Joanne's

So I had a pretty funny experience. This past week I went to buy fabric for the first time in my entire life.

The store is impressive. It's like a crafter's heaven. They had every possible color and type of fabric ever imaginable, which is a problem for me. This is one area where I absolutely fail at being a girl. I don't knit, sew, quilt, paint, or make crafts. The last time I used a sewing machine was in a class in 7th grade, 12 years ago.

Earlier this week I had to Walmart to look for fabric. Wool specifically. I was teaching a lesson on static electricity. Wool works really well. So I walked into Joanne's and start to look around. I see a lot of cotton but no wool. I know what wool is supposed to look like but I am not confident I could pick it out without a label. I am a pretty smart person, and I know a lot about different areas, but not fabrics and not sewing. I quickly decide that best and quickest thing I could do was just to ask somebody to take me to their wool samples and have  the nice ladies there take me to the correct aisle.

I didn't even care what bolt I grabbed or what color I ended up getting. So I go to the cutting counter and grab a number just like an episode of Seinfeld, except I'm not waiting for a bunt cake.

This girl in front of me says hi and asks me what I'm making. It took me off guard but apparently this is a very legitimate questions for a fabric store. I told the truth.

"I'm just getting fabric for a science experiment. I just need some fabric to cut into squares." Than I thought, they don't even have to be squares, they could circles, rectangles, or any other shape for all I care.

This same girl, girl A,  then told me she was at the store with her friend, girl B. Girl B was getting fabric to make mummy Halloween decorations.Very crafty and not anything I would do. My philosophy is that it would be easier to buy decorations than to make one. I am a total snob.

Then there was a lady behind me with her daughter. She had a bolt of red, sparkly fabric. I believe it was tulle. Yes, I looked up the correct spelling of tulle. They were making a Super Girl costume for Halloween and were making the skirt all pretty and fancy.  I then had to explain that I was doing the most unexciting thing and just getting squares of fabric cut for science experiment. Nothing else. Nothing cutesy. 

Then the girl cutting my fabric asked me what I was making. (Apparently this is the most common question in the store.)  I believe this was because I asked her to show me how much a 1/2 yard of fabric and a 1/4 yard of fabric would be. I had no idea how to judge how much fabric I needed. Hopeless I tell you. Anyway, to make a long story short, I think I have found the place where I DO NOT belong. That is at Joanne's buying fabric, or anywhere near a sewing machine.