Krazyquilter,
I am a handquilter. While I do machine quilt my chairty quilts and items for small children I prefer hand quilting. I machine piece and applique when absolutely necessary but I prefer to do wholecloth or someone else's piecing or appliquing. I prefer to do craft and garmet sewing so the majority of my quilt peicing are basic simple patterns. I once worked for a Bernina dealer who made ends meet by doing custom dressmaking and alterations. I was the one who got to do most of the hand finishing in the shop. They laughed at me because I used a quilting "between" needle to hem garmets etc.
The shop owner probably figured that you would not be a good customer because she thought you would take so long to finish a project that you wouldn't purchase much. Our society is general seems to be in an awlful hurry. The joke is on them. Handwork can be as fast or faster than machine, a whole lot less expensive and totally portable. I am famous for hand quilting those preprinted panels into wall hangings as gifts. Just this summer I gave two of them as gifts to a niece and a nephew that got married. I can whip out one of them in a week or so of watching TV in the evening. Don't let anyone talk you out of your handwork. According to doctors it is great for your bloodpressure.