If you don't pet your fabric, how will it know you love it?
 

I am a petter. I'm not sure if there's a cure for this - in fact, it seems to be getting worse............

I wasn't really aware of this until recently, when I was in my LQS. I thought everyone was like me. Another shopper kept giving me strange looks. At the time, I was blissfully stroking the new stock and running my hand ecstatically through a bundle of FQs. I ran my tongue over my teeth as I've been known to be over-generous with my lipstick (dim morning light, no glasses).

I moved over to another aisle, happily fondling a gorgeous batik and muttering, "Ooh, I love you! You would be perfect for Christmas." It was only when I had told another bolt I was stroking that, "I don't have anything to go with you, but I love you", that I noticed her still looking at me. I immediately looked down at my feet to check my shoes were the same (see above).

Confused, I gave here a wary half-smile and she smiled (well grimaced, if truth be told) and came over. She told me that she had never seen anyone in as much rapture over 'some cloth' as me! On the verge of collapse, I heard her say that it was her first time in a quilt shop - she was looking for a gift for her son's girlfriend who quilted. We exchanged a few pleasantries (it's true what you hear about the British and the weather) and off she went.

I carried on petting and talking until I made my purchases, but it made me think. Are you a petter? Do you fondle? How much do you stroke? Or do you just talk to your fabric?

I am indeed a petter, I love my fabric and am guilty of all counts.

I loved reading your post! I do fondle fabric and comment about it at LQS, but maybe not to that extent lol. I do talk and pet my fabric at home tho. I was straightening my fabric the other day and my Halloween fabric spoke back to me. I heard it say it wanted to be a bow tuck bag...so I listened to it and finished it yesterday . :)

Yes, I am a petter and was raised by a petter- My dear beloved grandmother ( my Nanny). She was a seamstress and when we went to fabric stores she would feel fabric remnants and describe the content, thread weave, weight, etc. "I can see a dress with that piece or a slipcover with that one". Rarely did she use a pattern and she would purchase enough material ( not necessarily off the bolt) but with multiple remnants and make what she intended to make.
Even before I started quilting, I would run my hand over a beautiful piece of fabric and hear my Nanny's voice say "oh, that's beautiful".

Fondling the fabric is a time honored tradition. I had customers who came in just to fondle. Not weird, just fun.

i tend to pet a little. but other than the occasional oooh or ahhh, i don't talk to myself [or the fabric]... at least not out loud LOL

I, too, do this. Guess I'm afraid the men with the little white jackets are hiding behind just around the next roll. Lol

Of course I do! And when I go to the local shops everyone else I see does too. I saw a lady the other week walk down one aisle, didn't really look at the fabric but stopped at one piece and that's when I realized she was visually impaired but asked the design and said it would be good for a certain project. She had a young girl with her describing the pattern and design.

Guilty as charged, LOL Great story thanks, LOL

I am a self professed fabric petter! I ooh & ahh out loud and tell fabrics they are beautiful. Fabric speaks to me. . .it would be rude not to respond!