May '07 Quilter's Helper

Picture for a moment if you will, an attempt at performing a creative task in your sewing room with your hubby/significant other as your assistant.  When there is a fixer up task at our house I request (many times) that the dripping faucet needs attention, or the sink drains too slow, or whatever the problem dujour is.  That request is followed by a span of time in which there is deliberation over whether there is truly a problem or I am just making something up.  Once decided that a repair is in order my darling hubby waits until I am up to my elbows in a project of some sort, such as cleaning the refrigerator, or painting a bedroom.  He will pick that particular moment in time to holler, “hey hon, come here a minute, I need your help!”, at which time I sigh very loudly and give up my project.  I tried to imagine waiting until he’s in the middle of a very tense televised sporting event and calling him into the sewing room.  He would stand beside me and dutifully hand me my tools as I precisely cut and piece a small quilt.  Our conversation would go something like this:   “I’m going to cut these pieces but I need you to hold the end of the fabric out of the way for me.  No, not like that, hold it up.  Up! Hold it over there.  Ok. Now hand me the rotary cutter.  Not that, that’s the pattern.  Do you know what a rotary cutter is?  The thingie – it’s sharp and round, like a pizza cutter.  There you go.  Ok, now when I make this cut I need you to gently pull the fabric away from the ruler.  Gently.  Don’t let the layers get separated.  Whoa! Didn’t I say GENTLY?  Nevermind, I’ll do it myself, just stand there and read the pattern to me.  Can you move over? You’re in my light. Are there any pictures or diagrams?  Who the heck writes this stuff??”  I think you all see where this is headed.  It’s wonderful for couples to do things together, but come on, there’s a limit.  I doubt any of you would want a “helper” in your room.  I’ll agree to not ask him for help in my room if he’ll agree to try to accomplish a project by himself.