My husband is very understanding of my obsession, because he has three! Golf, watercolor painting and his Macintosh!! He spends plenty of time and $$$$ on all three, but is totally supportive of my habit. In fact, he built me my huge cutting table on wheels, which folds down to just 20" x 44" and HIGH because I am tall! Also, built me a wonderful light box; designed and built all the racks for my guild's quilt show last year (with one other man helping out) and THEN... made a DVD of all the quilts in the show - #102 to music!! So I can't complain, but he still can't find the hamper or the dishwasher!!! And unless it can be cooked in the microwave, no luck there! ;>) ;>)

Oh Pat is such an enabler. When my Keepsake Quilting catalog comes in he hides it behind his back and plays "pick the hand" like a little boy. Too funny.

You know, just after I posted DH mentioned he had almost tripped on the mess in the living room. I assured him as soon as I got the comic book boards, it would help and that satisfied him. Gotta love that man :wink:

I recently made three quilts for three little girls and my husband had difficulty with it in the time spent working on the quilts rather than satisfying my customer's (in my quilting finishing business) needs.

Since I've retired, he is sometime jealous of time NOT spent with him.

My husband is very supportive and even suggests maybe I can show him how to do a few things. However, he did say he didn't want me to just sit and sew in my free time, but to also get out there and do some exercise. I think he's hinting.....haha

My husband doesn't mind me sitting and sewing but he always says that I need to get out of the house. If I leave, my car always heads towards a fabric store. I have enough fabric to last a couple of life times.

My husband is great about it. He never complains about the time I spend, or the money. He doesn't mind attending a quilting show with me, or waiting in the car when I run into the local fabric store "just for a look!"
He even bought me an Oliso pro iron for Christmas, and get a real kick out of watching it in action!
I couldn't ask for a better hubby! Fortunately, he also has a hobby he loves....fishing! We always have a fishing vacation each year, so it's a fair deal!
Quilting magazines on my nightstand.....fishing on his!
Great arrangement!

DH may shake his head or roll his eye at my quilting, being amused by it all, and then go on about his business. (all DHs should have business to be going about and leave us to our knitting)

If it isn't for immediate family, I won't give it away unless it is a gift. Everyone I knows asks what they can give for doing a certain something, and I don't hesitate to ask that they pay for the materials (but I wont take anything from my kids and their spouses and does not include all the charity donations.). I don't make a profit off anything I make. Don't know if I will ever go that route.

My DH is great about everything. He bought me my first expensive machine back in 1986, (a Pfaff I still use and love), will fix anything I need for my sewing room, works on my machines, does not care what I spend on fabric and such, insisted I buy a used Brother embrodiery machine I really didn't want to, and we just bought a used Voyager 17 longarm with frame. He is interested in it and how it works. I just left him alone and he set it up and got it to working. He seems to like my projects also. I think I'll keep him.

He will soon learn...as they all do...we just can't help ourselves :thumbup:

DH is enabler also..LOL. He is taking me to Lancaster on Wednesday. Look out Zooks and Martins..here I come.

My husband does not understand my affliction/addiction of crafting/sewing/quilting just to give it away. Like you, I get so much pleasure from the reactions of the recipient when they receive an unexpected gift that was handmade for them.

My DH understands, he likes going to the countyand state fair to see the quilts. He goes with me sometimes to the fabric store. And this last quilt was giving me such fits, he spent time with me moving the blocks around to make the pattern work only to find out the diagram in the book was wrong! He figured it out for me. What a gem.

Mine understands, however he keeps saying he wants this one or that one than wants to give them to his friends & have me make him another one. That's great but their are some that I would like to do besides hunting, fishing, dogs, etc.

Unfortunately, I've got one of the ones who is neither supportive nor appreciative. The only comments I've ever gotten were,"That's a lot of sewing," (when I finished Carolina Christmas) and, "How much did that cost," (when one came back from being quilted. Mind you, our money is separate (that should tell you a lot), but he still wanted to know.

I started quilting after giving up on spending evenings with him. He watches a lot of sports, sci-fi and "blood and guts" movies/shows on TV, which is his addiction, and I do not enjoy any of those. After a couple of decades, I found other things to do in the evening.

When asked what I want for gifts (birthday, Christmas), I'll often say a gift certificate for LQS or Joanns. While DD did give me one, DH doesn't do that. Almost as if he won't support my hobby. Oh well, I still enjoy it.
It's wonderful that so many spouses do support each other - and that you recognize it!

Some men don't seem to understand and maybe the ladies can be this way too but I learned along time ago let your wife do as she wishes and everyone will be happier.

Blessings,

Rick

My DH fully supports my quilting habit. I give all of my quilts away, to friends and to charity, and he loves seeing what I make before it leaves. He is better at color combinations than I am, so often he helps me pick out the fabric as long as I don't spend TOO long in the LQS!

To balance that, he ties fishing flies and donates them and a lot of time to his local fishing group. And I never complain when he wants to go fishing instead of doing his chores around the house. I guess he and I are both lucky to support each other's habits!

The rule of our house is "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

My DH doesn't say anything, but I know I spend too much money on the hobby. He has yet to complain.

My DH has supported me in all the crafts I have done over the years. Bead weaving was rough for him to understand because the beads are so expensive, but he brings out the items I have made to show folks and always tells me to be sure and put my name on the items. He doesn't understand "stash." He likes that I make things for family members and when I mention that his sister would like an item he adds that so would SILs, nieces, etc. He has been very patient while I have been building my stash. He still rolls his eyes when I bring more fabric home, but all in all he understands how happy quilting makes me and that in turn seems to make him happy.

I started to quilt out of a therapeutic need for peace and to grieve. DH couldn't understand the pain I was in, but he knew I needed something to cope. He didn't understand anything about quilting at first but now he's starting to pick up the lingo and even help pick out fabrics.

Happy wife, happy life!

i am very lucky to have a very understanding hubby...he loves that i have started quilting, and supports my efforts...i made him a great quilt, and need to get that finished, but he even understands that other projects are taking priority...he really is a good guy.......gina

Exactly!

I've only been quilting about 2 years myself. My husband has been very understanding. He helps with the building, moving and shifting. He supports everything I need to buy. He did not, however get the giving. He thought it was crazy that I wanted to give my first quilt to our daughter. She picked out the fabric and colors for the quilt she wanted. OUR DAUGHTER??!!! He just didn't understand the giving away, until I told him that I love that my daughter wanted something that I had made myself, start to finish. And, it was my first, sight unseen, not knowing how it would turn out. For me there is no better compliment from my children, wanting something I made. I am now working on a quilt for my son and my next will be for my other daughter and each and everyone asked that I make them a quilt. I feel very blessed!

I have to say my hubby didn't get it one lick before I joined QB, but since i have read many threads to him, especially the jokes and things, he has a new found respect for it all.
I wouldn't have bet money on that happening. Sometimes you can teach and old husband something new, lol! :lol:

Wow, all you fortunate women! My late husband sure didn't get it...when he was in the house, anything I liked had to be hidden away (books, magazines, sewing, crocheting, etc.) and I needed to be on my feet working--when he came in the door, the daughters disappeared into their rooms. Thankfully, he was away a lot, with both his work and his hobbies-hunting-- expensive guns (28); fishing-boats (3) and tackle; golfing-custom made clubs and membership fees. But I was raised that a wife should always do everything she could to make her man happy...didn't really understand until many, many years of marriage that I was being mentally and verbally (but not physically) abused. So if any of you have spares around, send them my way!! LOL

I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but NOT having a husband means I can do what I like with my $$. I decide what & when I want and how much time I want/need to do so! I don't advocate the single life, but it hurts to hear my married women friends talk about how they have to lie, hide, deceive or deny buying/doing things for themselves because their husband doesn't/wouldn't approve.

I'm glad I don't have to get permission. That's what parents are for - not spouses. My ex nearly caused a financial crisis with his (secretive) purchases and yet I had to ask for what I wanted. Nope. Never again. I know what my quilting and craft allowance is thank you very much and I manage my spending. I would hate having to ask for permission. It would be nice though to have someone to share my passion and ooh/aah as each project is completed. Cats don't care or give a hoot about anything I do (except when their food dishes are empty). :)

Same here :)

Yes and No he loves that i can turn a piece of fabric into something that will provide someone warmth and love but no that i dont get his quilt done. Today I showed him his first block for his KING sized crazy quilt and his face lite up and I thoguht to myself OK I best really get working on this pronto!

My husband understands. I may add that he is very creative (more so than me) but his creativity is in another area. He is also a very generous soul who loves when I give quilts away but he likes some for us too :D:D

My husband came from a family where women don't know that a needle is a tool to sew,So. it was a big shock to him to see me making clothes and knitted clothes for the family, When I started quilting , he could not understand cutting fabric and sewing it back together. When I discovered the Vermont Quilt Show, he drove me and every spring, he would ask when we were going to Vermont.Then offered me an electronic sewing machine. What I miss the most, was his way to tell me I love you .....because.....you old-fashioned!

My hubby is pretty good about my addiction. I think it's because he has his own hobbies and spends plenty of time and money on them as well. I always say that's what keeps us happy...our own interests and groups of friends! Now if I could only convince him that wallhangings are art quilts!!!

I hear that.

I am fortunate that DH supports my various hobbies. Several years ago when I was looking to buy a new machine he told me to buy a Bernina after testing driving one at a quilt show. He goes to quilt shows as well as accepts (and helps me find them!) that we will be stopping at a quilt shop whenever we travel. In return I support his deer hunting and horse back riding.

My hubby understands that if I'm happy I'm a lot easier to live with, and also my keeping busy means he never has to hear a whine about "golf widow". I'm one of the lucky ones.

Suzi, your baby is beautiful. Is it a poodle? So sweet.
Robin in TX

[craftymatt2]Mine is very understanding, I could have worse vices

That's what I keep telling my husband.

Yes my DH understands; he pokes his head in every now and then and checks in on me. He actually did the research and went "shopping" for my LA for Christmas. What a sweetie he is.