Friday, February 28, 2014


    CREATING THE PERFECT ENABLER: LESSON ONE

A must for every quilting addict is a copy of the Quilters’ Travel Companion. Published by Chalet Publishing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, the Quilters Travel Companion is a state by state directory of almost every quilt shop in America.  Information on many of the quilt shops in America can be found in this wonderful book.


 

Before every trip that you take, carefully plot out your route according to where the quilt shops are. In addition to the statewide maps that show which towns have quilt shops, there are often little location maps that show you how to get to the shops once you get into town. Then do a little research on each town.

As you are driving along and nearing one of your quilt shop destinations, suggest to your husband that he may want to pull off at the next exit. As he eyes you suspiciously, just look at him lovingly and say “I saw a sign that says there is a Cabela’s at this exit. I thought you might want to stop and check it out.”  Hang on tight while he races up the exit ramp and breathlessly pulls into the parking lot, and then,  just as he is getting frustrated in not being able to find a parking spot that doesn’t require a taxi to get to the front door, you come up with a great idea. “Dear, I think there is a quilt shop just down the street. Why don’t I drop you off at the door so you can go in and browse at your leisure and in the meantime I will go check out the quilt shop? I will pick you up later. Say in three or four hours?”

And as your husband wanders off to absorb the wonders of Cabela’s, you now have hours of leisure time to explore a new quilt shop. It doesn’t have to be Cabela’s. A Harley Shop, Hooters or Bass Pro Shop work just as well.  Just find a store that he would be interested in. And, in the end, you have just gone up a notch on your way to the top of the pedestal. Your husband has now started down that path of enabler hood!

I have used this technique with so much success that now my wonderful, adorable, handsome husband actually maps out our trips using the Quilters Travel Companion. He even researches the various towns looking for places that will interest him while I spend hours in quilt shops throughout America.

 

We have visited many out of the way places and seen many historic sights, all thanks to this wonderful book. Plus, I have learned a lot about the history of our country, including the stories of lost Indian tribes, famous generals, Buffalo Bill’s lesser known brother Western Art, and much more.

Happy Sewing!

1 comment:

  1. Love the Travel Companion. Never leave home without it!

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