Sew What’s Up Presents
The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was
retired in August 2007. It is being provided by
“Sew What’s Up,”
which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: Patty22
Date: 07-08-2007, 07:18 AM (1 of 18)
|
Is a quilter/sewer working in a quilt shop similiar to an alcoholic working at a bar? I'd love some feedback on this one ..... Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: siwian
Date: 07-08-2007, 08:12 AM (2 of 18)
|
Does the Quilter/Sewer take their paycheck in fabric, notions, patterns? It does seem that the temptations would be harder to resist (if this person wanted to resist) being around the stuff every day. Of course, addiction to fabric is not as much of a health hazard as one to alchol, usually. Falling stacks of fabric could do some damage to a person standing/sitting/lying under them. |
User: siwian
Member since: 12-27-2001 Total posts: 114 
|
From: shaysmema
Date: 07-08-2007, 08:36 AM (3 of 18)
|
I work part time at a small quilt shop and I get paid in fabric etc. I think that I am way ahead like that because when I started quilting 2 years ago I was spending anywhere from 2 to 4 hundred dollars a month on fabric notion patterns what ever. Now when new notions, fabric patterns and such come in I see them first and I always have built up credit to buy them. Its great. When my DIL came to pick up the kids this summer she started quilting, and she just when into my closet and picked out what she needed. I had it all. They say whoever dies with the most fabric wins, well that would be me. Besides, you meet some really great people there. That's where I met Susie, Mother In Law. Barbarra |
User: shaysmema
Member since: 02-14-2007 Total posts: 52 
|
From: PaulineG
Date: 07-08-2007, 09:00 AM (4 of 18)
|
Maybe it is Patty but unless there's a financial consideration does it really matter. It could even be that some desensitisation would occur and only the really loved fabrics come home instead of the impulse purchases.
Pauline
|
User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-08-2007, 11:03 AM (5 of 18)
|
I think maybe Patty had fun at the sale this weekend?? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: lendube
Date: 07-08-2007, 12:05 PM (6 of 18)
|
No similarity at all. A quilter would only face promotion if they sold too much to one customer. The bartender potentially gets their butt fired................ Lennie 
|
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: Patty22
Date: 07-08-2007, 02:51 PM (7 of 18)
Dorothy, I actually showed some restraint and only ended up with 56 yards.  (Dorothy is referring to working the LQS fabric sale - it was $2.50 a yard on their sale bolts) HOWEVER, many women came at 5 and brought their chairs and waited in line....with their dollies and bungie cords to hold the bolts together.  This was smart shopping though as the fabric was Moda, Hoffman, Northcott, etc....all very nice cottons.Siwian....I do have to be careful how I stack my fabric on the shelves by the wall as I have had a few batts fall while I was sewing at the machine. Scared the &*&*( out of me! shaysmema......Now about meeting people at the quilt shop...... yesterday a woman brought along her mother with a sample of the wallpaper border in her dining room. The woman was going to make her mom a table runner and they were going to pick out colors for it together. The mom has dementia (whether the daughter has acknowledged/or come to terms with this). The store was a bit crazy and the mother insisted on just putting her fabric on the cutting table while customers had waited in line to get their fabric cut. Then she talked about how terrible the lighting was. What color were her dining room walls? "I hate green, quit picking out green for me." and again..."What color are my dining room walls?" This was repeated about 10 times. The poor woman got so frustrated with her mom that she decided the next time she would come by herself. I just wanted to hand the poor woman an ice tea and tell her to go sit down and rest for a few minutes away from everyone (including her mom). I do have to say I really like the people I have met and it especially excites me when mothers allow their little ones to pick out fabric and work on projects. I cut fabric for two little girls yesterday and you could tell they were so proud of what they were making and their moms were encouraging them. You can't get any better than that! Pauline.....ohhhh you are so right about weeding out fabric as the result of impulse purchases vs. needing for a project. After measuring the fabric for the sale (unwinding bolts, measuring and rewinding) I decided one day I only liked about 3 % of what I saw. DH and son left the house at 4:30 this morning to run a 15 K race, so I got up and cleaned my sewing room. I went through my fabric and there isn't a piece that I don't love. - and I do know there are a lot of dogs out there.
Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 07-08-2007, 07:31 PM (8 of 18)
Everytime I go into my local Hancock's, one of the sales people will ask me if I'm ready to come to work at Hancock's yet. My dh says no I can't work there because he would end up paying Hancock's every month instead of Hancock's paying me.  Wonder why he ever came up with something like that about me???? 
Patsy
|
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Suzan61
Date: 07-11-2007, 10:01 PM (9 of 18)
|
My quilting friend says that she needs to come up with more creative ways of sneaking fabric into the house without her DH knowing. I didn't know how to take that comment when I first met her, but now that I frequent the fabric stores I am beginning to understand. QUICKLY! My question to you all is ... what has been your most successful way of sneaking fabric home if in fact you must sneak? Strategies are sometimes necessary. |
User: Suzan61
Member since: 03-17-2007 Total posts: 10 |
From: material_pakrat
Date: 07-11-2007, 10:14 PM (10 of 18)
|
I would love to work in a fabric store, and would be happy to exchange most, if not all, of my wages for fabric. I guess I am one of the lucky ones who don't have to work for the money - that's what hubby does. As for getting my stash into the house - I gave up on that long ago. Now I just waltz in and show hubby what I have bought, and he doesn't really mind. But prior to this, my sewing room had quite a few Spotlight bags lying around with fabric in them, probably about 6 of them. When I bought a new lot of material, I would just move the material in the bags to storage, and put the newer purchase in it's place. Hubby would look in my sewing room, see the bags still there, and just walk off. So what looked like clutter and confusion on my floor was actually a clever way of increasing my stash. The other thing to remember is ALWAYS PAY IN CASH. Then the credit cards don't tell on you either.
Cheers, Soph.
I'm happiest when I am sewing! |
User: material_pakrat
Member since: 12-13-2006 Total posts: 220 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 07-12-2007, 07:06 AM (11 of 18)
|
I find that it's simply a matter of the less said the better. What's that thing they say "Don't ask, don't tell".
Pauline
|
User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: momquilts
Date: 07-12-2007, 08:52 AM (12 of 18)
| My husband has a few "habits" of his own that I don't complain about (golf, smoking.....) so he doesn't say anything about my fabric purchases. I figure he spends way more than I do. Besides quilting and feeling fabric is way cheaper than any other form of therapy. |
User: momquilts
Member since: 02-02-2000 Total posts: 46 
|
From: Suzan61
Date: 07-12-2007, 11:54 PM (13 of 18)
| LOL - I smoked for the last 20 years just until recently - I tried several methods to kick the habit. The only method that has worked was my urge to buy more fabric now that I'm hooked on quilting. I haven't smoked since April 4th and it is all because I wanted to purchase more fabric! I would have thought that the price of cigarettes ($12.00/pack) would have caused me to stop - but it truly was the stronger urge to accumulate a stash! |
User: Suzan61
Member since: 03-17-2007 Total posts: 10 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 07-13-2007, 01:19 AM (14 of 18)
|
Suzi61 congratulations on kicking the smoking habit!! It's the best thing you will ever do for yourself. Oh yah, welcome to "Quiltiholics and Fabriholics Anonymous". Patsy Patsy
|
User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: heartland
Date: 07-19-2007, 09:55 PM (15 of 18)
I am a quilter who works in a quilt shop. It is great to be first in line for the new fabric and patterns!  I do not have time to make projects for myself, as I am busy making samples for the shop. I must say, that this is one job where I do not dread going to work! 
Donna
|
User: heartland
Member since: 05-23-2001 Total posts: 88 
|
From: Patty22
Date: 07-21-2007, 12:54 PM (16 of 18)
|
this is one job where I do not dread going to work! Oh Donna, you are so right. I love the days when I get them to work. Where in Iowa are you? My daughter is at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, and the "love of her life" is at the University of Iowa. She drives to Iowa City often Isn't it amazing with store samples how customers will come into the shop and want the EXACT fabrics used in the sample and not want to experiment with other fabrics. Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: heartland
Date: 07-22-2007, 07:30 PM (17 of 18)
|
Isn't it amazing with store samples how customers will come into the shop and want the EXACT fabrics used in the sample and not want to experiment with other fabrics. You are 100% correct, Patty! We got in a line, I made a sample, the fabric used sold quickly. Our customers do not want to substitute any of the fabrics. Now we have to come up with another idea to sell the rest. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE helping ladies picking out fabric!!! I do wish that some came in more prepared! Although I do quilt, I cannot tell them how much that they need to buy by merely looking at a picture of a quilt block. (I know, I work at a quilt shop, I should know all of these things...dah!) 
Donna
|
User: heartland
Member since: 05-23-2001 Total posts: 88
|
From: Patty22
Date: 07-23-2007, 08:34 AM (18 of 18)
|
I know, I work at a quilt shop, I should know all of these things...dah! We are bombarded with so many different sources for quilting patterns, tools, nick-nack (patty whacks) ....that it is really hard to know everything even when your life is emersed in quilting. A woman came into the shop and wanted 8 yards of fabric for the back of a twin size quilt. Even after questioning her about the amount, she was going to buy 8 yards hell or high water. Not that I don't try to discourage fabric purchases, but I believe a quilter without regrets about buying too much is a happy quilter. I would rather have quilters love what they are purchasing than to be pressured. When ladies come into the shop and want fabric, but they're not sure about what they are doing and what fabrics to select, I usually just look at the outfit they are wearing and draw colors from their clothes. They are often amazed I would know what they like, but some of them don't realize they are a walking pantone palette with their scarves, earrings, purse and jackets. I only hope I can get some more consistent hours at the shop. It is perfect between my other responsibilities. Patty
|
User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
Visit Sew What’s Up for the latest sewing and quilting tips and discussions.
This page was originally located on Sew What’s New (www.sew-whats-new.com) at http://www.sew-whats-new.com/vb/archive/index.php/t-22822.html
Sew What’s Up is hosted by ZenSoft