Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is the “CleverQuilter”?

A: Anyone with a passion for quilting with an eye for making it fun, whether using the *actual* pattern directions or not… The name “CleverQuilter” was suggested by a friend of Jean’s at a “What do I Name My New Quilt Shop” party / gathering.  About 8 friends came to Jean’s house to eat, drink, visit and do lots of girl-talking.  By the end of the evening, the name was chosen.  This proves once again if you need something done and done right; get a group of women to do it.  It took 9 of us but that was because food *and* drink was involved – LOL!!

Q: Do we special order fabric upon request?

A: We order fabric by the bolt.   Bolts range from 10 yards to 20 yards and for the most part, we don’t know what yardage will arrive until we receive the bolt.  Fabric companies also ship on their own schedule, meaning more often than not, we know the *season* a fabric will arrive but not the month or week.  If you would like us to special order a bolt of fabric for you, prepayment in full is required for the maximum amount we could receive from that company plus shipping.   Under no circumstances is the bolt returnable.  We will credit you for the difference between what was received and the maximum about we thought we may receive less shipping when it arrives.
Frequently if you want a pattern, we probably should be carrying it!  Email us if you would like to order a pattern we do not have in stock.  If it fits with our website and is available, we will order it in for you. 

Q: Are you looking for something we no longer have in stock?

A: There are many places to look for fabric we no longer stock or are sold out of.  www.lostfabrics.com or Google are good places to start your search.  We also are affiliated with the FabricShop Network which offers a very good search page for fabrics.  The link to that site can be found at the bottom of our homepage or at http://www.fabshophop.com/fabsearch.asp   

Don’t forget to look on the fabric designers or companies website as well.  Frequently there are places to search or send email queries located in these places.

Fabric companies generally only have one run of a fabric line meaning they print a fabric line once then move on to the next season’s fabric line.  If we’ve sold out of a particular fabric, chances are very good it cannot be re-ordered.   If a fabric line is over 8 months old, generally re-ordering is not an option.

Pre-cut fabrics (jelly rolls, charm packs, layer cakes etc.) are cut and shipped first by a fabric company to shops.  The fabric companies then “bolt” their fabric and no longer cut the pre-cuts.  These items are not re-orderable so be sure to order extra if you think you may need more!

Q: Do you need thread to match your fabric?

A: CleverQuilter.com has matched thread to all fabrics collections.  To see the thread that matches the fabric you choose, simply click on (or enlarge) the fabric you are interested in and at the bottom, you will see the threads offered.  All our threads are quality quilting threads from Mettler and YLI.  We only sell what we use here in the shop!  Email us if you have specific questions about matching threads – we’d be happy to help you out any way we can!

Q: I need help with my McKenna Ryan kit: is there somewhere I can find helpful hints?

A: Absolutely.  Go to McKenna’s website for help.  She’s the expert!!! She has put together a wonderful Helps and How-To’s page full of hints geared toward completing her kits.  They are great for any appliqué project – here’s the link: http://pineneedles.com/Company/help.asp .   These projects are difficult, no question about it.  However, they are easier than you think if you follow the guidelines she presents!  Hint: a Teflon Applique Pressing Sheet is a MUST HAVE for these projects.

Q:I have a question – who do I email?

A: We welcome any questions, comments or concerns you have.  You can email Jean at Service@CleverQuilter.com with any inquires you have.  We are also available by phone 8am to 3pm EST Monday through Friday at 607-592-4356.  You will be leaving a message on Jean’s phone.  We do not work weekends or Holidays but certainly will respond the next business day to any messages left for us.   Please take a look at our Shipping and Return Policies as well: maybe your answer is there.