Okay,let’s see what embarrassing moments or purchases you’ve actually experienced buying what fly tying materials or purchases that caused the sales clerk or checkout clerk to give you a funny look. You also have to identify the fly(ies) or how you used the item(s). I’ll just list two, although there certainly have been more:
Allan
Checking out at Michaels with a big stock of stuff bought, most very frou-frou. “Honestly, I don’t plan to make necklaces or wear this maribou boa. I just tie flies for fishing.”
Yeah, right, she signaled back.
I get a few raised eyebrows at Michaels. The folks at the yarn company now know that I am a fly tier.
The worst was when I was in Jr. High School. Going into the sewing store to buy silk thread and DMC floss did some irrepairable harm to my reputation, or at least caused a few fist fights after school… Oh well, if it hadn’t been that, it would have been something else… 
Ed
How about getting a float tube in a “My Size Barbie” box? That raised a few eye brow’s at the post office!!
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
At Michael’s, the cashier was a former student. The reaction didn’t happen until the next day when I was talking to her mom, another teacher. When she had asked the daughter if she had seen anyone she knew at work, the daughter answered, " Mr. K, but it was weird. He was buying PURPLE feathers!" I had to tie up a fly and send it home for her to see, just so I could walk into the store without getting odd looks in the future.
CJ
The only limitations we have are the ones we put on ourselves.
I always carry a number of flies to show when visiting the sewing,yarn and nail polish dept’s.
Bill
tyeflies,
I’ve bought most of the stuff that you guys are discussing and never had any problem at all. Maybe I’m just insensitive to questioning looks or maybe I don’t give hoot what sales staff thinks. I don’t know which–probably an interaction of the two. 8T 
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
Walmart - picking up nail polish - hard as nails stuff. Had been through the craft section, so I had some misc beads, etc. with me. Wife and I started looking. She checked out one row, I checked another. She was in a mood, being a smart-alek and all. “How about this dear” … “what about that honey” … “would this work sweetie” … “Well this should work” … no, no, no, no - finally I said “NO, I NEED IT HARD”. … the store got really quiet.
I didn’t even bother to try to explain. Embroidery yarn, beads, craft lace … multi-colors … now nail polish … uh-uh. Couldn’t get outta that one. After a good pause, all I did was laugh.
so far I think it’s a tie between Jack Hise and Darrel LOL
A few years ago while in MO visiting my sister, she asked if I’d go to a super Walmart where was having some pictures done. As we walked past a counter a young woman, and an attractive one at that, was pricing fingernail polish. One color, a metalic purple, really got my attention and I stopped to look at it. “Hey, you want some great looking nail polish, follow me,” she said. I thought my sister was going to die, and a few women gave me that odd look. After going down one aisle and turning into another she said, “I’m betting you painting up some bass poppers. I make 'em too,” she said, then reached down and handed me two very cool bassy colors. One was black with little sparkles in it. She made my day. I went home with three bottles of nail polish. JGW
The other day at Canadian Tire(big box store like walmart) I picked up a ladies manicure set, clippers, file, small scissors, to examine it’s contents for fly tying. “How much” I asked, the clerk said grinning, “one dollar”. I could tell was wondering what a 240 pound man could want with that, I had to tell her of course, never purchased in the end, the loops in the handle of the scissors were just too small, 
.
Mike
I recently got a bug for playing around with glass beads. Michaels, Hobby-Lobby and Wally world all have lots of 3/0, 6/0, 10/0 and 12/0 seed beads but 6/0 is a bit too big for what I want to tie and 10/0 is just too small. 8/0 seed beads are about 1/8 diameter and perfect for the size 12-16 trout nymphs I usually tie but 8/0 seed beads are rare in the craft stores. There is actually a bead store in my town that caters to jewelry makers and I wandered in one day. They had about 200 different varities of 8/0 seed beeds, pearlescent, silver lined, opalescent gunmetal, hot orange. I was in bead heaven! I bought about $50 worth of glass beads that day. The ladies in the store must have thought I was nuts and they were right…
tyeflies;
For Humber Brad I’d like to add that I live in a small town, everybody know’s everybody and they know I’m single and live alone!! So a “My Size Barbie” is not the kind of package one wish’s to get!!
Don’t forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water’s of the Au Sable await you!!
Cactus
I got the local pharmacy to get some nail polish black to be exact. Looking around and i dont see sally hanson hard as nail in black. So i ask and the male cosmetic counter guy, and he says the dont make it and if they do we cant get it, but he says it looks like you tie flies so use this one this is the one i use.
I thought it was pretty funny.
I am so glad to have my Wife!!!..These things used to happen to me too!!!
She knows what to look for!!!
Jack,
I’ll bet you still have that box! Just waiting for the time you have to ship off a pair of waders to an unsuspecting friend.
Leo C.