Encompassing Designs
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Kits
    • Patterns >
      • Christine Little >
        • Signature Designs
        • New Designs
        • Seasonal Designs
      • Deborah Sweet
      • Susan Leslie
      • Patricia Perry
      • William Morris
    • Supplies >
      • Backings
      • Frames
      • Hooks
      • Books
      • Extra
    • Wool >
      • Abrashed
      • Antique JQ Colors
      • Custom Dyeing
      • Dyed Bundles
      • Dyed Curly Mohair
      • Dyed Spots
      • Dyed Values
      • Dyed Yarn
      • Natural & Colours
      • Plaids & Textures
      • Dye Books & Swatches
  • Ordering
  • Blog
  • Workshops
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us

Rug hooking crossed wires....

7/5/2013

4 Comments

 
PictureEasy to cross wires in this kind of jungle!
Something happened earlier this week that warrants a little mention.   I don't know how many shop owners read my blog but this may have already happened to you.    It's a virtual pattern jungle out there for customers and so easy to get wires crossed when placing an order. 

A woman emailed me to say "I am disappointed in the two pillow patterns that I received.  One has only a 3” border and the other only has 2 ¾” which makes it difficult without sewing something on the edges.  Is this your standard? 

I didn't recognize the woman's name but that's okay, a lot of orders go out and I can't remember them all.   But I started going through the computer emails and website to locate it and finding nothing, went through all the paper copies  all the way back to January, thinking it was probably a phone order.      Nothing surfaced so I went through them the second time to double check.  By now I'd wasted ten minutes stewing about it to Shane as to how this could happen and in all wasted 1/2 hour looking for the order.  Even if Shane had done the pattern, I always sew the zig-zag and would have picked up on a  chintzy border.  I'm the last stop on the line for quality control.   I was feeling kind of icky thinking we'd screwed up causing someone to have an issue with my patterns!  Ouchy!   

So in an attempt to straighten it all out, I emailed and asked for the names of the patterns to jog my memory.  I did say that it is our policy to allow 4 inches of excess on the patterns, sometimes it is slightly shorter but generally it is 4.   I think the industry standard is anything over 3" but that's an assumption as I have nothing to back it up...just what I've seen elsewhere.  All I could think was oh shit....someone out there wasn't happy and probably telling all their friends.  It's a small world this rug hooking community and negative feedback hurts.  I needed to diffuse this somehow before it got on Facebook or the National Enquirer.   

So she emailed back the name of the two patterns.  With a sigh of relief I realized they weren't mine so she'd ordered them from someone else.  I explained that we don't have any designs by those names so they had to  come from another shop.  I guess she didn't believe it because she emailed back and said she would send pictures and did, two of them with rulers showing the short edge around the pattern.   Of course I didn't recognize the patterns, just like I hadn't been familiar with their names,  but interestingly I could clearly read the company name along the edge of the patterns, proof of where they originated from.  I won't broadcast that because it has no bearing on the story and now that the problem was solved, all I had to do was point out this fact and she'd realize her mistake.  

Well, that  didn't work.  She still didn't believe me, because I received another email stating she thought I was affiliated with Encompassing Designs.  Well yes, I am affiliated with Encompassing Designs, but those patterns had another  company name written across the edge which I know nothing about.  I emailed back to say I don't sell ___________ patterns, Encompassing Designs has nothing to do with that company.   So I haven't heard anything further so I don't know where we stand...if she finally believed me and realized the error or if she thinks I'm an ass and my patterns are mediocre.   

This isn't a new phenomena as it has happened before, more times than you would think.  People who comb the internet become inundated with so much choice that they get confused about where they saw what.  It's understandable, there are so many places to visit and all that eye candy must be overwhelming and unless you are keeping strict notes or placing the sites in favourites you can easily get messed up. 

I've had people call to order patterns and call by the name of other shops owners.  I've been Deanne  once or twice and Carol several times.   I've even had people walk in the door and say "Hi Carol, so nice to meet you!"  When I say my name is Christine they look confused so I enlighten them and send them up the street. 

Sometimes a customer will ask for a pattern I don't sell and then argue that I do.  To prove I'm mistaken they describe it in detail and no matter how much I insist I don't have anything of the sort they still don't believe me.  Some will phone and say they were in my shop and saw a particular pattern  on a rack but didn't buy it at the time and want it now.  I say sorry, you must have been in another shop but they say no and probably hang up thinking up a loon.  

Now I do have a lot of inventory and there was these two times recently when customers ordered patterns that I actually had to go to the website to see what they looked like cause I'd forgotten it but that happened because I was working late nights and was seriously sleep deprived and a good time to haul out and play the senior moment card. I thought it was funny and had a good laugh at my  own foil and I hope the people on the other end of the line laughed with me, not at me, but then again, maybe cuckoo was on the tip of their tongue.  

So all I'm saying is that if this has happened to me it's happened to others.
  It's okay to make the  blunder, but when it's discovered don't keep insisting that the shop keeper is wrong cause most of us know our inventory more intimately than our mates.....just have a laugh and figure out who you should have been calling in the first place........

Picture
New Distelfink Kaleidoscope design showing 4" border.
To view pattern on the website click this link:  http://www.encompassingdesigns.com/new-designs.html
4 Comments
Rhonda Timberlake
7/5/2013 01:58:16 am

I love this pattern! Will you have it for sale?

Reply
Christine
7/5/2013 02:13:00 am

Yes, it is for sale. Size: 20" x 20" Burlap $33.95, Linen $45.83. I'll put it up on the website

Reply
Glenna
7/5/2013 03:03:56 am

lol...if it is going to happen it will happen to you!! lol sorry I will stop laughing now....love the pattern look forward to a visit soon!!

Reply
Charlene
4/22/2025 01:54:32 am

EFFECTIVE LOVE SPELL TO GET EX HUSBAND/BOYFRIEND OR EX WIFE/GIRLFRIEND AND CURE HERPES AND INFERTILITY THAT WORKS WITHIN 24 HOURS.

Contact Great Odunga at [email protected] OR Whats App/CALL +2348167159012

I got my ex husband back to me and also got fertile and gave birth to twin girls after 12 years of marriage.
When I came online last year, I saw a testimony about Great Odunga and how he has been helping people with marriage issues and I decided to contact him. We spoke on email at [email protected] and later he gave me his Whats-App number which is +2348167159012. He assured me he would help me get my ex husband back after 3 years of no contact. Great Odunga is the best spell caster I must say. My husband called me after 24 hours of contact. The third day, I received natural herbs for fertility and after using it, I became fertile and conceived. My husband and I reconnected, had sex and I was pregnant. Presently I am happy to say I am the mother of twin girls and this is ALL THANKS TO GREAT ODUNGA. I came online to say this: If you need help, I believe you are saved with this man.

Contact his email at [email protected] OR [email protected]

Whats App/Call +2348167159012 and you too will give a testimony too to help others

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Christine Little has been ranked #5​ out of the 60 top rug hooking bloggers by Rug Hooking Magazine!

    Picture
    Picture
    Max Anderson, Australia, recipient of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug.  An award of excellence for promoting Canada through his writing.  
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    August 2024
    January 2024
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Picture
    Picture
    Gift Certificates are available for that special rug hooker in your life!  Any denomination, no expiry date! 

    Categories
    (Click on the categories for past blogs)

    All
    Announcements
    Beginner Class
    Christmas
    Colour Planning
    Contests
    Copyright
    Coupon
    Customer Rugs
    Cutter Servicing
    Dyeing
    Equipment
    Featured Hooker
    Giveaway Draw
    Guest Blogger
    Guest Blogger
    Health & Fitness
    Home & Heart
    Hooked Rugs
    Hooking Groups
    Hook In Talk
    Initially Yours
    Jibber Jabber
    Just A Bit Of Fun!
    Life's Experiences
    Life's Experiences
    New Design
    New Ideas
    Pattern Of The Week
    Patterns Hooked
    Pets
    Rants
    Recipes
    Rememberingfbe7326ff7
    Rug Schools
    Show & Tell
    Show-tell
    The Rant
    Tips Technique
    Tips Techniquef0cd117ab4
    Visitors
    Workshops

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture





















    Picture
    We have a pot to "Fiz" in!

Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Saturdays 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
We are closed during ice and snow storms
​so please call ahead.  If school is cancelled we probably are closed as well.  

Toll Free: 1-855-624-0370
Local:  902-624-0370​
[email protected]

498 Main Street
P.O. Box 437
Mahone Bay, N.S.
Canada B0J 2E0

​Follow us and keep up to date
on our specials, new products
​and events!
Picture
Picture
Picture


Home
Shop
Ordering
Blog
Our Story
Workshops

Contact Us




​​​© Copyright 2023 Encompassing Designs. Website by SKYSAIL