Row, Row, Row

I work part-time in a quilt shop to support my fabric addiction.

And this quilt shop is participating in the Row by Row program this year.  Let me just say up front, it has been a blast.  We've had quilters in from as far away as Washington state, California, and Canada.  Last Saturday we sold out of all the kits we had, and as I am writing this, we have exactly 6 kits left for today.  We've had to order additional fabric for the kits and we're praying it comes in by Monday so we can make more kits.

I've loved meeting quilters from all over the place.  My favorite customers are the non-quilters that come in to purchase the kits for their quilter friends.  You see, you have to physically come into a shop and pick up the pattern (which is free) or the kit (which is not free) or have someone pick it up for you.  After November 1, you can order the kits over the internet or by phone.  My very, very favorite customers are the men who are picking the pattern or the kit up for their wives or mothers.  They tend to listen very intently to the directions, look the kit over, make sure that all the fabric is there, and then wonder out loud about the license tag.  They take notes and then shake their heads as if all this cutting up of perfectly good fabric to make quilts is the oddest thing in the world.

One poor man made the mistake of calling the quilts "blankets" while there was a shop full of female quilters.  I thought they were going to tar and feather him before I could get him checked out.

I've learned a few things about quilters while going through this Row by Row experience.

1.  Money is never really an obstacle if you really want a fabric or kit.  Our kits are about $25.00.  To be fair, all of the fabrics are batiks, and they are a little more expensive than other cottons.  I've yet to have one person (even if they comment on the price), put the kit back in the basket and ask for the pattern only.

2.  The new customers are going to look at your quilt shop in a different way than you do.  Dragonfly Quilt Shop is just about my home away from home.  I'm here at least one day a week.  I've met some of my closest quilting friends here.  However, if you've ever noticed, when one becomes accustomed to one place -- so familiar with it you can literally see it with your eyes closed -- you tend to take for granted what is in it.  New customers look at the same fabric through new eyes and are going to purchase it with new ideas.  And suddenly everything old is truly new again.  You become inspired and the creative juices start to flow.  Then you find yourself hoping that the customer leaves at least one yard of the coral fabric on the bolt for you to buy before you clock out.

3.  Quilters are different from one another...yet so alike in so many ways.  We are suckers for new patterns.  We tend to gravitate towards gadgets -- especially new rulers.  Color waves can make our decision about a pattern turn on a dime.  It seems most of us are like that.  What fascinates me with quilters is color choice.  One quilter can take a color I really don't care for, make a quilt with it, and completely change my mind about that color.  We do tend to knock each other out of our comfort zones.

4.  The fellowship of quilters is warm and wonderful.  I've met so many new quilt friends (both male and female) through this experience.  And while we talk about quilts, I often find that we also share burdens.  A husband's knee replacement.  A wife's sudden death.  A retirement.  A job layoff.  Grandchildren.  Within the circle of quilts, there is also the circle of life.  It's the warmth of quilts that tend to ease the hardships, share the burdens, and offer the fellowship of support through the difficult times and share the joys of the good.

Love and Stitches,

Sherri