Humiliation at Jo-Anne Fabrics

I'm on a hunt for blue fabric and went to Jo-Anne's to see if they had any...with the girls. Blue fabrics are very tricky and it took me a while and the girls (I have to give some credit to them) had been patient but lost it when I was at the cutting table. I was trying to figure out exactly how much I needed (I will post this awesome quilt when I get started on it) and then it started.

They started grabbing at things on the counter, M was unrolling the fabric bolt on the table and throwing the batting out of the cart. A was giggling about it and standing up in the cart and not listening to my demand for her to sit down. They were both standing up. I thought, if I can just get a focused minute or two, we will be out of here.

I pushed the cart into the middle of the room, where they could touch nothing, and disturb no one. They started rocking in it, figuring out how to move the cart. I brought it towards myself. Flushed face, sweaty, thinking of the chances of my being called by CPS from the actions I wanted to take (kidding...)

I let them out of the cart, thinking they would do well to look and feel the fleece bolts right behind us. Big mistake!! At first they were looking, then it turned to bringing me bolts. I told them to put them back. They started a chasing game, and pulling bolts out of the stands while they were at it.

I finally got them back into the cart, the nice lady (who wanted me out of the store I can only assume!) told me to figure out the measurements while she put the bolts back. We cut fabric, bought it, and we were out of there.

I couldn't talk to the girls for a few minutes in the car. They are only three and five. It was my fault that they were behaving like that and all of the ladies at the fabric store saw it. Was I more upset for my daughters' behavior, or my parenting be questioned, judged and eyed at in public? The latter, really. But still, I yelled at my girls in the car. ...More bad parenting, I know.

The next day, I went to Pacific Fabrics, my new Mecca. Wonderful fabric, the quality and the print and fabric weave...heavenly. What my mom would call, "pure sex!" Perhaps this is why my sister and I are fabricophiles. The best part is that I left my girls at home with my husband.

The worst part? I still couldn't find enough blue fabric.

But I did pick up some beautiful coral pink fabric that I fell in love with, which is a little strange of a color for me to purchase. Coral and pink don't fall into line with my usual blues and greens. I still don't know what I'm going to do for this new quilt--but I'm so excited to start it. It is what I call a "No-Quilt Quilt"--you make the front and back at the same time. Details to follow when I finally get enough fabric to make it!