Does he have a specific amount of quilts you have to make before you become a quilter? Do you have to spend a certain amount of $$ before you become a quilter? Do you have to own a certain amount of sewing machines before you become a quilter? Ask him how much money it is going to cost before he thinks you are a quilter. I bet that will shut him up. And after my first pieced quilt, I became a quilter. And, I have never quilted a quilt except hand quilted 3/4 of a wall hanging and I don't call myself a piecer. I'm a quilter because I make quilts. No rules say you have to quilt your own quilts. There are thousands of long arm quilters out there who make a living quilting other quilter's quilts.