There were only two general sewing magazines there. I already had the issue of "Threads," so I grabbed "Stitch." I didn't find anything particularly appealing to me thumbing through, but there was nothing else. When the total came to over $18, I was in shock. I think the cashier recognized buyer's remorse when I listed backward with eyes wide muttering a long, "wow." She offered to take it off, but I figured there is nothing like being ripped off once to learn the lesson about checking prices before reaching the cashier. I really wanted something to read, too. Stitch has a list price of $14.99--not $15, $14.99.
The magazine is very nicely made. It's eye candy. It is on the upper level of sewing magazines. I'd call it a hip version of Sew Beautiful. It has two ideas that I might use--I counted. They're things I've seen before, with a slight change. I will use none of the patterns included in the magazine. Most patterns require going online and downloading as a PDF. I expect that a magazine will show some old ideas with new fabrics or a bit of a twist. Frankly, there is very little in Stitch that I haven't seen on the internet for free.
I don't expect to pay $14.99 for any magazine. I won't be again. I could have gotten the book I blogged about yesterday, "The Feisty Stitcher
There was an ad that offered a sweepstakes entry. I thought I'd enter in order to have a chance of making this magazine pay off. As it turned out I would have to drive across the state, buy a book with a list price of $29.99, and, then, the participating store would give me an entry form. In fairness further down the page from the "go to a participating store, buy the book, and get an entry" information, there was a small note saying no purchase was necessary. They lost me at the 12-hour trip anyway.
Expensive lessons learned: check prices, check prices, check prices, don't bite the bullet, return the overpriced item immediately so you don't end up blogging about what an idiot you've been.
Yikes! I would have had no qualms about asking the cashier to void that purchase. Heck, here I am debating whether or not I should buy Martha Stewart's Halloween edition when Halloween is my favorite holiday and nobody does it like Martha. I think that would only set me back $10, so $15 would have made me fall over in shock right there at the register. You're right; there are several sewing books out there I could get for $15 on Amazon and those are proper hard-bound books, not a flimsy magazine half full of advertisements. Oh well, you live, you learn.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah! As I was saying, "No, that's alright," to the cashier, another part of me was screaming, "Return it!." I should have listened to the other part:-)
ReplyDeleteI love Martha's stuff, too. When she's going off on a subject I love, I HAVE to get the magazine or book.
Who knew a magazine could BE $15? Well, I do now.