Those oh so funny remarks about quilting...
#101
Hmmmm, I am reminded of a thank you note from four of my friends. I had told all four that I would make them a quilt if they bought the fabric and selected the pattern (from patterns I had made already....nothing new for me to learn.) All four took me up on it, and we met for lunch and then went to a fabric store for each to buy fabric. At lunch, they had offered to pay me to make the quilts, and I told them "they couldn't afford me, that it would take 40 hours to make each quilt, and even at minimum wage, they couldn't pay me to do it. I just wanted to make them each a quilt they liked."
Four months later I delivered the quilts, at the same time at a lunch at one of their houses....their idea, not mine. (I never dreamed they wouldn't want to see the quilts until I had made all four.) Each lady was delighted with her quilt, and they had even bought me a $100 gift card from a quilt store. Nice lunch. HOWEVER, the thank you card with the card said that they felt so lucky that I didn't sew well enough to sell my quilts, as it was to their advantage, since I sewed well enough to sew for them.
That lunch was two months ago, and I am still hurt by that comment. They did learn though that a quilt is not cheap, as even though I warned them that buying the fabric would not be cheap, they were each surprised at how much it cost just for the fabric. The quilts, by the way, turned out beautifully, and I sew quite well, thank you!!
Oh, it feels good to finally fuss out loud about that.
Dina
Four months later I delivered the quilts, at the same time at a lunch at one of their houses....their idea, not mine. (I never dreamed they wouldn't want to see the quilts until I had made all four.) Each lady was delighted with her quilt, and they had even bought me a $100 gift card from a quilt store. Nice lunch. HOWEVER, the thank you card with the card said that they felt so lucky that I didn't sew well enough to sell my quilts, as it was to their advantage, since I sewed well enough to sew for them.
That lunch was two months ago, and I am still hurt by that comment. They did learn though that a quilt is not cheap, as even though I warned them that buying the fabric would not be cheap, they were each surprised at how much it cost just for the fabric. The quilts, by the way, turned out beautifully, and I sew quite well, thank you!!
Oh, it feels good to finally fuss out loud about that.
Dina
Oh, that was so unkind, and so unthinking. You must be a great actress. I'm not sure I could have hid my feelings so well, and acted normal, after reading that card. Obviously, it's not your sewing that prevents you from selling your quilts. It's your choice not to sell your quilts. Big difference!! I agree, since you are still upset about it, I think you should have a kind talk with all 4 friends present, and just be honest and up front about why the remark hurt you so much, and then let them be understanding. And if they're not understanding, maybe you need new friends!
#102
I forgot the one from my mil (now deceased, and I hesitate to speak evil of those who are no longer with us), she was a phenominal seamstress and at times snippy, who critiqued my first grandbaby handquilted quilt that I made (at the baby shower), to my daughter when she opened the gift,she said "those stitches are so uneven, give me that "thing" and I will do it right!!!" It was my best effort at the time, my daughter thanked her, and went on opening the gifts. Everyone else at the shower was impressed with my efforts.
Last edited by onaemtnest; 12-10-2011 at 11:58 PM.
#103
My daddy said the same thing when I started quilting. Turns out he slept under a mountain of quilts as a boy in a house with no heat and still slept cold. I never made him a quilt. I did make him a sweater that he wore until it was ragged threads.
Few comments are made thoughtfully. I swear most people (and I'm guilty at times) think out loud without realizing how it sounds. We enjoy our craft, just as others enjoy whatever they do that we don't understand. I ride a motorcycle (to remote quilt shops!). My favorite comment is, "You rode that here?" To prevent myself from making a rude smart-elicky remark, (like, no, it followed me) I try to remember that they just want to talk and don't know what to say. And yes, there are the jealous and mean-spirited. They need our prayers and mercy. (but not our quilts!)
Few comments are made thoughtfully. I swear most people (and I'm guilty at times) think out loud without realizing how it sounds. We enjoy our craft, just as others enjoy whatever they do that we don't understand. I ride a motorcycle (to remote quilt shops!). My favorite comment is, "You rode that here?" To prevent myself from making a rude smart-elicky remark, (like, no, it followed me) I try to remember that they just want to talk and don't know what to say. And yes, there are the jealous and mean-spirited. They need our prayers and mercy. (but not our quilts!)
Last edited by onaemtnest; 12-11-2011 at 12:13 AM.
#104
Found this one amusing as when I was a child, my grandma used to call some of my stitches "toe catchers"...it brought back memories of us laughing about it together.
#105
The one that gets me is when other women put 'women's work' down by saying."Why would you charge so much for a hand - made thing that you are only making in front of the T.V. anyway? It's not as if it is high art or anything." At this stage I generally suggest they buy from the cheap shop as I don't want to waste my time on any project for a person with this sort of attitude - especially if I'm making it for a gift.
#109
Last year I joined our local quilt guild and am delighted because they are all so helpful. While I have sewn for many years I have only been quilting for a couple years. So...when I told the group of ladies that I play Mah Jongg with each week that I had joined the quilt guild their remarks were "why would you want to hang out with old people?" For one, they are not all old and I am and another I have learned so much from all these wonderful women. Last Christmas I made a small quilted coin purse for each one in my Mah Jongg group. Their opinions seem to have changed, especially since I invited one of the quilters to join our Mah Jongg group. There is power in numbers. (:
Last edited by earlori7; 12-11-2011 at 05:54 AM. Reason: forgot part of sentence.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Ditter43
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
9
02-03-2011 06:07 PM