Well it's only been 2 weeks since I ordered my PRIMA Magazine pattern over the phone.
I called in my details on a Friday evening (you leave your address etc. with them on a voicemail service), and taking into account office opening hours etc. the very, very earliest they could've got to work on despatching my order would have to of been Wednesday 6th June (with Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th being the special extra long Jubilee Bank-Holiday weekend and all). So, by my calculations... pick up my call on the 6th - delivered on Thursday 14th = equals 6 working days for delivery! Not too shabby really :)
Interestingly (or not as the case may be) it was posted First-Class (and there was me expecting Second-Class as a cost saving measure!). I saw that there was a return address (in case of non-delivery) on the front of my envelope: Prima, PO Box 7557, Derby, DE1 ONP. So, I had another little Google search using the address to see if an ordinary (non-premium rated) telephone numbers came up - in order to make ordering the patterns cheaper (or free dependant upon your call charges) - but no joy!
The pattern I received is a halter neck summer dress - with options for a pencil-style or a full-gathered skirt. It's from the June 2012 issue (no longer on the newstands in the shops).
June Cover (Image Source: Zinio.com)
The current issue for sale is the July 2012 one (below). I snuck a few photos from inside a newsagents this morning (shhhh!!! don't tell anyone!).
July 2012 Covers (Image Source: Zinio.com)
July 2012's Prima Pattern is a
"Loose fitting calf-length dress and kaftan with deep V-neckline."
July 2012's Prima Pattern is a
"Loose fitting calf-length dress and kaftan with deep V-neckline."
As pointed out by the lovely Melissa:
Prima don't make it easy to find out what the next month's pattern will
be (it's not on the net anywhere - trust me I looked!) And, very often
they seal their magazines into clear plastic - so you can't even flick
through the pages to see if you like the current month's pattern *sighs*.
Anyway I tracked down an email address for their office and sent them a
polite suggestion about publishing the pattern details on their website
(I dunno if they'll reply - but as the saying goes "If you don't ask - you don't get!").
Think I might order this July pattern now - looks kinda cute + easy too :)!
EDIT / UPDATE: (Friday 15th June 2012)
I've just phoned them up and ordered the July 2012 pattern. And, I've realised that
Prima choose a different set of phone numbers for each month's pattern!!
E.g.: June 2012 = UK 0906 757 6472*
Republic of Ireland 1550 927 771*
July 2012 = UK 0906 757 6473*
Republic of Ireland 1550 927 772*
So, I believe that they re-use old phone numbers again later in the same year. So, if you see
say June's issue in one shop, but the shop across the street has July's on the shelf - then you
need to be sure to call the correct phone number! Or you'd get the wrong month sent to
you if you don't listen to the recorded-voice at the beginning of your phone call LOL!
Think I might order this July pattern now - looks kinda cute + easy too :)!
EDIT / UPDATE: (Friday 15th June 2012)
I've just phoned them up and ordered the July 2012 pattern. And, I've realised that
Prima choose a different set of phone numbers for each month's pattern!!
E.g.: June 2012 = UK 0906 757 6472*
Republic of Ireland 1550 927 771*
July 2012 = UK 0906 757 6473*
Republic of Ireland 1550 927 772*
So, I believe that they re-use old phone numbers again later in the same year. So, if you see
say June's issue in one shop, but the shop across the street has July's on the shelf - then you
need to be sure to call the correct phone number! Or you'd get the wrong month sent to
you if you don't listen to the recorded-voice at the beginning of your phone call LOL!
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I can't believe I missed that pattern in June's issue [I spend so long in WHSmiths just flicking through all the sewing magazines for patterns I actually like!].
ReplyDeleteDo you think if I called them for June's issue now they'd be able to send them to me?
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ReplyDeleteI am so jealous. I learned to sew from Prima patterns (their size 14 fits me straight off the envelope) and I buy them for the free pattern. I live in Kenya and it's not easy to get any new issues or sewing patterns either (the shipping is crazy) so I buy whichever issue I can find for about a dollar each (these are old editions, like from 10 years ago but still new and patterns are uncut).
ReplyDeleteI was disapointed to learn they don't include the pattern in the magazine, darn, so now whenever I find a Prima anywhere in the street, I grab it, they are like gold to me.
I also found another UK magazine with free sewing pattern, it's called Essentials, the patterns are cute.
Thanks for a lovely blog.
Njeri
Hi Njeri,
ReplyDeleteYes, sadly Prima stopped putting their patterns inside of their magazines :(. So, it is god that you can still get some of the old copies where you are.
Also, Essentials Magazine I remember them from a few years ago :) They do not make sewing patterns in their new issues anymore - they just stopped doing them (I don't know when they stopped it).
You would imagine that, since July's issue for the pattern says lines will close on 31st July, that you would be able to order the pattern from June's issue up to 30th June but I guess that may not be the case. Cute dresses tho'
ReplyDeleteAnn
Hi Melody (I deleted my last reply + have re-typed it updated here).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately when you call their phone number you only get a voicemail / answerphone - you never, never get to speak to a real "live" person - their system is specifically set up like that.
The recorded voice on the telephone system does tells you which month's pattern you are about to order at the beginning of your phone call.
Please note though - that Prima choose a different set of phone numbers for each month's pattern - and I believe that they re-use the same number again later on in the same year.
So, if you see say June's issue in one shop, but the shop across the street has July's on the shelf - then you need to be sure to call the correct phone number! Or yu'd get the wrong month sent to you.
Also, there seems to be no other way to contact Prima about their *free patterns (*free - apart from the cost of the phone call to the premium rated phone line that is of course LOL!).
I will have to investigate my Prima patterns, which I have now found (they were buried in one of our boxes). I shall get a post written up, since I've not written much recently. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi I am looking for a June 2016 Prima pattern jumpsuit
ReplyDeleteHi, your best bet is to search on eBay for it. Unfortunately, Prima magazine do not sell old copies of their sewing patterns and I am keeping all of my own copies :-).
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