I've experienced degrees of gratitude. Anywhere from, "oh.... thanks," as it gets shoved back in the box, to "OMGosh! That's beautiful!" accompanied by kisses and hugs.
And I have certainly experienced the "have no concept of time, effort and money that went into the quilt", too. The ones willing to pay for the work, know about the work. Others must think you have a magic wand and can conjure one up in a day.
It's very discouraging. But if you think about the people, you can almost know who's going to appreciate it and who won't. For example, my brother would much rather buy a "bed in a bag" every 2 years than have a quilt that would last years and years. My sister on the other hand, would rather have the home made quilt. But she knits, so she has a clue.