amandasgramma

My husband has had the same problem in shops. Quite frankly, I'm jealous -- wish MY husband would quilt with me!!!!!! On the other hand, I feel the same way in Home Depot and Lowes --- never mind the small local hardware stores --- and I REFUSE to go in NAPA auto parts any more!!!!

craftyone27

Tough to believe people would be soo small minded - especially in this economy - you would think they would be happy to have the business man or woman!! Imagine a quilt store sending away Ricky Tims or Kaffe Fassett? ROFLMAO!! Silly people!! Seem to be lots of folks from Indiana on this board - hopefully someone close to you will be willing to sit down and help you out!

Born2Sew

Sorry you've been treated that way. Not everyone acts like a jerk. We have some very special folks on this board, I'm sure you'll learn alot here. It's a shame really that people behave the way they sometimes do.

I can relate to your story as I have done plenty of work in the men's world. In fact I worked for a while on a drilling rig as a roughneck. One guy didn't want to work with me and made it plain. So, I just told him to stay out of my way and I would do my job and he could do his. He shut his mouth and didn't say any thing else ugly to me.

Keep on plugging at it and one day you'll be a pro...

Welcome aboard the quilting board!

Mattee

I really feel for you. My husband does a little hand-quilting, and he helps pick out fabric and design my quilts. He spends more money on my hobby than I do. He has often been under-estimated and treated poorly in shops. At one quilt show, the lady selling tickets even directed him to, "the husband's waiting area," and looked offended that we bought him a ticket. But then again, she also expressed her hope that my husband would "allow" me to spend some money, so she offended us both. Keep your chin up, and try to take advantage of learning oppotunities wherever and whenever you can find them.

genghis khan

As a guy who quilts its as simple as this for me, if i cant make nice with people at lqs then its time to mess with them and be done with the situation. lol

Sadiemae

Off the top of my head, I am thinking they were either afraid of you, or just a group of prudes.
The LQs closest to me would be thrilled to have you join the classes. They do special events a couple of times a year and some women drag their husbands. When you go in half of the time the wife will be there and half of the time the husband will be there, and quite often they will both be there. He helps and cuts fabric as much as she does. It is really neat to see, and he is so very friendly. Don't give up searching for help. I think it is wonderful that you are quilting, I have real brothers and step brothers and you won't catch one of them near a sewing machine. My late husband liked to watch, but wouldn't even attempt to do it himself. He was my biggest fan and even though he was color blind to some colors, he had a great sense of color.

Bobbielinks

Chris, I am so sorry you were treated that way. Please don't back down. Sign up for the class you want to take - when you arrive you will find that the other students will enjoy learning right along with you.

I was sitting sewing at a local fabric shop one day a few months ago, when a gentleman came in wanting some quilting stencils. The owner of the shop was there along with another clerk, but they didn't seem interested in helping him. So, leave it to my mouth, I spoke up and told him he might find what he needs at Rob's Rulers and stencils on the internet. He was such a nice gentleman, I hated that the shop treated him as if he was joking with them instead of trying to help him.

pinecone

I'm sorry to hear of your experience. :( Quilting should be fun no matter the quilter's gender. We have a male quilter in our weekly bunch (in NE no less!) and we all trade info, trials and errors. Just ask away here, everyone is friendly and no trveling in the snow. I remember causing a stir in HS when I wanted to take drafting. I was the first female at my alma mater to do so. Gender, shmender...:roll:

piney

QuiltQtrs

# 1: Clerk in store you visited should have been reported
# 2: We are "gender-blind" on this board, it seems, and hope all the
lumber yards, hardware stores, sports equipment places are also.
Some of us excell in carpentry, carving, home repair, etc.

QuilterGary

I found it funny in a way. I love to watch people and their reactions. When I started quilting I would take my wife with me to buy fabric for advice and help. I would ask the sales lady a question and they would answer my wife. I went to buy a new sewing machine and the sales lady kept talking to my wife. I thought about a woman trying to buy a car and the salesmen not helping the woman and falling all over himself to talk to the man. I am lucky my wife is a great help she tells me what to do ALL the time. I have been ask to join a guild and not had any trouble just human nature. It is something you have to get over.