>>>>

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Tools of the Trade for the Serial Quilter!

A very funny thing happened on the way to ---

Doesn’t that line just draw you in? Stories like this have to be good if they start with “A funny thing happened!…” In this case, it deals with the cruise, 52 quilters, and a bunch of luggage being held in security because there was

((Insert that gavel sound from Law & Order here!))

SCISSORS.

In the LUGGAGE!! ****GASP!!****

Security on ships is not as tough as going through the security check in at the airport – but it is still pretty tight. And even through the ship KNEW there was a huge group of quilters on board, some people’s luggage got held in security because there were sharp objects in them. OF COURSE THERE ARE SHARP OBJECTS! WE are QUILTERS!!

So, some had to go back down to security and collect their luggage, and SOME even had to have their scissors checked in and out of the front desk ---- and sign for them! And check them back in when they were done for the day.

SERIAL QUILTERS! I tell ya!

Eventually we convinced them that the sewing room was ALWAYS monitored when we were in there, that the Quilters would not be left alone without supervision ((HA!!)) and that WE would lock all sharp objects up in the room at the end of each session.

They agreed.

Wonder of wonders, they never questioned the ROTARY CUTTERS, just the scissors.

And it wasn’t universal because I know of at least ONE lady that had maybe..ummm..8 pairs of scissors of varying size in HER luggage and her bag was not detained at all! It sure made for some hilarious laughter and much shaking of heads amongst us. She pulled out each pair one at a time and laid them out on the table, it was like the contents of a doctor's bag ---

At one time, a security guard IN UNIFORM came by to check on us…..as we were sewing…..making sure that all the scissors were being used in the manner that they should be.

Scissor Police. Are you laughing now?? It was bizarre! But you gotta laugh, and it just really made some great memories for us!

So to honor this memory……I’m presenting you some NEW tools of the trade for the Serial Quilters amongst us -----

Don’t you just LOVE gadgets? I do!

If there are Quilters on your holiday shopping list, these just might come in handy --- if you are on your OWN list, these might be great for you too! :cD

Nov2011_Cruise 309_thumb[1]

Have you seen these? One of our cruisers had this on our cruise earlier this month, and I Have to say THIS THING puts that clover medallion thingy to shame! It’s called a Sharkstooth, and is GREAT for whacking apart chain piecing. This way you don’t run the risk of impaling yourself on that upright seam ripper gadget thingy, or for those who like to cut with an OPEN ROTARY BLADE??!? OY! Just thought that it might make a good stocking stuffer for someone. Find out more info HERE.

Do you ever have trouble even FINDING your scissors in amidst al the fabric stuff? Here’s another goodie!

Maine_Oct2011 097_thumb[1]

I took this picture at the retreat in Maine! One of the quilters said her hubby found these for her on the Snap-On tool truck! Very cool! You wouldn’t have to go digging, because hopefully those handles are going to be higher than the pile of stuff burying everything..LOL!

And this pair was SO pretty….I just had to take a picture:

NewMexico_Oct2011 145

One of my Quilters in New Mexico had these --- aren’t they LOVELY!? And don’t they look LETHAL!?? I thought she said these were an AQS item, and I’d be totally happy if they showed up under MY tree or in MY stocking Christmas morning!

What -----did they really think we’d go chasing each other around the ship with the theme song to “Psycho” playing in the background?!

:c)

23 comments:

  1. Did they make sure that no one was running with their scissors? Good scissor police would do that, you know.

    ReplyDelete
  2. that was a nice post...thatnk you so much for sharing those pictures..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my goodness, that's soooo funny. I took a quilting cruise 3 years ago and had no problems at all regarding scissors. Maybe they've tightened up since then. But to not have a problem with the rotary cutters it a hoot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is so much these days that doesn't make sense. Yesterday I bought some Robitussin cough medicine at Target. I was asked for my ID. For the record, i am 60 with the accompanying silver (not just gray!) and lines to go along with it. Get real!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for all the tips - that Ez-Trimmer is going on my list - now off to find the scissors. Would love to have been a fly on the wall on the ship - wonder where those security guys came from? there is a lot to be said for common sense. Judy C

    ReplyDelete
  6. SIlly thought: since these quilt cruises represent a chunk 'o change to both the cruise lines and the organizers, and have been going on for years, wouldn't you think this would have been ironed out (no pun intended) ahead of time? The very last thing people need or want when they've paid for a trip like this is to have it start off with consternation. Sheesh. Take those security peeps and sew their zippers shut!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:09 AM EST

    Making sure the scissors were used correctly....LOL!! Glad no one was caught in a sword (scissor) fight.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Funny how some got through and some didn't must have to do with which staff member was checking each suitcase?? some being more strict and some being more lenient.

    ReplyDelete
  9. LOL,I just had a visual of you all running around, scissors held high, chasing your fellow quilters all over the ship! And the Psycho theme in the background sets the scene perfectly!
    I think I'll stick with my dental floss cutter when I travel. Or buy cheap scissors. I wouldn't want to take a chance on losing my good scissors.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the stand up scissors...putting it on my list right now. I'm forever losing my scissors...that's probably why the lady had 8 pair!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think the rotary cutters could do far more damage that any pair of scissors! Have you ever cut yourself with one? I have and nearly bled to death, lol! Okay, not quite but it caused quite an injury in just a quick stroke. Thanks for the laughs. I love the title of the post!
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  12. my kids always say that I could "do damage" with my seam ripper..

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the morning chuckle, Bonnie.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh that is too funny! Especially since they didn't care about the rotary cutters!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Isn't the security checkpoint on cruises just a beast? I had my husband's rocker knife in my carry-on and they were going to confiscate it and give it back at the end. (A rocker knife is a table knife with a curved blade for one-handed people.) I pitched a fit and was allowed to keep it with the warning not to "go brandishing it around". Please.

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOL! This is too funny. I had to email it to all my quilting friends who do not dally in blog land. I am also putting a link on my blog back to yours.
    I have never had an issue with scissors in my suitcase, and often wear my clover cutter around my neck when I travel, or have it in my hand carry.
    I can just see them lining up to sign out their scissors for the day. As a retired teacher I can remember reiterating the rules about scissors, and how to carry them properly.
    Serial quilters....I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bonnie,

    Thank you for the kind words about our EZ-Trimmer. It's a great tool for quilters...and if your significant other is an angler, it's great for them, too! In fact, it was invented for fishing, but works great when quilting, too!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Maybe they didn't know how deadly the rotary cutters can be? (I promise not to tell them, so long as you promise to use them properly!) I love the scissors with feet - showed them to my hubby and he said they have them at work! Then I kept reading and realized why...Snap On! (He now knows I want a pair...)

    ReplyDelete
  19. With the hundreds of carving knives on board the ship(the guy who does the ice carving has enough for an entire country's uprising) why do they worry about scissors?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous8:54 PM EST

    I thought we decided we didn't bring rotary cutters but pizza cutters on the cruise. Joyce sccareg@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  21. They probably didn't react to the rotary cutters because they didn't know what they are.

    --C.B.

    ReplyDelete
  22. that's hilarious!! last year I flew home to denmark and I brought some applique stuff on the plane, I looked up and saw I was allowed to bring scissors on the plane in the hand luggage, a 15cm blade, that's like 6" - HUGE.
    well I didn't bring them that big... I brought some kid BLUNT dollar scissors- I was just going to cut threads.... I also brought a small pair of golden stork scissors, they are actually sharp! Hid those some other place in the carry on bags. PLUS if all else failed I brought nail clippers, figured that if the other two got confiscated I could use the nail clippers to cut threads.... nothing happened! I sat happily and appliqued on the plane- I did hide the scissors in the side of my seat, so people wouldn't see it, but I bet people around me DID, noone said anything though... when I boarded another plane, they did search my BAG and confiscated my WATER bottle!! that's MUCH more dangerous that small scissors, right??

    ReplyDelete

If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.

Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.

Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)