My husband says his hobbies benefits us both! LOL! But if I really want something I usually get it. I apply the guilt trip to myself. He doesn't.

OH MY This is what I told my DH when he ask me how much fabric do you think you need. Looked at him with a big SMILE!!!! AND SAID TO HIM " How many golf balls do you need to buy to hit in the WATER" Poor man never has said another word to me about buying fabric.
Now I ask him the other day if I could buy a shed for the back yard (big one 24x24) He just said sure but for what?
My new sewing room. Told me that if I get that he wanted new PING golf clubs. I said sure. $4000 for mine $1000 for his. I WIN!!!

see my husband doesn't help my cause. he's not into anything and never spends any $ on himself. I wish he had a hobby or something he was into so he would spend $ on something and then I could feel better about the $ i spend LOL

My hubby came into the living room one day and said "Do you realize how many quilt books you have?" and I looked at him and said "And your point?". He said oh nothing, I was just wondering", and turned quickly and left he room. Ha Ha Ha! Jan

Funny, but just this afternoon I was thinking, why do I have to justify all the fabric I buy and try selling my quilts, after all, his hobby (competitive shooting) is costly and doesn't make money? Go figure. :lol:

My hubby doesn't have a boat, doesn't drink beer and I don't have a LA .... but I relate and love this response :thumbup:

Well, I wish I had an answer for you. Men live in an alternate universe and their brains do not dwell here on earth. My husband questions many, many things I do, example, to help a friend who had started to work at Macy's but hadn't opened one new account, I opened an account at Macy's, figuring that how much damage can I do at Macy's, as they don't carry my size in clothing and they don't sell fabric. Imagine my surprise when I got the Macy's VISA good wherever VISA was honored. He asked me how I could get a credit card when he was laid off and not working, I simply told him that I was working and that shut him up. However, whenever we went anywhere, he would say, put it on your card, put Kari's (our daughte) plane flight for a job interview on your card. Then all of a sudden he says, look how much money YOU have spent. Go figure. I gave up. Men, can't live with them and can't kill them. Do not feel you have to feel that you have to justify getting a long arm, then feel like you have to pay for it by taking in quilts. Do not do it for the money unless you want to do it. I feel for you, but other than drowning him in quilts, I'm not sure what you can do. I wish you luck. If you figure out how a man's mind works, let the rest of the world know.

My husband doesn't have any hobbies, so, I do get a bit annoyed at myself for buying my hobby stuff like fabrics, patterns, etc. and then feeling a little guilty about it. My DH just doesn't understand a thing about having a hobby just for fun.

My husband doesn't have any hobbies so I get the guilts when I spend for quilting, even though he doesn't resent my hobby or give me a hard time about it.

Next time he asks, tell him you'll start quilting for others when he starts charging people to go out on the boat to help pay for it. ;)

Then ignore him and go about your business.

Mine is in what used to be the quest room. It's corner to corner in there. I have to slide the end to get around it. My sewing machine is in the closet where it fits nicely. We no longer have a quest room but I have a quilting room. Guests come around rarely. I live here every day.[/quote]

I, too, have a Voyager 17/Hinty Stretch frame, which until about a month ago was in a spare bedroom and my regular sewing machine was in a walk-in closet. I bought mine about 4 yrs ago with a tax refund that my DH gave me to buy it. He has been very supportive and never fails to complement my efforts. He knows it is something I want to do as a hobby. I have done a few quilts for other people and sold a few, but he knows I don't want to make it a business. I retired a couple of years ago after working for 30+ years, and I don't need another "job" to stress me out. I want to enjoy what I'm doing. I'm sure your DH needs his hobbies to relieve the stress in his life...and you need yours. Most of us have worked and /or raised families and are still taking care of the housework, laundry and cooking. We farm, and DH has bought a new sprayer and an 8' brush hog this past year. He loves the farming and I want him to enjoy what he does. Tell your DH that this is YOUR stress reliever just like that expensive boat is his. And don't feel guilty: He doesn't!

I love reading this thread! I have a great DH. As a mechanic, he knows about 'specialty tools' LOL. He has 3 air compressors, I have 3-4 sewing machines.

Don't stress over it, just go and have fun with your longarm

Enjoy quilting and long arm

My husband is a great one for telling people how much I spent on my sewing machine, but he forgets to tell them how much his boat, motor and trailer cost to buy. Besides we had to build a new house with a 3 car garage to put the boat in. Next time he tells someone about my machine I'm going to ask him how much his boat cost. He doesn't really care how much I spend since it's my retirement money that I'm spending.

I mentioned this to a non quilting aunt and she said it's because "Big boys want big boy toys and through big boy tantrums when they don't get their toys." I had to laugh because it sounded like it fit with quite a few guys I know

Oh, yeah!

Its a man's world no matter how you cut it. But the older I get the less guilty I feel. He He!!!!! Enjoy you machine and don't rush at trying to make money with it.

Long ago, when I got some insurance money from my car that got destroyed, my husband took the money and used it to buy ME a little (used) airplaine! - Never did figure out whose feet were in whoes shoes!!! LOL! Jeannie

yes, well, this is the reason I don't have a hubby anymore.

Oh, that is good. Whenever mine asks "how many....do you need".....i reply....How many golf clubs do you need. He hasn't ASKED in a long time.....

Sheez, if we knew the answer to that there would probably be world peace!!

My husband has a very expensive hobby of pick up truck, truck pulls and drag racing it also. Last year, for Christmas he kept harping at me that he wanted a "turbo" for his truck. And when I say harping, I mean he would tell me everyday that he wanted one, and wanted me to buy it for him.

Anyway, funny story-2 months ago, after work my husband came home, and saw a new vacuum sweeper in the living room. "What's that?" and "how much did that cost?" (I had bought a Kirby which is a higher end vacuum. HE was giving me a hard time because I spend money. So after he asked how much it cost and did I need a vacuum that was so expensive? I told him I wanted "the TURBO model". He never said another word!!

Good luck with that request! We had the same deal for years (what he spent on boat/fishing I spent on quilting, etc.). Fortunately for us both, he saw the "writing on the wall", and we opened up a quilt shop lol... I do the piecing, and he primarily does the LA quilting...win-win for me :)

Christine

If wives had expensive toys then husbands wouldn't be able to have their expensive toys. I think it's a man thing.

Love it!

Don't beat yourself up. Hey ask him if you can use his boat for some Quilting on the Bay excursions. LOL However, you must post pics of his expression when you ask him this. Just kidding. Enjoy your LA.

I just had to post after reading all these. Just tell him you will make the quilts but he has to go with you to sell them. should do the trick.

I'm still laughing...what a great answer!! :thumbup:

They say, "The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys." Not so with women! :) All our "toys" have a practical use!

That's how I got my LA. He bought a Harley, guilt made him purchase my LA. They ended up being about the same in price. Only difference is, he is now getting tired of his toy, and mine will be good forever!
Moral of the story - Never feel you need to justify your purchase, guilt them into wanting you to have them! :D :D

PERFECT Reply!!!!! ROLF

My long arm paid for itself a long time ago. My husbands 1949 Chevrolet has not made on red cent. Now I tell him if he drinks $20.00 worth of beer a week I put $20.00 in my pocket. I don't drink so I just save it up. One day I'll have enough saved up to get the machine I want. LOL

These are just so much fun to read. I bought my used HQ on Craigslist and DH was very impressed at how cheap it was compared to new....$2,500

He once mentioned quilting for money and I told him I had a job and this is my hobby. I offered to teach him so he could do it. NOT interested.

He is a good guy and we each have out own spending money which is our business what we spend it on. We contribute jointly to our household fund at a percentage based on our income ala Susie Orman. Best decision we ever made.

What a crack up! Your husband must have been in cahoots with mine! That's exactly what he said.......

My DH bought a boat. He came home, and said half the boat, half the motor, and half the trailer was mine. I told him I knew which half of everything I wanted. The half that didn't need GAS. He doesn't say anything about what I buy. LOL

Ditto

Wives can have expensive toys. You just have to show them who is the boss and it certainly isn't them.

I remember a few years ago hubby coming into my networked computer room and looking at everything I had in there and his starting to fuss about it all and how I did not need all of that and should get rid of most of it.

I gave him that kind of stare that he knew to back out of the room very quietly and go back to his toys.

I wrote up a list of things I would get rid of if he got rid of items he should get rid of. In his list was all the shotguns, rifles, fishing rods, fishing boat and more ....one for every item he wanted me to get rid of. I gave him the list and told him when he got rid of each item next to the item he wanted me to give up I'd get rid of mine.

He left me alone after that.

Just like he does not ask me permission to buy his toys I don't ask him permission to buy my toys.

You should not feel you have to justify what you want to buy and just do it.

ASK HIM when his boat is going to pay for itself! Bet that will shut him up.

Love your reply!!!! Sounds like something said in this house in CA!

We can , you just enjoy. Quilt at your own pace and have fun. Next time hubby asks you if you are ready to start bring in income from your quilting , tell him, yep, I am just waiting for you to bring in the money from your fishing and bird/ dove sales.

We women need new toys too.

If you every find the answer to that question, please let me know. Better yet, write a book with the answer. I have dozens of friends that would buy it just to hear that answer.

Lets see, mine has a boat, motorcycle and a motorhome, but I don't NEED a new machine.