Originally Posted by Carl

You should experience being a male quilter walking into a store for the first time. Things get very, very quiet while they wait for your to realize that you're in the wrong store or that they don't stock velcro or denim. Why else would a male enter their store? Then one brave soul will offer to help. When you tell them you're just looking for fabrics and ideas, business will slowly resume but in a whispered fashion. One male quilter told a story about an exasperated saleslady who finally blurted out, "Didn't she send a list with you?"

The ladies at my LQS know me and I often run into another guild members. Being a male quilter does have the advantage that clerks are interested in your projects and willing to share any ideas or patiently answer any questions you might have. I don't exactly blend in when taking a class but they've finally relaxed and quit correcting themselves when starting a sentence with something like, "Okay ladies,..."

I sometimes get a humorous reaction when I happen to be leaving the store at the same time a lady is approaching. Naturally, I open the door for her. Often they will back pedal, look at the store windows to verify they're in the right place, then chuckle at themselves and enter.