I would absolutely make a complaint against her.

I would also NEVER send expensive fabric to someone like that. Bricks and mortar still serve a purpose.

Sorry you've been taken, lukkirish!

I just also searched on etsy and could not find the shop. Not sure how deeinohio found it. I'm just shaking my head on this. How disappointing. I would certainly pursue your complaint with etsy. They have a blog that you can ask questions on. Perhaps if they don't get back to you, post something there and the community will chime in.

Edited to say I found it by googling. There appears to be a link on her page to "report shop to etsy" Good luck and keep us informed!

Oh Dee! I was actually pretty upset but this is not the first bump I've hit with these valances. I've spent (wasted) so much money; that I don't know if I can bring myself to buy the fabric all over again.

I actually got it a couple of years ago. I really hate to sew, would rather clean toilets, literally but I had a hard time finding the right print and this fabric was more than I had budgeted for. To compromise, I decided to make them myself and chose a pattern that albeit a little dated, I KNEW would work with it. Well, dummy me, I got ahead of myself and cut the pattern wrong. I had to repurchase the 5 yards and decided to find someone more capable instead. Then six months later a friend said her mother was a seamstress who made window treatments. She would make them but I'd have to wait because she had other jobs ahead of me. I was so relieved I didn't care about the wait, I take the fabric, lining and pattern to my friends and wait. Almost year goes by and when I inquire about where I was in the line, she said her mother had changed her mind and wasn't taking on anymore jobs. At the same time, two of my sisters write that they were coming for a visit. One had never been to my home before so I frantically start searching on Etsy to find someone. I go to pick up the fabric from my friend's house and she had stored it in the same closet her husband's coats were in. He's a smoker and the fabric wreaked of smoke! It cost 60.00 to have it all dry cleaned, plus the lining is missing so I have to repurchase lining now too.

The worst was when my sisters came to visit; I would have loved to have had the room finished with the valances, but really there's nothing that can be done about that. Right?

What a shame! Hope the owners of Etsy contact you.

For those having trouble finding the woman ... Sew Devine Design in Google search

I found the shop pretty easily. Just Google the name with no spaces and then add the word Etsy. The name is designS, not design, but that didn't stop me from being able to find her.

SewDevineDesigns Etsy

Here is how to report a problem with a transaction. Etsy doesn't make the info very easy to find.

Report a problem with an order

Thank you for the support you guys. I've only used Etsy once before and had great success. She made the valance for my upstairs bath. I shouldn't have sent the fabric but I didn't have a reason to suspect problems and could not find anyone locally. Especially after having to buy the fabric twice, places like Calico Corners were not an option. If I do anything now it will probably be to make some tie ups myself and call it a day.

I can't believe I did the name wrong....here is a link to her shop though.

I may repost on the Decor side with the name correction
Barbara Irwin, SewDevineDesigns

Thanks Dee, I did that. I sent them an email through the links and explained everything. I just haven't heard back yet. I'll post a follow up when I do.

I hope Ms Irwin gets kicked off Etsy. On the garden side there is a rating vendors forum.complaints There should be one here as well. So very sorry Irish.

This is what happens when you do business with NON-business people who are trying to make money on the side or start their own businesses. They have not a clue. Buying used merchandise is another one where you will run into this kind of thing. They send you damaged goods mis-represented with flattering photography or don't even inspect the item and think nothing of it. Unloaded. Ka-ching. That's all that matters.

I am speechless. I only used Esty once, and I was very happy with the product I received. It was a personalized step stool for a nursery. She had lots of examples to choose from, but I was able to email her a sample of the wall decal and she copied it exactly, while also letting me decide the finishing touches.

I just looked at the store. So basically she is showing examples of work that she really can't do herself? False advertising at it's best. So sorry you had to go through this.

The valances she show look to be from one package of Simplicity valance designs. And, really, pillows are easy if you have a sewing machine and the inclination. Custom is not her forte.

I have had lots of positive etsy experiences, including some lovely custom dresses for dd. I am so sorry you had such a dreadful experience.

That sounds awful - but then again $220 in labor would have been SO cheap, maybe you should have suspected that the skill level was not up to par? Real custom draperies by professionals are much more expensive.

In defense of those Etsy sellers who are serious about their product and conduct themselves like professionals, I do have to say that this woman’s attitude regarding her mistakes on this transaction are not typical. I noticed that one GW member spoke against sending the fabric to “someone like that”, yet how else could the work be done without the selected fabric?

Other than reading the reviews, (which are only left voluntarily, and not many people choose to do this), .another way to check on the reliability of a seller is to look at how long they’ve had their shop and the number of sales they’ve made. This seller had only 66 sales during a 5 year period, meaning she averages approximately one sale a month. That kind of activity indicates to me that this is just a part time occupation for her.

I am so sorry. If I had time and you lived closer, I would say lets make them.

Not in defense of this person, but it can be really hard to custom sew. I stopped after having 3 pregnant bridesmaids dress to do for a friends sister. The girls were not local and refused to give up actual measurements (that is where I should have said no) They picked a Vogue pattern and a heavy raw silk. The said they knew they fit the sizes on the package and I had to wait til 2 weeks before the event just in case they grew too fast. The 6 squeezed in the size 10 dress, the 8 made it into the 12's dress once I took out all of the sleeve pleats and I stayed up overnight remaking the 12 a size 16 so it would be ready the morning of the wedding. I was more pregnant at the time than the girls. I said never again for anyone I can not see the fabric, and measure myself.

I would look for someone local

Her shop didn't look especially iffy so I can see how this happened. I am so sorry that this seems like an impossible project with way too many bumps in the road. You have to ask that fabric what it has against becoming a valance!!! Sounds like fabric mutiny!

Anyway, my only other tip to add is to never send a check. Send PayPal! Then you have PayPal to help you settle disputes.

4Heidesign, I'm sorry I wrote a response to you earlier thanking you for your feedback and input. I don't know why it didn't load up. I do appreciate hearing your perspective especially as a shop owner with a similar service though. I'm very analytical and research stuff to death. When I looked at her store stats and read her responses I came away with the same conclusions about her as you have. She's very articulate, responded quickly, had answers that were reasonable. I even looked up her address to see where the box of fabric was going and she's in a new build in the Houston area. I didn't see one red flag until after the process started. I really don't want this post to hurt good retailers on Etsy and I hope it doesn't but I do intend to pursue it with Etsy and post about my experience on any platform I can. It's my hope that it will force her to do the right thing.

Ellendi, I think she can do what she has pictured, but she typically uses cheaper cotton fabrics. That's why she told me she wanted to test the pleating with scraps before she accepted the job. She later confirmed it would work fine.

Dee, funny you should say that, the example of what I wanted was pictured on a Simplicity pattern. She said she had the pattern and could use it for my valances. She was having problems with the pattern because she typically used professional patterns and wasn't used to the way the standard patterns are written. That's why she thought it had an error in it.

TMNCA - Your right, 220.00 for custom drapes is cheap, but if you read my post, my purchase was for 2 VALANCES, not drapes so 220.00 is actually quite fair.

Anele! My point exactly! What is it with this fabric!!! It's killing my budget that's for sure!!

In regards to Paypal, I don't have an account. I did, but I closed it after some iffy experiences my sister had with it. I actually wanted to use a credit card but she said she didn't accept them and suggested the check. The funny thing is, 3 days after I sent the check, she started offering credit card payments on her site. To be honest, that irked me but I thought I was protected because the order was there. It's only the second time I've used Etsy and didn't know.

Complain to Etsy. I once had an Etsy vendor sit on an order for over two months, made endless excuses, and then threatened to withhold refund unless I gave him a good review. Etsy intervened, and he is no longer a seller on the site. The main difference in my experience is that I paid with a credit card, and was able to have the credit card company refund my account directly.

Next time, don't pay by check.

4Heidesign, I am the one who said I would never send expensive fabric to a "seller like that." By that I mean someone with an online only shop who is not able to take the measurements himself or herself, and from whom I had no recourse once the money is paid and fabric sent. The nature of online business is that anyone can say anything about his or her experience and can post samples of work that is not their own. Without even the possibility of face to face contact it affords the vendor a very wide berth with respect to timeliness; as likkiirish's experiences have shown, when the vendor delays there is no way to get back one's own fabric.

I'm so sorry Lukki! All you can do is check the reviews, how long one has been in business, etc. and you did that. I have bought lots on Etsy. I've bought some custom, but have not sent fabric to anyone. I use and love Paypal! My credit union told me it is very secure (I hope so), but we all know that any method can be vulnerable. If you have something like this come up again, maybe ask here on GW if any of us have an Etsy person we could recommend, etc. I know of a blogger who does custom work and I would have gladly given you her contact info. I haven't had her do curtains (she does tons) but I've had her do pillow covers and she does high quality work. Hope Etsy responds to your complaint!

kswl2, I completely get what you're saying and even agree, but there is a flip side too as not everyone is in a financial position to use store front which tend to be even more expensive than online shops. Etsy is supposed to be a place where the little guy, both vendor and consumer can find each other and conduct business with some confidence. I had a great experience my first time around, the transaction for the valance for our guest bath went like clockwork, I had many conversations with this vendor too who presented as a very professional and serious shop owner, so I had no reason to suspect harm this time around.

BB Galore, as I've said repeatedly, Etsy has been contacted. Thank you.

Kippy, I understand, I really do and in your situation, I don't blame you. Their expectations were absolutely unreasonable, especially with something like bridesmaid dresses. Wow, I can only imagine the amount of stress that must have caused. My mother (she's in her 80's now) was a beautiful seamstress, and taught me to sew at a fairly young age so I do know how to sew, I just don't like to. The difficulty level of the pattern I suggested was not difficult. It's a scallop with 2 pleats and something she should have been able to ace. I've consulted with my mother to see if I'm off base and she said that there could have been an error in the pattern but considering her background, the vendor should have probably had the know how to work around it.

I have all the correspondence that shows how completely flexible I was and how incompetent she turned out to be. The first style I wanted, was actually a more dated swag that I had no doubts the fabric would work with. The vendor told me it was dated and I should look for something more current. She offers a style with pleats in her shop so I chose a pleated style to break up the pattern in the fabric a bit. She tested the fabric (as I've said repeatedly) to ensure the fabric would be suitable for pleats and SHE confirmed it would work. If she had said no, I would have been willing to find a different style but she agreed to it and is therefore responsible (IMO). I did everything she asked and did not get angry with her through the ENTIRE process until only part of my fabric was returned. Even then my responses to her have been civil. There is also a huge difference between a valance made of linen and rayon (and a simple one at that) and a bridesmaid dress of satin, your clients were not reasonable.

I sent an email asking her to replace the contrasting fabric and she refused saying she spent too much time on it, wasted her lining and had to pay for the 4 yards of fabric and shipping, so the loss of the remaining fabric was on me. In the meantime, she canceled out the order in Etsy to ensure I could not leave a negative review.

This just makes me so mad, and it isn't even "my" problem! But I so feel for you, lukki. I would be so disappointed AND furious if I were in your shoes. The vendor's incompetence seems now to be crystal clear to everyone - even to herself, whether she chooses to admit it or not - but there's absolutely no way you could have known this going in. You trusted someone that's a part of an online community that produces thousands of positive transactions daily, and you had every right to expect that you would be another satisfied customer.

I hope the vendor eventually comes to realize the damage she's done and makes this right. On the likelihood that that's not going to happen, though, I hope you are able to get your valances made soon by someone who is competent and that they're even better than you dreamed they'd be. I hope you won't be soured on Etsy now. I've had so many positive transactions there, and think it's an excellent resource.

This is so sad, I hate when you spend time finding just the right fabric and then the whole thing gets ruined. Is there any way you could jazz up store bought valances with the remainder of the fabric you have left...maybe ties or covered buttons? Are the valances oversized..just trying to figure a way you could salvage your project.

AJ, If you were here I would give you a big hug...you articulated exactly what I've been clumsily trying to say. Thank you. I'm glad to hear that you've had many many transactions with great success. I may go about it in a very different way, but I'm sure if the need arises or I find say a piece of jewelry I like I may give it another shot.

The call service they offer to speak with someone wasn't available for a few days but it is now and I'm waiting for a call back as I write this. I'm hopeful they'll be able to help with a fix.

Kathie, thank you, you are very kind. I bought a tie up valance pattern today and will be making the darn things myself. Like the old saying goes, if you want something done right....(I just hope I don't cut the fabric with the pattern going in the wrong direction again) LOL

Tina! thank you, you're the best!

fwiw, to the poster above that said to always use Paypay - I had a bad ebay purchase several years ago. Paypal and ebay were not help. But since I had charged it via Paypal (instead of using checking account), Visa was on it and it was resolved in my favor.

I didn't know payment could be made with a credit card using pay pal Allison, that's very smart. If I had known that was an option, I would have done that in a heart beat.

Lukki, I have no doubt they will look great. Hey, at least you are progressing! I have fabric window treatments in my kitchen also - but that is as far as I've gotten!

"I didn't know payment could be made with a credit card using pay pal Allison, that's very smart. If I had known that was an option, I would have done that in a heart beat."

Well, the seller can choose to accept credit card payments via Paypal or not - there is a service charge to the seller so often they choose not to.

I did read the part about it being a valance, but in my experience even valances cost more than $220 for labor - more in the order of $500. An experienced worker would be aware of the amount of work involved and would likely have had more realistic expectations of what she or he could produce.

I'm going to give it my best, Tina...that's all we can do right? :c) I plan on working on it over the holidays.

I just got off the phone with an Etsy rep and am feeling a bit more optomistic about it. The girl I talked to saw the transaction but since it was a custom order she escalated it to a higher level. She said she agreed that all of the fabric I sent should be returned or replaced; so we'll see. They should be contacting me in the next few days.

Good luck lukkiirish! What a gong show!

I am so glad Etsy is listening!!! And, yes, please don't let this sour you on Etsy. I have bought many items via Etsy and only once did something kooky happen, but even that got resolved.

Please keep us updated.

tmnca, Sewing a freaking valance is not rocket science especially in the style I had chosen and it's certainly not worth 500.00 in labor but that's irrelevant because the issue isn't about the price she charged anyways. The woman accepted a job and I paid her what she wanted to charge for it. Even if she had charged 500.00, she still can't sew a valance she said she could sew. Just because she screwed up it's not ok for her to expect me to replace the fabric she ruined.

Not only did the pleats pucker in spots but she had used a completely
different color of contrast! My contrast is Mineral Green in a linen
fabric, hers was chocolate brown in an inexpensive cotton; she didn't
even use any of the contrast fabric I sent.

To me this sounds like she used your contrast fabric for another order or project . That would explain why she only returned a portion of it. She had no reason not to return it all since it sounds like it was never used for the valance?The whole thing is such a shame.

First, I am so sorry to hear this happened to you. This is one of the biggest complaints that I often hear. As a soft furnishings professional, I recommend you ask for references. I have a problem with online stores and images that could well be stock photos or the work done by someone else. Unfortunately, anyone can open a store on Etsy and appear to know what they are doing. If you happen to be in Texas, near the San Antonio area, feel free to contact me. I own a workroom for other designers and can assist you with your valance or any other projects you may have. Thank you for informing everyone else about the shop owner. That's good looking-out! Again, sorry this happened to you!

"To me this sounds like she used your contrast fabric for another order or project."

Same thought here. The woman is not only incompetent, she's dishonest.

I have never paid for custom window drapes or valances. But I am surprised to hear people saying the price is a tip off. First, I do agree that the shop owner set the price and should have been able to do the work at the price she set regardless of whether that's a typical price or not.

But second, I have ordered custom dresses for my daughter from multiple etsy shops and have never paid more than $85 and that includes the fabric as I have never provided the fabric. I don't sew, but my mom does (very very well--well enough to produce a tailored blazer) and my mother in law does (competently but not like my mom) and they both whip out curtains like it's nothing and both say clothes are harder. So as a non-sewer, the price charged with the fabric provided would not have been a tip off to me at all.

I'm all thumbs when it comes to sewing. And yet, I made a freaking lined valance using instructions I found on the internet. It isn't pleated, but that's why you pay someone extra. It's not like Lukki haggled the vendor down in price. She paid the going price, plus her own fabric. I would be hopping mad.

Auntjen, I agree -- one reminder to use a credit card is plenty, but who on earth would have ever thought that a seller would cancel out the order? on top of all the other problems? And it's not like she had no sales or only a few. Even spread over the years, over 60 sales and the description she provides would not make you extra cautious. Etsy is a marketplace that allows people to make money from part-time businesses or to expand the marketplace of a local business, so that alone is not an alarm.

Lukki -- if I have seen it before, I don't remember where you are located, but I am disappointed to see that your problem lady is located in my county! Maybe 45 min to an hour drive away, but still in my county. LOL I think Etsy is probably yuor est chance of getting a better resolution on this, but I have one other idea if that doesn't pan out. This was so long when I first saw it that I didn't read through it, but I will check back now to see if you are having any luck. And I understand knowing how to sew but not enjoying it. I actually don't mind sewing so much as the fact that I have to alter every pattern and that's a pain. It's like all the prep work for painting (75% of the job) with measuring added -- and taking it all out or throwing it away if you get it wrong. It's great when it works though. ;) Hang in there.

Lukk, re the price as a "warning"-- not true, in my experience. I concur with Crl. My sister, especially, has gotten custom work done on Etsy (doll items) and the COL ranges drastically but does not correspond to quality. Some people do amazing work for a low price and some do the opposite! I don't think your rate was unrealistic at all, anyway.

was your $220 returned?

Moving forward, what can we learn from Lukki"s experience.? As mentioned above, I was extremely happy with my purchase from an Esty store. I went on face value, what the examples looked like, emailed back and forth with the artist and she went above and beyond what I expected.

How do you know who is talented or is is "faking" their abilities when you see lovely picture of their work?

All I can say is WOW, I literally got goose bumps reading through the responses and I appreciate every single one. Thank you.

In regards to the check, to the shop owner's credit, she told me when she was having issues with the fabric that she was going to wait to cash the check until I was satisfied. But when she told me she was canceling the order, I lost trust and put a stop payment. She was supposed to return it with the fabric but didn't so there you go, it could have been worse right?

Even though it's an upsetting experience, I don't want to assume she was intentionally being dishonest, my gut tells me she's just trying to provide herself with part time work doing something she enjoys and there was no malice or ill intent. After all, she didn't cash my check and she DID at least replace 4 yards of the printed fabric. What she doesn't understand is that because she canceled the order, she's responsible for returning ALL of the materials I sent her even if that means rebuying them. Etsy concured and I'm going to let them do their thing; hopefully, she will see things differently once they've spoken with her.

I really hesitated to post about this because you never know how a thread will morph but I'm glad I did. I still think the concept behind Etsy is really an awesome idea and it provides opportunities that wouldn't normally be attainable for a lot of people, it's sad that a few bad apples have soured it.

I have bought many things over the years from etsy and have yet to be disappointed. I look carefully at the reviews, number of purchases, etc.

I'm so sorry your experience turned out so badly. I don't think you could have foretold that this was going to happen. I've bought things but never sent something to a vendor to be used in a project. I've gotten purchases from here in the States as well as the UK and Sweden. I really like working directly with the artist or craftsman. I expect that etsy will follow through and do the right thing.

She did the right thing by not charging you. She probably did put a lot of time into your valances. Sound like your fabric choice has been a thorn in your side for years. So sorry, hopefully you can do a better job yourself.

Lurkirirish - I’ll glad to see that Etsy replied to you and has concurred with your assessment. You should have ALL your materials returned to you, so hopefully the shop keeper will be in touch to get the information she needs to replace your contrast fabric, as well as the remainder of the printed material. I was encouraged that your attitude toward Etsy wasn’t completely soured by this one unfortunate issue!

Best of luck with your efforts to make the valance on your own. I’m sure you can do it - just remember that patience is your friend, and there are excellent videos on Youtube that explain anything and everything sewing-wise, if you look hard enough. Post us a photo when you get your sewing finished!

I've been following this thread and was just wondering if you ever heard back from anyone?

did it work out for you

Were you able to get this satisfactorily resolved, Lukki?