Cranky Fabric Customer

[Kanalah]

So Saturday was National Quilting Day and two of my fav stores were having a sale. Naturally they're packed.

I'm waiting in line with my fabricy goodness and behind me are two older ladies - friends, that are shopping together.

One of them is trying to find that perfect shade of teal and keeps the shop owner's 90 year old mother pulling all the teals out and bringing them to her for her to pick over. Instead of...you know, doing it yourself. I honestly feel embarassed for her, because these are some really nice fabric ladies and I'd never dream of taking advantage.

Her friend is an older lady who seems to have problems controlling the volume of her voice and as I'd later find out - something huge and spiky jammed up her butt. She was complaining loudly that her terrible ex-husband had asked her to make a quilt for him and now she was "forced" to go shopping for fabrics.

It's now my turn to have fabric cut/check out and I have a running joke at this store that I never am commisioned to make a "normal" quilt. I always get huge appliques or sci-fi/ nature stuff. I jokingly help up my 2 photos that I'm matching fabrics to. (A picture of a mother elephant with her calf, and a lion king picture)
And then from behind me there's a screech. It's cranky lady.

CL (cranky lady): You know it's not going to look exactly like the photo!
Me: No it will look like a quilted version of the photo.
CL: I hope you're not freehanding that! It's just too hard!
Me: I freehanded a phoenix out of batiks and it turned out awesome.
CL: Yeah but no one could draw an elephant! It's just too hard!
By this point the whole store is listening in. Her screech was the kind that made your teeth hurt. I had already had a bad day - spent most the morning crying. I took a breath, pulled a pen from my purse, flipped my paper over and drew an elephant.
Me: Ma'am, I've been drawing since I was 3, studying biology since I was 8 and quilting since I was 19. I think I know how to draw an elephant.

As I was walking out of the store with my bag o'awesome fabrics, I heard Crazy lady screech : I wish I could see the quilts when she's finished!

Jeez lady - just because *you* can't do it, doesn't mean *no one* can!

[XCashier]

One of them is trying to find that perfect shade of teal and keeps the shop owner's 90 year old mother pulling all the teals out and bringing them to her for her to pick over. Instead of...you know, doing it yourself.

Selfish, lazy hag! Go over and look at it yourself! Or maybe she's one of those who gets their kicks from bossing people around. In that case, lady, enjoy the seafood special.

Jeez lady - just because *you* can't do it, doesn't mean *no one* can!

Far too many people have that aggrivating mindset.

[dalesys]

...and drew an elephant.

... that looked just like CL ...

[Micer]

... that looked just like CL ...

That or at least have an arrow pointing to the elephant's back-end reading 'You'

[Merriweather]

I think, in your shoes, I'd have drawn the elephant making an obscene gesture to her :-)

[BeeMused]

I think, in your shoes, I'd have drawn the elephant making an obscene gesture to her :-)

You're not the only one... if only I could draw well...
Kanalah your patience was epic!

This is so typical of people: I can't do/understand/whatever it, so no one can.

[Luna Baby]

Does your fabric store have a board to post pics on? If so, you should have told her that you would be glad to provide a picture to the store owner to post once you've completed your masterpiece. That should shut her up real quick.

I might add, quilting facinates me. I know some very basic techniques, but only enough to know what is actually being done, not that I can do it myself. My mother-in-law is a quilter by trade. She has started taking photos (of people) and turning them into a quilt. They are absolutely gorgeous! She has shown/won at the Ky State Fair.

[wagegoth]

As a younger crafter myself I find that a lot of older people seem to think that if we're younger than they are that we couldn't have a hope in hades of know what we're doing. I ran into that a lot when I used to be management in a fabric store because nobody in their mid-20's could know what they were doing with a sewing machine

I first learned to hand sew before I as in Kindergarten, and was using a machine by the time I was 10. I made a lot of my clothes (except for pants, I hate sewing pants), because I'm on the tall side and I could adjust the fit, and it saved a lot of money. This was back before designer labels, when a pair of jeans from the surplus store and a handmade peasant blouse was the height of cool. I miss those days. *sigh*

[Buglady]

I honestly cannot remember learning to sew. I know I was using a miniature hand-crank Singer sewing machine to make doll quilts when I was about six, and my mom has little embroidered felt Christmas tree ornaments I made when I was even younger, but I don't remember *anything* about the process. I've just... always known how to do it (like reading, actually).

So when I tell people I've been sewing for over 30 years they just kind of blink at me - especially because I do not look like most people's ideas of a 38 year old... it's really quite amusing. Fot the really stubborn customers at fabric stores, though, I'd often fall back on "my mother's been a professional dressmaker for 40 years and she taught me everything I know" - that seemed to satisfy the little old ladies.

[XCashier]

I might add, quilting facinates me. I know some very basic techniques, but only enough to know what is actually being done, not that I can do it myself.

Same here, and I'm thinking of making a quilt for myself, a mid-weight quilt for my own bed. I'm not 100% sure of how to do it, though.

[PepperElf]

sewing machines !!!!

that's pretty much me when I try using one. I gave up at a young age and only hand-sew. Haven't been doing it for a while so it's taking some time to get back into it. but i can at least sew a patch on a uniform without the stitches showing.

but when it comes to quilts. meh. i can embroider one but i don't have the patience for actually putting them together.

hmm... pix of impromptu elephant? and of finished elephant quilt?
am thinking it'll look awesome

[Kanalah]

yeah I can post pics if people want.

It's a new baby gift for one of hub's co-workers, and the nursery theme is elephants.

[Luna Baby]

sewing machines !!!!

that's pretty much me when I try using one. I gave up at a young age and only hand-sew.

I learned to sew on an old "treddle" machine. My grandmother still to this day uses that same machine to piece together quilt tops. I have my own machine that I bought when I was panicking for a dress so that I could be the matron of honor for my college roommate. It gets quite a bit of use, but there's nothing like using a treddle machine. Ahhhhh, takes me back, way back.....

[fireheart]

sewing machines !!!!

that's pretty much me when I try using one. I gave up at a young age and only hand-sew. Haven't been doing it for a while so it's taking some time to get back into it. but i can at least sew a patch on a uniform without the stitches showing.

I am pretty much the same. I can hand-sew a patch if I need to, and I was able to hem my kit together (because the sleeves were EXTREMELY tight) but the rest...AGH!

[Kanalah]

Update!

Cause I still don't know how to get photos to work here.

http://quiltingmoonkin.blogspot.com/...-elephant.html

Drawings of the elephant appliques. I still need to work on making mom look perfect, but I think the baby turned out awesome.