Along the Way

[hollyc]

Live in MN, had a wedding in ND 2 weeks ago and a wedding in WI last weekend. No quilt shops as we passed through rural ND to the geographical center of North America.

I hunted up all the quilt shops between MPLS and Darlington Wisconsin...quite a number. I got the hubby to stop at 4. We left 5 hours early so we could dawdle our way through the countryside. He thought it would be fine to hit the shops at the start of the trip and his tolerance gradually declined as the day went on. It was really fun. I found out that I need to keep his stomach full and I get much less grumbling.

What do you have to do to get your husband to stop at quilt shops along the way to your destination?

[JustSewSimple]

Hubby is really nice about it. Walked all day in Oahu to find the Fabic Mart. He is really good about it cause he knows I love it.

[Suzie W.]

I have to giggle at that one!!! First, I have to be VERY DIRECT about it if I want to stop at a quilt shop. 2nd. If our daughters are with us--they and him distract each other with their grumbling while I have fun on the other end of the store.

Without daughters, food and a promise of some fun later works!

[Neher-in-law5]

Sorry Ladies, I got the best in this case. We have gone tripping to see waterfalls and more than once, while I am sleeping or reading my hubby turns off the road or around for a U turn just to take me to a shop he saw the sign for. Gotta love a man like that. Then he will even come in with me and watch me check it all out or notice some other fun stuff there too.

[quiltmonkey]

My husband has never been in a quilt shop. He hasn't even stepped foot in our local quilt shops. He is afraid...very afraid! In fact a couple of years ago he asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said "Anything from the quilt shop will make me happy." He never went in there.

Here's a true story

My DH told me a while back... he and his coworker were driving through town and the guy sees this sign "The Calico Cow" on the side of a building and says "What the Hell is a Calico Cow?" and my DH says "It's a very expensive store and you don't want to go in there."

But joking aside, he is very supportive of my hobby, business, and understands why I support my local shops. He would probably go in one if we were traveling (if I begged and smiled and winked) he'd cave...

[bobbi]

My sister has this all worked out... Both she and her husband like antique/vintage cars as well as NASCAR racing... they look up those kinds of stores before they start out... She has the national quilt shop guide... They make sure each has ample time to peruse their interests so harmony abides!

As for me, I don't have that problem... I also don't have to hide packages when I come home or worry about leaving receipts around! I do have to watch my budget, but I have no "shopping guilt"!

Happy traveling and shopping!

[Carreen]

I leave him at home! It really works the best.

Carreen

[ffq-lar]

Him--used books, history museums, and anything related to airplanes or vintage cars.

Me--fabric of course, antiques, Victorian architecture, gardens.

We don't mind splitting up to visit a favorite spot--that's what cell phones are for!

I don't remember Den ever entering a fabric store. That may be a good thing!

[Quilting Heidi]

Hubby will go with me and is pretty patient. Not so patient if we are traveling and traffic is bad. I normally leave him home for any big trips. At least lately I have. I go with friends that like to wander in the shop too then I don't have to worry about rushing.

[GrandmaLKB]

I don't invite my DH along unless I have to. I stay away from his gun shows and he stays away from my quilt shops. haha Sometimes it works out that I can drop him off at a gun show and I can go to the quilt shops for a while - pick him up at a designated time..........As you say...........that's what cell phones are for !

[meg]

i dont know what i would have to do and i'm afraid to ask!

he came with me once, and there was a strange lady in the shop who kept following us around & talking to herself. now he is a bit leery of quilters who he doesnt know. at least, thats his story and he's sticking to it. he is more than happy to stay home while i shop. or i go while he is at work. or when we are traveling, he finds a bestbuy and wanders or a restaurant and has a drink & watches a game. he has even waited for me in the parking lot once or twice.

he never complains about me going, but he never joins me either! which is probably just as well. :P:D:P

[Sheri Butler]

I'm pretty lucky when it comes to traveling with Jason. It's usually HE who asks...or says...hey, there's a sign that says there's a quilt shop in the next town...wanna stop?

He is so supportive of my addiction.

[quiltlover03]

My hubby is the best! When we were trucking through your country, he would do his utmost to find a place to stop the 18wheeler so I could fabric shop. There was hardly a trip I didn't bring huddles of fabric across the border. Sometimes he would go inside with me and almost always see something he thought I should have. He is also the biggest supporter of my business, now if I could just get him to operate the longarm so I can make Quilts! Now, when we go shopping, he sits in the pick up with the dogs, has a snooze, or watches the world go by. i never have to rush.

[newellyn]

My DH is a saint when it comes to visiting quilt shops in our travels. (not a saint in a lot of other areas though)

We always have my Quilter's Companion with us and he often spots shops before I do. Plus we have many favorite stories from looking for quilt shops in small towns and out of the way places we probably wouldn't have gone into otherwise.

Of course he is an old Corvette and other old cars guy so I have looked at my share of rusty car parts in 45 years too.

Fortunately he likes to roam around and look things over while I am shopping. When I come out with a small (very expensive) bag of goodies he asks why I didn't find much I couldn't live without. Gotta love him!!!

[PattyJo]

My DH was so supportive of my quilting passion. I can share one story that always brings a smile to my face. We were on vacation in Kauai and went to the Kappa quilt shop (I can't remember the name - but between Kappa and Lihue ) and he was walking with me around the store making suggestions on different batik fabrics that I should buy and the owner (who has since passed away) stopped him and asked to take his picture for a "Honored Husband" wall that she was going to start. I don't know if she was ever able to complete that idea, but he told everyone about getting his picture taken at the quilt shop. I'm sure there will be quilt stores in heaven and he will be able to help me again one day.

[Calicoquilter]

I have to laugh. When I bought one of my "somewhat expensive" home sewing machines, my husband apparently told one of his co-workers what it cost. The co-worker said "Holy cow, did you tell your wife how many dresses she was going to have to sew to pay for that machine?", my husband replied, "No, because then she would tell me how many fish I would have to catch to pay for my boat".

Getting him to stop at quilt shops is another matter altogether. Sometimes he will, sometimes not. Once when we were driving through northern Wisconsin I mentioned that we were nearing a quilt shop. As we passed the store, I said "There it is!" About a mile down the road he said "Oh, did you want to stop?"

[Busy Quilting]

I make sure I know where the nearest Winery is so we can visit it after the quilt shop. If it is a Gold Star one all the better.

Lyn

[ckeindl]

Yeah - leaving him at home is a good idea. If I ask nice, he will tolerate a couple of shops (sleeps in the car?!)

But . . .last Christmas he went to a shop by his office to get me some gifts!!! Needless to say the ladies there were more than happy to help him pick some stuff out!

[rlhdesigns]

My DH is a sweet heart, he will map out all the quilt shops on the computer before we leave for our trips...he will either go in with me or sleep in the car....he never complains....I never say anything about his golf clubs.

[quiltmonkey]

Originally posted by Busy Quilting

I make sure I know where the nearest Winery is so we can visit it after the quilt shop. If it is a Gold Star one all the better.

Lyn

Hey...better yet,,, Maybe visiting the winery first, then going to the quilt shop would be an entirely more fun (interesting) shopping experience! :cool:

[JollyJane]

Originally posted by Calicoquilter

Getting him to stop at quilt shops is another matter altogether. Sometimes he will, sometimes not. Once when we were driving through northern Wisconsin I mentioned that we were nearing a quilt shop. As we passed the store, I said "There it is!" About a mile down the road he said "Oh, did you want to stop?"

Wow - my husband does that when I want a "comfort stop" - and I haven't yet found a way to solve the problem!!!!

[sammi357]

we had a 'little discussion' about his behavior when I'm in a fabric store.

I had gone to a JoAnn fabrics and usually send him to the sporting goods store for a while. I wasn't quite done when he came back, so he had to wait a bit. He was huffing and fussing and generally being a pita, so I put the stuff back that I was going to purchase, walked out of the store, drove home ~all the way across town~ without a word. He followed me to the car, of course, and kept looking over at me all the way home. Finally, at home he asked, "Are you mad?" I said, "What do you think?" he said, "Yeah, you're mad. So, why are you mad?"

I asked him, "HOW many times have I waited at the gun counter at the LGS? or at a gun show while he chatted up all things guns? What did I do? either wait patiently, or go find something interesting to do. What I do NOT do is act like a twelve year old, huffing and fussing and generally being a royal pain in the bum while he was trying to shop." I finished with something along the lines of, "what are you, ten?"

He was quite chagrined for a time, but then came back and apologized for his behavior, and has not done it since.

Of course, last week I spent TWO hours at the LGS again....

He also does better if I keep him well fed, and give him something to drink. He does not do well when dehydrated. (We don't have soda at home, so I can bribe him when we're out! lol!) I also learned to carry a small bottle of water in my tote.

[Guest LA]

Originally posted by PattyJo

My DH was so supportive of my quilting passion. I can share one story that always brings a smile to my face. We were on vacation in Kauai and went to the Kappa quilt shop (I can't remember the name - but between Kappa and Lihue ) and he was walking with me around the store making suggestions on different batik fabrics that I should buy and the owner (who has since passed away) stopped him and asked to take his picture for a "Honored Husband" wall that she was going to start. I don't know if she was ever able to complete that idea, but he told everyone about getting his picture taken at the quilt shop. I'm sure there will be quilt stores in heaven and he will be able to help me again one day.

Oh Pat, that is a great memory, your Bill was a sweetie pie!

[ranunculas]

My Hubby worries if I haven't found a shop to stop out while we are on road trips. If he sees a sign for one, he is the first to suggest a little detour so I can stop in. In fact, he makes sure we build in a day into our travel plans to do so. One time in Nova Scotia, the closest shop was 90 minutes away and he said, NO Problem... so away we went. The next time in So Carolina, he made sure that not only did we go to the one in Old Town Charlston, but he loved the owner so much we drove an hour away to her other shop. The ladies who worked there was surprised he could even name some of the blocks in sample quilts!

Whats my secret? I make sure he gets a day to fish. Sometimes I go with him, and sometimes I spend another day shop hopping. This way we both come home smiling

[alnaquilts]

We kind of have an understanding; I get to stop at quilt shops and he gets to stop and browse at every farm implement dealer we drive by. I think he gets the best end of the deal since you can browse at implements at any hour, but quilt shops are only open certain times.