Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions can only exist if someone first asks them.
Please contact me if your question is not covered here and I will do my best to assist you!
Payment: What payment options are available?
Payments can be sent either by direct deposit to fancyplantsyarns@gmail.com, or by following the link on your invoice, which will open the WixPayments secure online portal.
All payments are to be made in the Canadian Dollar.
Typically the invoice is sent out once you have approved the proposal details in order to collect a security deposit of 50%. Once your item is complete you will receive an email confirming this, and the invoice will be resent to collect the final payment.
Because the invoices are automated, they may appear to be "overdue" before your item is complete, however the final payment is not actually due until you have received word from me that your item is ready to ship.
After the final amount is paid, I will send out your order. If there is a significant delay in payment and the resent invoice is continually ignored (ie. if you ghost me), the items in your order may be resold to someone else and your deposit will not be refunded. This not an outcome I wish to see, so rest assured your order will not be relinquished unless you are truly negligent or I have reason to believe you have no intention of paying for the completed work.
Orders: Can I cancel my order?
Orders maybe cancelled within the first 24 hours after they are placed.
If you wish to cancel an order more than 24 hours after placing it, you may send a cancellation request to fancyplantsyarns@gmail.com with your order number and the reason you wish to cancel, and your request will be reviewed. Not all cancellations requested after the 24 hour grace period will be granted.
For more information about cancellations, please see the Terms & Conditions (found in the Support menu) or contact me with your questions.
Orders: Do you take custom orders?
I now take custom orders! If you have a project in mind please email me at fancyplantsyarns@gmail.com and I will get back to you with a proposal and price quote if I feel the project is manageable.
Please keep in mind that not every project will be feasible or within my ability to complete at that time, but I will do every thing I can to accommodate you. If you aren't sure exactly what you are looking for or whether or not it is a reasonable request, don't worry! It never hurts to ask, and you are not committed to paying for the commissioned item until you have given your approval of the proposal and price quote.
A few other things to note about commissions:
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once you approve a project you will be expected to pay a deposit of 50% of the quoted price before production begins on your commission.
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If the project requires significantly less labour than I calculated for, your final payment will be adjusted accordingly. I have no desire to over charge anyone!
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Assuming no more than a few minor changes are requested after the proposal is approved, the final payment will never exceed the initial quote. (ie. You will not be charged extra if the project takes longer than I anticipated for reasons outside of your control).
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If you do wish to make significant changes to your order after production has begun, a renegotiation of cost will be required. At this point order cancellation may be discussed, but please be aware the deposit may not be fully refunded, depending on the circumstances.
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If there is a significant delay in payment of the deposit, affecting the timeline of production, a rush-order charge may be added to your final payment to ensure your order is ready on time.
If you have any further questions about commissions, please do not hesitate to ask!
Plea
Orders: How long will I have to wait for my order?
Depending on what you order, the processing time may differ greatly. Processing time depends on how many items you order, the complexity and size of each item, as well as how many orders are ahead of you on the list.
If you want your order ready by a specific date (for instance, the item is a birthday gift for someone) this must be discussed before you approve the proposal. It is always best to include such details in your initial inquiry email as it may affect whether or not I can accept your order at that time.
Orders: What is your Return Policy?
In the extraordinary event that your purchase has a production defect, you may contact Fancyplant's Yarns with your order details and a description of the issue. Your complaint will be assessed and resolved at the discretion of Fancyplant's Yarns. It is always my preference to find a way to make the item work for you, whether that means making some minor adjustments, correcting some faulty stitching, or negotiating more significant alterations to the original design.
Shipping: What regions do you ship to?
I am willing to ship anywhere the mail service delivers, but do keep in mind the cost of shipping these days is exorbitant. I am located in Northern Alberta, Canada, so please consider whether you are willing to pay whatever the mail system deems it costs to ship to your location. Whenever possible I recommend arranging for Local Pickup so that we can avoid the postal service all together.
One final note on the cost of ship; even small items can be very expensive to ship due to the shape of the package. Last I checked anything that cannot be sent in a letter-size envelope will cost a minimum of $20 to ship. If you are concerned about the cost of shipping and unsure how to even estimate what your order might cost, please discuss this with me before finalizing your order and sending the secutiry deposit
Shipping: What is Local Pickup and how do I know if I qualify?
If you live in the Alberta Peace Region and would like to save on shipping, you may choose to Pick up your order when it is ready. Pickups are only available in Grande Prairie Alberta, but if you live near enough and are willing to make the drive after your order is ready, that is an option. (Eg. If you live in Edmonton but often come to Grande Prairie to visit family, you may arrange to have it picked up by a family member or pick it up yourself once it is ready.)
Please keep in mind that some orders take longer to produce than others. If you rarely visit Grande Prairie and have no one local to pick up your order for you, I would advise against Local Pickup as a delivery option. I try to be flexible when it comes to holding completed orders, but please be considerate and arrange to collect your package as soon as you are able. I can only store so many orders awaiting delivery before my house begins to look more like an episode of Storage Wars than a place of residence.
When your order is ready, you will be contacted to make arrangements for Pickup. If, at that time, you would rather pay to have it shipped, those arrangements can be made.
Item Care: Can I put this item in the washing machine?
It very much depends on the item in question, so please refer to the Care Instructions provided on the item tag that arrived with the item.
Remember: knowing the fibre content of an item is not always enough to determine how it should be cared for. The shape and structure of the time, as well as the yarn brand and manufacturing method all play a part. When in doubt, ere on the side of caution and wash your items carefully by hand and allow them to airdry. You can always email me for washing advice, however I cannot guarantee any care instructions I am asked to produce after the item has been sent to you. I do not have an encyclopedic knowledge of every yarn I use nor every item I produce.
Item Care: What is "Blocking" and is it important?
"Blocking" is a process used to 'set' the shape of a finished product, making the edges crisper so it doesn't look like it's spent 50 years shoved at the back of a drawer. Not every item requires blocking. Any items in my shop that indicate they may require blocking have already been blocked before being packaged for shipping, however, if they are washed or for any reason get too wet, they may lose their crisp shape. If you have ever owned a sweater that needed to be reshaped and laid flat to dry after being washed, you can think of blocking as a similar concept.
Rather than list every possible method of blocking, I will simply say this: if your item has lost its shape and you desire to return it to its shiny-newness, be certain you know what the fibre content of the item is before you research blocking techniques, because using the wrong blocking method on the wrong fibre can have devastating consequences (like that time you ironed your dress shirt with too high a heat setting, or you sent your "hang dry only" dress through the dryer). Every item in my shop has the fibre content listed both on the site and on the product tag it is shipped with.
I wish you luck in your blocking ventures! If you have any questions about a particular item and how it was originally blocked please feel free to contact me! fancyplantsyarns@gmail.com
Item Care: Why is my item losing its shape?
Due to the nature of certain products, they looked their best when they first arrived because they have been "blocked" as part of their creation. In crochet terms "blocking" is a means of setting the shape of a finished item (not keeping it out of your DMs) which helps give it a crisper shape than it can possibly have without blocking.
If your item has become a little wonky over time it is because blocking is not a permanent condition, it can be washed or stretched out of the item and, like a starched shirt collar at the end of a wild wedding reception, lose the crisp definition it once had.
You may re-block your item if you know its fibre content (included on the item tag it arrived with) and do your research.
I cannot guarantee my products against blocking mishaps, so please do your research and be gentle!
Product Info: Are your products original patterns?
It depends on the item. Pattern development is incredibly time consuming and in many cases there is no real benefit to trying to "reinvent the wheel." Generally, I find existing patterns to work from. As I become more familiar with a pattern I may become inspired to make changes or to adapt certain aspects to fit my creative vision, but as long as the basis of the design remains the same I will always credit the author of the original pattern (found in product details).
Any items I design from scratch are credited as Fancyplant Originals.
I will also note that some pattern creators do not wish for their patterns to be used to create and sell products, and I must abide by whatever copywrite instructions apply to each pattern. If you have a specific pattern in mind but it is protected by copywrite, I will do my best to find a similar pattern that can be used to produce your order.
If any errors are found in the pattern credits please contact me right away with the appropriate correction! I take pattern copyright very seriously and thank you in advance for pointing out any oversights!
Product Info: What fibres do your products contain?
This varies depending on the product because different fibres are better suited to different things. You can find the fibre content on the tag attached to the item when it arrives in the mail.
If you have any questions about the fibre content of a specific item, please contact me for more information!
Product Info: When do items come back in stock?
I no longer sell premade products, but if you see something on my website that you would like to order, just send me an email and we can discuss the details.
Still have questions? Get in touch!