K-Roll

Oh these crack me up.
lynnie you are so right about the disparity between men's and women's work, the auto repair & painting analogies!

Not a quilt, I showed a friend an art print I made, that I was really proud of (a small etching about 4"x4") and she asked me "what other sizes does it come in?" This was way before the internet where you can order different sizes of whatever images, and many people don't know about fine art printing processes, but it floored me as her first - and only! - comment on my print.

Beachbound

A month before Christmas I was asked to make a T Shirt quilt for a Christmas gift someone I barely knew. I was sewing costumes for 30 students putting on Aladdin and wasn't even sure when I would get to my sewing. This lady was a mother to one of the student I sewed costumes for the year before. She was clueless of what she was asking! But at least she was nice about it

CanoePam

I do think a lot of the folks who make ridiculous requests don't have a clue how much the materials cost or how much time is spent. I occasionally had people ask me to make a quilt, and I just laughed! I said my time was very expensive, and only true love could come close to paying for one. I do offer to teach someone to do their own quilt, but I haven't been taken up on that yet.

Pam

zozee

Last November, Black Friday to be exact, a casual friend on FB messaged me and said a friend of hers wanted a queen size quilt for his daughter's birthday. He didn't know what pattern, said my friend, but wanted "Lots of different colors." When was the birthday, I asked? Dec 29 but he was leaving on the 18th. Could I have it done by then? And how much would it cost?

Well, after I nearly spit apple cider all over my computer screen..

I said I couldn't do any more projects before Christmas, and had never made a quilt larger than twin, and the estimate would be $1300. She wrote back, "Did you mean $1300 or was that a typo---did you mean $130?"

Not a typo, I said. The fabric alone would cost more than 130. She said, "Hold on, I'll message him." A few seconds later, "He said Sorry. He can't afford that. He'll go to Pottery Barn."

cashs_mom

I used to know a woman who did custom sewing. Suits will Chanel details, beautiful formal wear, etc. She told me that she had a woman come to here to make a dress. She said she had everything to make the dress. She showed up with a pattern and some fabric. Nothing else. So she looks at it and gives her a price to make the dress. The woman said "Heavens, I can buy one at Foleys for less than that". The seamstress told me she picked up the fabric and pattern, handed them to her and said "Then I suggest you do". She also told me that she was sure she offended the woman but didn't really care. I didn't blame her. It was like comparing an Elvis on velvet to a Picasso. Ridiculous.

Sandygirl

One November Someone asked me to make them a quilt for a Christmas gift. I asked...."which Christmas?". Oh, the look I got from her! We did not even get to the discussion of price, etc. Fine by me!
Sandy

ctyankee

Several years back I had new neighbors The guy popped over every so often to borrow stuff from my hubby, but I hadn't met his wife, who was pregnant. When the baby was brought home from the hospital, the new dad was excited & stopped me in the driveway to show her off. I said, wait, I have a little something for the baby. So I ran into my house to grab the baby socks I hand-knitted in fine wool. When I went back outside, they had disappeared into their house. So I knocked on the door. The new mom (I think) opened the door a crack & I said to her, I have something for the baby. She reached out & took the gift & closed the door. So I still didn't get to meet her. Anyway, it gets better. Months go by, I still don't see the mom, but the guy is often at our door borrowing something. One day, as he's standing in our kitchen, I finally said to him, do the socks fit the baby? He was startled & started stuttering, well, she has a lot of socks. I exploded. You mean you're comparing my hand-knit socks to Walmart socks!!!!! ​The thing is, I would've loved to have made the baby a quilt like I do for all the new babies within earshot (& beyond), but after the socks incident, I decided to pass.

BETTY62

Daylesewblesses, thank you for sharing the video. I had not heard it before and I love it.

Libster

The man I used to work for ask me to make him a quilt. I told him if he's pay for all of the materials I would. He agreed. I went out and bought the fabrics for a double size, which is the size he ask for. When I told him that I had everything ready to start on it, he told me, "You just go ahead and make me two of them and I'm going to give you $50 for them!" He thought he was really being very generous. Needless to say, I never even started on it. I still have that fabric to this day. I learned my lesson. Now when someone ask me to make them a quilt I tell them I don't sew for the public. Better to just tell them up front than get the indignant looks they give you when true costs are quoted. I make quilts for just my family now, when I want to gift them.

Freaky_Quilts_Dragon

I don't have a story like this yet (I suspect it's because there aren't yet enough people who know I quilt) but I do want to say I like this thread. While reveling in other's lack of understanding isn't quite my cup of tea, it's great to see artisans truely valuing their work!

Good supplies cost good money, skilled labor is not cheap, and quality equipment does not grow on trees. Even if most of our works are gifted we deserve recognition for how much we are giving.