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!

I am a petter/toucher too==already passed this trait on to 18 month old GD--she loves her fabric scraps and will play with them for hours. I try to freshen her stash occasionally--ha !

I am shocked that this topic was moved from Main to GCC. How could this topic be considered non-quilting talk? Aren't the moderators quilters too? Don't they also pet their fabric and talk to it?

I love they way you described your experience! :D

Yes, I pet and stroke the fabrics . . . and have been known to ask other customers, to do the same. "You've GOT to feel this fabric!" I walk to the check-out, stroking my newly acquired fabric, with a big smile on my face. Never thought how it might appear to others . . . until now. Oh, well! Other quilters understand! :p

I admit I am a fabric fondler.

Yes guilty as charged. I try to keep it at a level where people don't start edging away from me but if their quilters they understand.

I am also surprised that this topic was moved, but at least it is easy to find... Of course I pet my fabric. How else would I know how it feels. :) Touching the fabric is the first thing I do when I see something I like.

Dina

I am a fabric petter, too! I love the feel of fabric and I have to touch it. I have a hard time ordering fabric on line because I can only look at it and not touch it. Guilty as charged!

I am an oooher and aaaher and petter. I frequently end up in conversations with other shoppers b/s I was talking to the fabric and they felt it was directed at them. But, I love this interaction as well.

Me, too! And I bet you anything there are a lot of fabric petters in clothing stores, but their experience is nowhere as deep. They pet the fabric, take the piece home, where it -- blah! They do not have the pleasure of using it to create something beautiful and utile for years of lasting pleasure.

I love to pet my fabric but I got into trouble for not following my own advice. This week I went on a fabric shopping spree and when I got home I started petting all my beautiful fabric before I washed It. I don't know which one got me but my palms turned red and started stinging so bad. After about a day and a half it started going away after all my hand washing and and itch cream. So from now on I wash before I pet.

I get pretty touchy-feely with fabrics on first meeting. I engage them verbally (usually whispering sweet nothings) or they may initiate conversation, in which case I always respond. If I sense that their life or mine would be enhanced by living in my home instead of in the institution (despite excellent care in said institution), I adopt them and tell them how happy they make me.

This is why my 11-year old screeches like a rabid hyena every time he's with me and I tell I just want to "run in" to the LQS .

Pet? I fondle fabric. I walk through the store with my eyes closed, just to "see" the feel of the fabrics. I have actually purchased fabric with my eyes closed. Well, I "saw" how it felt and loved it, when I opened my eyes, the fabric was gorgeous! The owner of the LQS wanted to know if this is something I do regularly, since she does the same thing when new fabric arrives at her shop.

ZoZee: I thought I was the only one who had kids that started crying as we walked into a fabric store. It didn't take me long to learn that everyone would have a better time if they just stayed home with their Dad. Hmmm....wonder if thats why I can't get any of my grown kids interested in quilting.

Of course I pet the fabric - I just don't expect it to purr when I do!

As my grandmother taught my mother, my mother taught me -- the feel of the fabric. She loved going to Failingers and Wendt's in Waterloo, Wisconsin when Grandma went to buy fabric for dresses and shirts and stuff. She taught Mom how to know the feel for a good piece of fabric. We, my sisters and I, always were taught that the feel of the fabric is how you determined whether to buy it for this or not buy it for that! And so Grandma has gone, Mom is gone (last month) and my sisters and I have learned well from both of them. The feel between the thumb and the index and middle finger. Sheer heaven. Edie

I'm with you!!! When I'm in a funky mood I go to the LQS and "pet" the fabric. When I leave I'm in a MUCH better mood LOL

So that's what I am. A fabric petter. I allways just thought it was part of being a quilter, glad to know I'm OK.:D

Love, love, love fabric! Love to smell, touch, fondle, imagine it in a project, and buy it! I am a fabricholic and I don't want any help!

Not only do I do all of the above, but I squeeze too. Gotta check out that "fabric recovery."

P

Its funny you should write about this! Two weeks ago I went to Shipshewana with two quilting friends. I had never been to Lolly's before, and spent my time just raising my arms three shelves up and running my hands back and forth across all the bolts. Then I d go down to the next shelve and do the same thing. I was in fabric heaven and wanted to get the full effect!

Fabric fondler and petter here!! If the LQS is closed and I need to fondle new fabric, I go to the local store that sells Vera Bradley purses and pet/fondle them. One of my DDs is okay with this behavior but not the other DD. The first one is also a sewer and I hope to instill a love of quilting in her. The ladies at the nonLQS store know that I occasionally come in to pet the purse fabric and are mostly okay with it ~ I suspect I am not the only one in town who does that.

I am a petter-when I lived overseas-China-I had to have clothes made for me-I made choices by petting the fabric and letting it tell what it wanted to be. I just gave away the suits and dresses-it was like giving away a cherished child. I was petting it as they took the items out the door. But like my husband said-someone can use the suits and dresses-I live in sweats and sweaters during the winter and loose cotton pants and tops during the summer-I retired 14 years ago and they were just taking up closet space.
The only good part is now I have closet space for all my fabric!!!

Yes, I am a fabric petter also. But then I talk to the baby lizards in my flower beds too. Remember when you get old enough others just really don't pay much attention.

I am with you. I have to feel every fabric and know how it will snuggle up under my chin, and all fabrics are my children so I must talk to them in a loving voice so they know how special they really are

DallasStar: Isn't it great that as you get older you become semi-invisable, no one ever notices what you are doing?
My front room is a mess because a week ago I received an order of 25 yards, which I just can't tuck away in a closet. It's out on tables and sofas and as I go by I touch it, shift the pile, look for matches; well you get the idea. I call catalogues from fabric stores or sales ads quilters porn.

LOL ..when I go into a fabric store-Eyes first look around to see what is pretty, cute or will do .. then Eyes tell the brain to tell the fingers to run the fingers over the material to check it out. LOL Then I mutter to myself to see what pattern I think would look best.. Silly I know .. but hey its what catches my eyes that is first .. LOL

thank you everyone. Now I do not feel quite so loony when I feel the fabric.

I too ask others to feel fabric in the stores --it's a quilty pleasure. Do you suppose we're cheating on our stash if we are caressing other fabric in public? A friend told me I should only stroke fabric I've purchased.:p