I have a little corner set up for sewing at my In-laws. My MIL has no patience to sit two seconds to look at anything unless is a soap opera. Last night I was swing and she started looking at the quilt I am working on. Is a carpenter's wheel, dark maroon, bright yellow, white, with black borders. I am putting a lot of effort into the quilting. My backing is green. I used beige thread on the back for the quilting, and changed the color of the top thread everytime I had a color change on the top. My black borders get black on the top and bottom so the beige doesn't show on the top. She is moving the quilt, touching and pulling while I quilt, but I said nothing. all of a sudden she said she doesn't like the top. She prefers the back. She said: I can use it to cover the back of the chair, but I will use it with the green up.

First, the quilt is not for her, is just for my pile of quilts I am planning to sell, second, I put so much effort into matching corners and great quilting, and she prefers the back. Is a good thing she left before I had a chance to react. I guess it was better not to answer.

Better to be quiet. Hopefully you will find an apartment and be able to move out soon.

I think those who don't quilt, don't have a clue how hurtful a comment like that could be. Sorry your MIL was so insensitive.

Maybe you can cut her two pieces of green fabric, sew them together, and give it to her. :lol: :lol:

She was just looking for a way to get a dig in. Ignoring it or a calm response was best...she was after your reaction and you would have given her what she wanted. If she tries criticism again, maybe just calmly saying, "Well, it's a good thing it's not for you then, isn't it?" might work. Just don't feed into it.

Boy, she has the NERVE. But, you were probably right to just bite your tongue and keep it to yourself, since you're in her house. Hopefully, you'll find somewhere to live quickly and you can get on with your life and sewing.

Well, we know how MILs can be. And whether it's on purpose or not, that doesn't change the behavior. It's not right of her.
So, even though I'm a MIL myself, I say just go on and do what you want to do anyway, and keep peace in your heart and head.
It's the best revenge!!

Ummm, you are in her home, and sewing is not a silent thing to be doing when you are on a machine. Maybe it was her passive aggressive way of asking you to be quiet while she watches a soap opera?

I have had the reaction from older women who don't quilt.
I think they see quilting as an admission that you are poor!
a depression thing!
My mother and grandmother are the same way!
just to bad they can't see the beauty in what we do!
I have given my mother a quilt that was one of my best, in colors and theme that she likes it is still in her closet. Where it has been since I gave it to her years ago.
last year when I was busy making sale quilts for a festival she asked if I wanted it back to sell!
It means nothing to her!
I have to accept that and move on!

Believe me I know how you feel.
We had "Christmas in August" at our house this weekend and my daughter's bf wanted to see some of my quilts, so I hauled out some tops and some quilts to show him. My S-I-L whose only hobby is chain-smoking watched for awhile and announce quite pompously, "Well isn't that just a waste of time and money!"
DH bless him, said quite sweetly, "Dear, why don't you and your attitude take your cigarettes outside for a puff." GAWD I love that man!

Honestly, though... if that was her way of getting her DIL to stop sewing, that was not a nice way to do it. Had she just said, "The sewing machine noise is a bit too much, could you wait to sew until I am not watching TV?" she would not have been offending. The way she went about it, it definately seems that she was deliberately trying to get a rise out of her DIL.