Q: My package is delayed. What can you do?
Delays have become much more common as a result of supply chain disruptions (i.e. high package volumes, unexpected weather conditions, labor shortages and strikes, or other acts of God). All shipment providers (Fedex, UPS, DHL, USPS) have experienced such delays.
We try to send your packages out as quickly as possible from our end, so that we are not the cause of the delay. Some packages may ship within a few hours. The majority of orders take up to 3 days* to be processed. (*Complicated orders may take several days longer. These are orders that contain over 15 line items).
We do not offer refunds on postage because of delays. USPS does not offer such refunds on Priority or First Class mail packages. UPS and Fedex have suspended their money back guarantee on most classes of service that we utilize.
If your item shipped by USPS and it is delayed by more than 7 days, please follow the directions on USPS.com to initiate a missing mail / late mail inquiry here.
If your item shipped by Fedex or UPS and the estimated delivery date has changed to "pending," please email us. We will call Fedex / UPS to initiate a track and trace on your package.
Q: How can I add something to an order?
We can add items to an order, so long as the existing order has not already shipped*. To add an item to an existing order, please place a new order. Then, in the comments section, write "combine shipping with [your existing order number.]" We will then make the adjustment (if any) to shipping charges from our end when we go to ship. Please note that this adjustment will be reflected when the authorization on your original method of payment changes from "pending / authorized" to "completed." (We use a separate system for invoicing vs shipping. The shipping system will not show the adjustment.)
*If you have provided a valid email, our system will notify you of the tracking number when your item ships. Alternatively, if you have established an account with us, please log into "My Account" and check your order status under "Orders." If you are unsure whether your item has shipped, please email us.
Q: What is your pre-order policy?
Items indicated as pre-orders can be ordered as you would any item that is in-stock. It's a great way to ensure you get your hands on an item before it sells-out. Pre-order items, however, will not ship until they have arrived on our shelves. If in-stock items are ordered along with pre-sale items, we will hold your entire order for shipment until all items are in-stock. To avoid a delay, please order in-stock items separately from pre-sale items.
We do not charge your credit card until we ship the item. You may see the charge show up on your online credit card account as "pending" and that just means you have authorized the charge, but we have not actually put the charge through on our end.
We typically indicate an estimated arrival time for pre-order items. While these arrival estimates are fairly accurate, we cannot guarantee that items will always arrive in the estimated timeframe. From time to time, there are delays out of control, i.e. manufacturer delays, wrong items being sent to us, etc.
Q. The tracking number says my package has been delivered but I can't find it.
If your package is marked as "delivered" by USPS but you cannot find it, please follow the steps on USPS's website here. We are not responsible for packages that have been marked as "delivered" by USPS.
Q. Is the international shipping charge really $50?
We charge $50 for international shipping at the time of check-out and then adjust the actual amount charged to your payment method when we actually ship your item. This is because the shipping charge is based on both the destination and the weight and volume of what has been ordered. The easiest way to find out what your actual shipping charge will be is to send us an email with (1) your mailing address and (2) a description or screenshot of your shopping cart. If the actual shipping charge is above $50, we don't charge you above that amount (which makes it a really great offer for those buying in bulk and shipping abroad!)
Some examples of shipping charges (as of Jan 2023; these examples are approximate for major metropolitan cities -- rural areas will be have surcharges. These prices are subject to daily revision due to ever evolving postage rates):
UK via USPS First Class Mail
- For 0.25-1.5 meter of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is $20
- For 1.75-6.75 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $28
- For 7-10.25 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $42
- 10.5 meters and up is a flat charge of $50
FRANCE via USPS First Class Mail
- For 0.25-1.5 meter of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is $20
- For 1.75-6.75 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $27
- For 7-10.25 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $42
- 10.5 meters and up is a flat charge of $50
JAPAN (METRO AREAS) via USPS First Class Mail
- For 0.25-1.5 meter of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is $20
- For 1.75-6.75 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $30
- For 7-10.25 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $45
- 10.5 meters and up is a flat charge of $50
AUSTRALIA via USPS First Class Mail
- For 0.25-1.5 meter of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is $22
- For 1.75-6.75 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $33
- For 7-10.25 meters of Tana Lawn, the actual shipping charge is about $48
- 10.5 meters and up is a flat charge of $50
Q: I've set up an account but can't remember my password!
A. If you've set up an account but can't remember your password, please use the 'forgot your password?' link below the sign-in button. You will be asked to fill-in your email address, and a link to confirm your email will then be sent to your inbox. This may take 5-30 minutes depending on server traffic. Once you've confirmed your email through the link, you will be sent a new password! Again, this may take 5-30 minutes depening on server traffic. Please request a new password only once. Multiple requests can nullify previous email confirmation links.
If somehow you still can't get into your account, please scribble us a note at info@jonesandvandermeer.com, and we'll manually re-set the password on your account.
Q: I'm getting the error message "The email address you entered is already in use. Please enter another one." What do I do?
This error message typically appears when you have an existing account with us and select express check-out with paypal. As an added security precaution, our system requires that you log into your existing jonesandvandermeer.com account (in addition to logging into your paypal account). To do so:
(1) click "ok" on the error message, then
(2) click on "Modify" to the right of the line "Step 1: Account Details", then
(3) login by entering your email address and password under "I'm a Returning Customer"
Q: I'm getting the error message "Something went wrong with your order." What do I do?
This error message typically appears if over 15 minutes have passed since you began the check-out process. Unfortunately, the only way around this error is to re-load your shopping cart and re-start the transaction process. If you would like, you can also send us a screenshot of your shopping cart, and we can assist you in completing your order over email.
This error message will also occur if there is an issue with your bank account, credit card and very occasionally if any servers are being updated.
Q: How do your downloadable patterns work?
A. Patterns created by our design team are available in a downloadable .pdf only. Please add the pattern to your shopping bag (even if free), and once you clear the check-out process, a link where you can download and print the product will be emailed to you. Do drop us a line if you encounter any problems. We're happy to help!
**Our system does require that you set-up an account with a valid email address, as the link for the pattern will be emailed to you. If you've checked-out as "guest," the download will not work.
**Patterns purchased using Paypal will be sent to your account almost instantaneously (1-60 minutes depending on server traffic). At the moment, patterns purchased using individual credit/debit cards may take up to 24 hours to arrive in your account.
Q: How do I download your free patterns?
A. We make certain of our products free to help raise funds for Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). We ask that you consider donating to this incredible organisation based on how much you enjoyed knitting the pattern.
To download a free pattern, simply add it to your cart. Please set the Quantity to "1." Our system does require that you set-up an account with a valid email address, as the link for the pattern will be emailed to you. If you've checked-out as "guest," the download will not work. If you did check-out as guest, please go back, set-up an account with us, and add the pattern to your cart again.
**Please do NOT use "check-out with paypal" button. you will receive an error message and we will not able to provide you with a link to the free pattern.
We are a small business and due to the volume of requests, we are unable to answer questions regarding free patterns or email them individually.
We value your privacy and do not sell your information to third parties.
Q: Are your quarter cuts, true quarter cuts or fat quarter cuts?
Our quarter cuts are true quarter cuts. If you were to order 1 unit, you would receive a strip of fabric that is 9" long x 42-62 inches wide (width varies based on the fabric). Please also note that while most of our fabrics are sold in yards, a few (certain Liberty bases like Tana Lawn, Liberty Voile, Liberty Cord, Liberty Fleece, Atelier Brunette and some japanese imports) are sold in meters . . . which means you would receive a strip of fabric that is 10" long x 42-62" wide (width varies based on the fabric).
We do offer pre-cut fat quarter packs for certain fabric collections.
Q: How are your fabrics priced?
A: All of our fabrics are priced by the 1/4 yard unless otherwise noted. The unit of sale is noted on every single fabric page. For example, if you want 4.5 yards of fabric, please enter 18 units.
We urge you to read the product description for fabrics carefully so as to avoid any misunderstanding about quantity ordered. The unit quantity that shows up on your invoice or packing slip refers to the unit in which the product is sold. For example, if the number '3' shows up next to the fabric you ordered, it typically means you ordered 3/4 yards of a fabric.
Q: Are the colors I see on my computer reflective of the item's actual color?
A. We make every effort to make the colors shown in our photographs to be representative of the item's actual color. Despite our efforts, we cannot guarantee that it will be exactly how you perceive it when it arrives to you. Differences in monitor color as well as how color is perceived by different people can impact the representativeness of colors. (There's actually a fascinating article here that discusses how color is both objective and subjective!) Color perception also changes under different lighting conditions, e.g. this is why that sofa you saw in the store may look differently when you bring it home.
While there are some obvious color differences that most people will agree on, such as "red" being different from "green," the difference between various shades of black, white, red, greens and blues, for example, is much subtler and subject to individual perception, point of reference comparison, lighting and more. (This is why the black shirt you buy from one manufacturer may not exactly match the black pants from another designer or even from different collections). As such, if you are looking for an exact shade, we strongly encourage you to inquire about ordering a swatch from us in advance.
Q. Can I order a Swatch?
A. We send out swatches only when the fabric can be easily re-ordered. Some of our fabrics are either limited runs or have lead times stretching into months. We do not send out swatches in these cases, as the fabric very well may not be available if you wanted to order a larger quantity later on. For this reason, swatches are not available for the majority of our French and Japanese imports, i.e. Nani Iro, Atelier Brunette, etc. We do, however, allow cuts as small as 1/4 to 1/2 yard for most of these fabrics.
Due to widespread supply chain delays, we have suspended all sample requests, as we are unable to re-order most fabrics in a timely manner.
Q. Can you match a yarn, fabric, ribbon, buttons or other notions dye lot?
A. We do our very best to match dye lots within the same order. For yarn, we will generally give you yarn all from the same lot. If we are unable to do so, we will email you in advance. For fabric, we generally try to supply you with fabric from the same bolt (yes, the same SKU fabric from different lots may have subtle color variance). If we are unable to provide fabric from the same bolt, we will email you in advance. The same goes for ribbons, button or other notions.
It is not always possible to match yarn, fabric or other notion dye lots from different orders. Yarn dye lots are occasionally mislabeled. Some yarns, fabrics or other notions do not have dye lots. If you're trying to match, please leave us a comment or email us in advance about your intention to do so (we don't read minds). We will do our best. However, if you see a discrepancy in a dye lot shade once the item has arrived to you, please contact us in advance of using the yarn or fabric in your project. We cannot refund or send replacements once the item has been used in a project.
Q: Do you charge sales tax on any item?
A: jonesandvandermeer.com is required by law to collect sales tax on orders shipped to New York. If you are shipping to New York the appropriate charges will be added to your merchandise total and displayed on your final order confirmation. No sales tax is charged when purchasing gift certificates, however, purchases paid for with gift certificates may be subject to tax.
Q: Aack! I found an item on your website I want, but you're either out of stock or don't have the color or quantity I need.
A: We replenish our stock from time to time. If you need something more urgently than our sporadic re-ordering timeframe, please contact us at info@jonesandvandermeer.com. We are able to re-order some products. Depending on the item, the timeframe will vary from a few days to a few months. Please note that some of our items are either one-of-a-kind or limited editions. When they're gone, they're simply gone.
Q: I'm placing an order from outside the US, and your site is unable to process my payment. What do I do?
A: For security reasons, our site requires that the zipcode you enter under your billing address matches the one your credit card company has on record. While this process is pretty seamless for US based addresses, our system sometimes doesn't recognise zipcode matches for non-US addresses. In such cases, please email us at info@jonesandvandermeer.com and we'll process your order manually. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Q: I’m in NYC, can I visit you or pick-up an order?
A: Our studio in NYC isn’t set-up to host retail visits (or order pick-ups) at the moment. We’ll send out invites and host a great big party, if and when, we do get around to doing so!
Q. Have a lingering question that still wasn't answered here?
A. Contact us at info@jonesandvandermeer.com, and we’ll put our noggins together to get you an answer fast! Hey, your questions might even make it to our FAQ list in the future.
Please note that we are a small business and due to the volume of requests, we are unable to answer questions regarding free patterns or email them individually. The free download system does work. Please follow the instructions as described above. All patterns have been thoroughly vetted. Errata is available on our blog.
