had that happen with yarn. However, I did purchase a bottle of vitamins from the local grocery store and when I got them home, discovered that someone had emptied out about half of the vitamin pills and then put the package back on the shelf. Yuck! Did get a full refund though.


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## Colour wheel (Aug 4, 2011)

Unbelievable!


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## Laurel Beale (Jan 17, 2014)

That takes the cake!!!!
Laurelk in S. CA


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## grandmatimestwo (Mar 30, 2011)

It's never happened to me and I'm sorry it happened to you!


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## sunnybrkk (Oct 8, 2011)

I have seen some smaller skeins in the yarn bins but I can usually tell it's different from the others.
What a shame that someone would do that to another knitter it's such a fun craft that is used for so many charitable things!


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## NCOB (Jan 8, 2013)

Sorry that happened to you, Ms. Stitch. I was at a Yarn festival this past Saturday and saw a woman flick something into her basket that she was carrying and then walked off. I should have said something but was so shocked when she just walked off. There were quite a few of us admiring the jewelry and I should have said something like "Oh, did you know that fell into your basket." Always the after thought. I'm just not quick.


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## LucyinCanada (Oct 24, 2012)

Having worked in retail for many years, I can believe that this happens but hopefully not very often. Buyer beware, I guess, even when purchasing yarn. So sorry this has happened to you and other KPers.


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## JMBeals (Nov 27, 2013)

Tessa28 said:


> My friend and I often travel to different cities for a long weekend. We book hotels and theatre tickets or Arena tickets where ever we go. On one trip we were in a hotel and our room was on the ground floor and backed onto a garden. The hotel had just been refurbished and the rooms were lovely. We had been in our room for about 5 minutes and the housekeeper came with light bulbs and said the last people who used the room had taken them all. About an hour later we wondered what was happening in the next room, it sounded as if the were rearranging the furniture. What they were doing were stripping the room and loading it into a van parked on the lawn behind the rooms. I rang reception and told them what was happening and they called the police. It turned out they waited until a hotel was refurbished, booked a ground floor room and stripped it. The police called us and said they had been charged with nearly 60 counts of thefts from hotels, they had taken beds, bedding, towels, chairs, sets of drawers, lamps kettles and curtains from every room they had stripped. The police said they were looking at 5 years in jail. Its no wonder hotel prices are going up. Tessa28


Good for you. There have always been crooks. What's different is how society treats them nowadays because of PC. People are "afraid" to say anything or report. The people (bosses, admin, etc) who have the power to enact consequences, don't. Bad behavior, poor personal responsibility, are given excuses by society instead of being demonized, so good people become disheartened and evil is emboldened. 'Nuff sed

:roll:


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## KroSha (Oct 25, 2013)

Tessa28 said:


> My friend and I often travel to different cities for a long weekend. We book hotels and theatre tickets or Arena tickets where ever we go. On one trip we were in a hotel and our room was on the ground floor and backed onto a garden. The hotel had just been refurbished and the rooms were lovely. We had been in our room for about 5 minutes and the housekeeper came with light bulbs and said the last people who used the room had taken them all. About an hour later we wondered what was happening in the next room, it sounded as if the were rearranging the furniture. What they were doing were stripping the room and loading it into a van parked on the lawn behind the rooms. I rang reception and told them what was happening and they called the police. It turned out they waited until a hotel was refurbished, booked a ground floor room and stripped it. The police called us and said they had been charged with nearly 60 counts of thefts from hotels, they had taken beds, bedding, towels, chairs, sets of drawers, lamps kettles and curtains from every room they had stripped. The police said they were looking at 5 years in jail. Its no wonder hotel prices are going up. Tessa28


Sheesh...

If folks only had the mentality to put that kind of effort into creativity instead of destruction...

Good Grief ! ! !

~~~


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## Reyna (Oct 24, 2012)

Munchn said:


> I can't believe that a knitter or a crocheter would do this. Certainly is stealing/ dishonest. :thumbdown:


Ditto!


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## trish439 (Jan 25, 2015)

Holy cow beach that is really bad Hate when people think its ok to take cause they want it


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## nmorris (Oct 14, 2014)

My son went into a local car parts shop and purchased a part for his car - something for the engine - which he then fitted and it did not work. Luckily he had bought 2 as unbeknown to him at the time someone had taken out the new part and put their old one in it's place. And people wonder why we have so many security cameras around now. I don't know how they have the nerve to do things like that.


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## Stephhy (May 14, 2012)

Ms. Stitch said:


> I bought a ball of Bernat Pipsqueak from a local department store to trim a baby hat. When I took the taped ball band off to begin using it, I realized it felt incredibly light. I put it on my scale and the 3.5 ounce ball weighed only 1.8 ounces. Unbelievable, but someone used nearly half of the yarn, retaped the band and returned it to the store for a refund! Being a bulky yarn made it easy to disguise the actual amount of yarn on the ball. Has anyone else had an experience like this?


Sort of, except the opposite. I was frantically looking for 2" of yarn to make a set of Luna Moth antennae, and asked a saleslady at Joanne's fabric if I could have 2" of a certain yarn.

The rat refused, based on the radical thought that then another knitter would be shorted. I was polite to her but inside I was peeved until it dawned on me that she would have stuck up for me too, if someone else had asked.

She is a nice lady. :lol: :lol:


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## KateLyn11 (Jul 19, 2014)

MrsC said:


> I woud have called the store and spoke with the manager/owner and told them what happened. I would tell them I wouldn't bring the yarn back because they only had my word that I bought it like that, but thought they should have been made aware of it.
> 
> :-D as I was writing my reply about how I though stores could recoup their losses by selling skeins returned as light, it occurred to me this could encourage others to return partially used skeins. They could justify it as the store not being out anything as they would be able to resell it. Though for stores to return to stock, items that are known to be "short" is just as dishonest as those who return partially used items. Guess it all boils down to, "let the buyer beware".


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## Grandma Jo (Feb 18, 2011)

Wow, what is this world coming to? I just can't understand that kind of thinking. Don't they know that the Good Lord is watching their every move?


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## rujam (Aug 19, 2011)

hobbyknit said:


> How about shorting you on a prescription? We changed pharmacy's after we found out it was shorting us pills some of them were suppose to be 90 and they would give us 60 and at times as much as a couple of weeks short! This is honestly true. needless to say we switched Pharmacy's so it's not just yarn,It may effect peoples health. So ladies COUNT YOUR PILLS.


I used to buy a particular brand of Vitamin D, it was supposed to contain 120 tablets and I thought it was a bit light. I counted the tablets and there were well under 100. I contacted the company and they sent me 2 new bottles. They admitted sometimes it happened, but for a pharmacy to shortchange tablets is despicable.


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## kpa1b2 (Jun 30, 2014)

hobbyknit said:


> How about shorting you on a prescription? We changed pharmacy's after we found out it was shorting us pills some of them were suppose to be 90 and they would give us 60 and at times as much as a couple of weeks short! This is honestly true. needless to say we switched Pharmacy's so it's not just yarn,It may effect peoples health. So ladies COUNT YOUR PILLS.


If you use an epipen check the date. One time my husband picked up the epipen, brought it home. I looked at it & saw that it expired in 3 months. Since we had taken it home the pharmacy wouldn't exchange it. I was livid, we've had a script for an epipen for years & have never once had to use it. Now, I always try to remember to check before I leave the counter, hard to remember as we usually only refill it once a year.


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

rujam said:


> I used to buy a particular brand of Vitamin D, it was supposed to contain 120 tablets and I thought it was a bit light. I counted the tablets and there were well under 100. I contacted the company and they sent me 2 new bottles. They admitted sometimes it happened, but for a pharmacy to shortchange tablets is despicable.


I worked in a pharmacy and you would not believe how many people interrupt the pharmacists and helpers in the middle of a script or counting pills because they have a cold and want the best cold medicine, cut their finger and want first aid or just want to talk while their wife is shopping. It's a distraction. So I apologize if I ever shorted someone on meds. It happens. No one is perfect.
And for the mail order meds. The meds and a pill bottle comes down the belt in a basket. The person just puts the pills in the bottle and slaps on the label.


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## caseykey (Jun 14, 2013)

Takes all kinds, doesn't it. I have been into a well known yarn shop in this area of SW Florida and have noticed a few bands around the yarn were not the original. I wondered why is that and it felt light. Sorry for your experience.


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## Ann DeGray (May 11, 2011)

Munchn said:


> I can't believe that a knitter or a crocheter would do this. Certainly is stealing/ dishonest. :thumbdown:


Sweetheart, I hate to be the one to break it to you but not all knitters are ethical. I know it's hard to believe but there really are some who are not.

Most of us are, though. That's why we assume that yarn comes with ethics kinda woven in, like a blend.


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## Squiter60 (Jan 19, 2013)

It has happened to me yet, but it has been discussed a number of time on this site.


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## Hannelore (Oct 26, 2011)

I can understand why any shop would no longer like to give refunds for things like yarn. :thumbdown:


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## PaKnitter (Mar 7, 2011)

Ann DeGray said:


> Sweetheart, I hate to be the one to break it to you but not all knitters are ethical. I know it's hard to believe but there really are some who are not.
> 
> Most of us are, though. That's why we assume that yarn comes with ethics kinda woven in, like a blend.


I had a friend tell me all knitters/crocheters are the kindest people in the whole wide world. Some forum members here have shown that isn't always true...at least to each other.


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## MTNKnitter (Jun 11, 2011)

I had a bad experience after buying a new knitting book at Barnes and Noble. No problem with Barnes and Noble but when I got home and sat down to quietly read my new book, discovered that someone had ripped out a whole chapter. I took the book back and told them how terribly awful that someone would do that, let alone a Knitter. They told me I would be amazed at how often that happens. I like the others just could not believe that a knitter would do that. That just makes the rest of us angry at that person.


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## Colorgal (Feb 20, 2012)

tmvasquez said:


> No thank goodness. I am surprised the store didn't check out the merchandise before putting it back on the shelf. Sorry you had such a nasty experience.


Yes this happened and the sad part is when I returned it, the clerk at the sales counter didn't not want to take it back because se said there was nothing wrong with the yarn. She almost refused the refund (had my receipt) until I asked to speak with a manager to explain the situation and spoke in a very loud voice so everyone could hear. The manager did not apologize, just barked at her to do the return.


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## Katie in Maine (Jan 11, 2015)

So sad. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt but really! I'm sorry this happened.


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## Revan (Jun 29, 2011)

Munchn said:


> I can't believe that a knitter or a crocheter would do this. Certainly is stealing/ dishonest. :thumbdown:


Why would a knitter or a person who crochets be more honest than anyone else? Call it being "human", and yes it is stealing.


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## hobbyknit (Jun 23, 2013)

You Know I think you hit it on the head.People (that's some of our children has tried to be buddy's to their children) try to act like them, dress like them and don't teach the fundamentals of polite, and honest manners, and most of all respect.
Some people don't want to raise their kids the way we were raised (i e) having the fear of God instilled in them don't lie,cheat and have respect for other people. And until these Parents start PARENTING It will not stop. They see their mom and dad act like idiots and then the fruit never falls very far from the tree.


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## KroSha (Oct 25, 2013)

Colorgal said:


> Yes this happened and the sad part is when I returned it, the clerk at the sales counter didn't not want to take it back because se said there was nothing wrong with the yarn. She almost refused the refund (had my receipt) until I asked to speak with a manager to explain the situation and spoke in a very loud voice so everyone could hear. The manager did not apologize, just barked at her to do the return.


That's very unfortunate "customer NO service" * to the nth degree, particularly when it reaches the management level - - then you know it's company policy. Ugh.

(* phrase courtesy of consumer advocate Clark Howard - - and I borrow it frequently !)

~~~


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## Ann DeGray (May 11, 2011)

PaKnitter said:


> I had a friend tell me all knitters/crocheters are the kindest people in the whole wide world. Some forum members here have shown that isn't always true...at least to each other.


I'm afraid that's true. It's always sad to see that, isn't it? We need to remember that everyone is fighting a personal battle of some kind and sometimes they strike out at anyone just because they need an easy target.

I just sounded very profound and wise, didn't I? Well, sometimes I *really* need to remind myself!


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## RandyPandy (May 6, 2011)

It happened to me a few years ago in Joanne's. I couldn't believe it but when I returned to the store the saleswoman said it had happened before.


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## pavasa (Feb 24, 2011)

KnittyGritty800 said:


> I recently went to Walmart to buy a specific color of Red Heart supersaver and realized that the first skein I picked up was soft, mushy, and very light.OOPS! I found another, full skein, to purchase. Glad I caught it before I brought it home.


And Did you bring it to the attention of a clerk, KnittyGritty?


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## k2p3-knit-on (Oct 24, 2012)

Someone told about an in-law who would buy a new appliance that looked a lot like a worn-out appliance she owned then return the old one in the box the new one came in. It didn't sound like the woman couldn't afford the new appliance either. Since then I really check any opened packaging or if it's taped shut I ask a clerk to open it before I leave a store. One major chain returns faulty merchandise to shelves so if I ever return a faulty item I use a felt tip marker to write Returned--Does Not Work or Broken on the box so there's not another "mix-up" or "oversight". I've noticed damaged returns at that chain enough times to believe it's store policy.

Noticing the above post, I did point out to a clerk damaged merchandise and the clerk said the proper things and took it away. It was back on the shelf before I left the store.


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## Grandma Jo (Feb 18, 2011)

PaKnitter said:


> I had a friend tell me all knitters/crocheters are the kindest people in the whole wide world. Some forum members here have shown that isn't always true...at least to each other.


Isn't that the truth? Some of the fights on here have been really awful.


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## KroSha (Oct 25, 2013)

PaKnitter said:


> I had a friend tell me all knitters/crocheters are the kindest people in the whole wide world. Some forum members here have shown that isn't always true...at least to each other.





Grandma Jo said:


> Isn't that the truth? Some of the fights on here have been really awful.


This thread has been about ETHICS, not about KINDNESS.

Some folks who may appear to be "unkind" or "getting in a fight", FROM *YOUR* PERSPECTIVE, instead often TRULY believe they are standing up for themselves or for a principal.

I would think that those kind of people would, for the most part, tend to be *MORE* ethical rather than less.

~~~


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## Fiona3 (Feb 6, 2014)

Yes, I had this happen at Wallmart, when I told the ladies working in that Dept. They looked at me like I was crazy. I then talked to the manager and he said he would check into it, but guess what---never heard word one! Am not surprised, are any of you?

Fiona. &#128545;&#128545;&#128545;


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## Crochet dreamin' (Apr 22, 2013)

Fiona3 said:


> Yes, I had this happen at Wallmart, when I told the ladies working in that Dept. They looked at me like I was crazy. I then talked to the manager and he said he would check into it, but guess what---never heard word one! Am not surprised, are any of you?
> 
> Fiona. 😡😡😡


Nope!!


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## knightsknits (Sep 19, 2015)

One very good reason among many why I became a spinner! So sorry got your bitter ecperience


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## Former Leftie Knitter (Sep 28, 2015)

I went to Joann to buy yarn for a shrug for my GD. There was a ball of Paton "Sequin" yarn in the bin that had been returned missing about half of the total amount of the skein. It was obvious to me it had been used and then returned what they hadn't been used. I took it to the cashier so no one would mistakenly buy it thinking it was a full skein.

Yes, I bought some , 4 skeins. Of the 4 I bought that day the first one was fine, the next 3 not so much. One was missing 98 yards w/o sequins, the next was missing a total of over 50 yds. The last one about 45 yds. I took the yarn bands back to Joann's and they refunded me the price for 3 skeins. I will never buy that type yarn again!


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## johng (Feb 1, 2015)

[slightly off topic] Your story about your mother reminded me of a humorous story I heard: 
A couple was vacationing in a small town and marveled at the sense of community they found there. 
One of the locals told them, "Yes, we never even have to lock our cars--except in August."
"Why? What happens in August?" the couple asked.
"If you leave your car unlocked, when you get back, there will be a bag full of zucchini and tomatoes!"


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## dragonfly7673 (May 13, 2014)

johng said:


> [slightly off topic] Your story about your mother reminded me of a humorous story I heard:
> A couple was vacationing in a small town and marveled at the sense of community they found there.
> One of the locals told them, "Yes, we never even have to lock our cars--except in August."
> "Why? What happens in August?" the couple asked.
> "If you leave your car unlocked, when you get back, there will be a bag full of zucchini and tomatoes!"


 :lol: :-D


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## KroSha (Oct 25, 2013)

johng said:


> [slightly off topic] Your story about your mother reminded me of a humorous story I heard:
> A couple was vacationing in a small town and marveled at the sense of community they found there.
> One of the locals told them, "Yes, we never even have to lock our cars--except in August."
> "Why? What happens in August?" the couple asked.
> "If you leave your car unlocked, when you get back, there will be a bag full of zucchini and tomatoes!"


Hahahaha...

Reminds me (a little) of Grumpy Old Men and finding a fish in the car!

(Better result though, for sure - - tomates & zukes better than deceased fish!)

~~~


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## Irene P (Sep 20, 2013)

No, I haven't bought this, but thank you for letting us know.


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## Irene P (Sep 20, 2013)

cindye6556 said:


> I had that happen at Joann's. I told the clerk it felt light and just didnt look right. As luck would have it I had just purchased a new kitchen scale, so got scale weighed the yarn and 1 1/2 oz missing out of 4 oz skein. She gave it to me for half price, and made comment guess we need a scale and start weighing yarn returns.


Someone probably bought the skein, used some of it and returned the rest. Really very inconsiderate and falls into the theft category.


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## Irene P (Sep 20, 2013)

PaKnitter said:


> I ran into the same problem with purchasing a skein of yarn from Knit Picks to finish a baby afghan. They didn't have the dye lot number I needed and sent another which did not come close to matching. I ended up loosing money because of the restocking fee because they could not afford to take the lost. Like I have a money tree in my back yard and can toss money their way! Never again will they get an order from me!


I don't blame you. I would do the same thing. This is why I don't like to order via mail.


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## Irene P (Sep 20, 2013)

knittyben said:


> Years ago I worked with a young guy whose wife would buy beautiful designer dresses for weddings or special parties and would then return them after the event. This way she would always have a lovely different dress to show off. And he bragged about it!


I was at an event once, and a lady had a dress on - with the price tag still attached - it was in back of the dress and I would like to think she didn't realize it. Cannot help but wonder if and when she returned it.


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## Irene P (Sep 20, 2013)

Fiona3 said:


> Yes, I had this happen at Wallmart, when I told the ladies working in that Dept. They looked at me like I was crazy. I then talked to the manager and he said he would check into it, but guess what---never heard word one! Am not surprised, are any of you?
> 
> Fiona. 😡😡😡


I had one instance at Walmart a few months ago. Some yarn I bought could not be used because it was so tangled, I couldn't re-wind it. I took it back, explained why and the man at customer service labeled it defective and gave me a refund - no questions asked. Makes me wonder if this happened to other people with this yarn.


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