Hazards of quilting

When you think of dangerous activities what comes to mind?  Boxing?  Bull fighting?  Race car driving?

You forgot an obvious one, quilting!

Why you ask?  I am so glad you did!  First of all, it will take all your available cash to build a decent stash.  Second driving on the highways is very dangerous and you will do lots of it while traveling to shops and shows.  And all of this is before you even begin to sew.

You will never leave the house without a mixed collection of random threads on you.  People will think you are to be avoided and suspect you of assorted nefarious deeds.  You will poke yourself with needles and pins.  Often.  Sometimes drawing blood.  Rub some fabric on it and walk it off, you're a quilter and you can handle the pain.

But sometimes you just can't handle the pain by yourself.  One late afternoon on New Year's Eve I was cutting strips before getting dressed to go downtown for dinner.  Not paying much attention, I am rotary cutting away when I slice off a healthy portion of the side and top of my left pointer finger.  I stare at it in horror, totally fearful of ruining those strips.  Then I realize I the bleeding was not stopping.  And not stopping,  I remained calm, calling out to my husband, "I am pretty sure I am going to bleed to death."  When he couldn't stop it we went to the Urgent Care in town.

Try explaining a rotary cutting accident to jaded medical personnel on December 31st.  When the nurse called out to the doctor that they had an emergency quilting accident to contend with, he sighed, closed his eyes and murmured "It's going to be a long night."   Yep, it always starts with those crazy quilters!  They stitched me up and I was home in time to change and make our NYE reservations.

How was I brave enough?  Because I am a quilter and that's how we roll.  (Or quilt?)