I am amazed but I shouldn't be!
06-19-2011, 05:46 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 662
The first thing I would say is that I can put it on my list, but my list is long and it will be about a year and a half before I get to it. I hand quilt and it takes about 150 hours to quilt a queen bed quilt and at minimum wage they can't afford it. I would also throw in an estimate of the materials. ("You want me to work for less than minimum wage? Would you?")
06-19-2011, 05:57 AM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Ft. Myers, Florida
Posts: 928
Originally Posted by deedum
I am amazed at how many people think I can just crank out a project for them on a very short notice! Just because I have a sewing room and machines and such, they come up with all these ideas for me to do for them! I don't wanna! I don't have the time and if I did I would do mine! Much of it I am not even skilled to do.Just amazes me and yet I know it shouldn't but it still does! I am not alone on this I am guessing?
My grandson told me 2 weeks before Christmas he wanted a "huntin" quilt
:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: at 7 he fully expected me to have it done for him by Christmas, well...... seeing as he IS the light of my life, I got it done. But I also told him that for his next quilt he needs to give Ya-Ya more time to make it, and maybe he could come help so he sees how long it takes. Can you believe he is now telling his mom he wants to come over some time to help, BUT not to stay all day. What a happy day that will be for me :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
06-19-2011, 06:02 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Victorian Sweatshop
Posts: 863
My DD has actually pieced a couple of tops, she does a good job but rarely makes time to work on her ideas.
I hemmed 6 pair of jeans for her friend's daughter. Charged just a little cause I know they are having a hard time.
Friend is back next week with a sackful of blouses and pants she wants altered. After a week, I gave them back, said there was no time, gently hinted this was not what I do.
DD asks me why do I consider this work beneath me. And I'm trying my hardest to get along with DD.
I hemmed 6 pair of jeans for her friend's daughter. Charged just a little cause I know they are having a hard time.
Friend is back next week with a sackful of blouses and pants she wants altered. After a week, I gave them back, said there was no time, gently hinted this was not what I do.
DD asks me why do I consider this work beneath me. And I'm trying my hardest to get along with DD.
06-19-2011, 06:18 AM
#38
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Lake Cumberland,Ky
Posts: 16
I soooo know what you are talking about- you take thier requests as a compliment but at the same time you feel that they are taking avantage of your time and skill. Years ago I had my boss call and ask of I could make a couple of pillows for thier new home said he needed them in a week of course I said no problem. Well the couple of pillows ended up being 18 pillow shams 10 throw pillows and a king size duvet. He provided fabric only and I had to purchase the batting fiberfill pattern etc. Now keep in mind I worked full time at his company and had to sew when I got off work. I ended up spending close to 40 hours just in sewing. Needless to say when I got this done I now find out what a couple of pillows really means!!!!!
06-19-2011, 06:39 AM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Plainfield, IN
Posts: 390
Originally Posted by Hen3rietta
Quilting is somehow perceived by the great masses as one of those things that some of us learn at Grandma's knee and is as natural as breathing. I've found that the best thing to do it elevate into an art form. Don't speak of it as just a little hobby. If you think about it, a lot of design decisions, critical thought and talent goes into making every quilt, even a first quilt. A quilt doesn't have to be and ART quilt to be art.
I'm with the poster that said she tells people they can't afford her. That's what I do. I don't even bother wasting by breath trying to educate the users on the difference between garment making and quilting. I've found it's a waste of breath. I'll give away my art but unless it's glass work, I won't work on commission.
I'm with the poster that said she tells people they can't afford her. That's what I do. I don't even bother wasting by breath trying to educate the users on the difference between garment making and quilting. I've found it's a waste of breath. I'll give away my art but unless it's glass work, I won't work on commission.
I deal with a lot of this attitude from others regarding my knitting; they see me wear things I've knitted, and they immediately ask for a hat or a scarf or even a sweater. They have no idea that there are over ten thousand stitches in a single pair of socks. My standard answer is always "No, I won't knit [item] for you, but I can teach you to knit it yourself!" In eight years, I've had no takers. :roll:
As for quilting, I only quilt for myself and for gifts--and the gifts are always for people who will understand and respect the work involved. I just finished a quilt for my sister--she requested a bed-size quilt to coordinate with the throw-size one I gave her for Christmas. Their dog had destroyed their comforter, and I told her if he ate the quilt too, she was never, ever getting another one from me. She understood and bought the fabric, batting, thread, and even a new rotary cutter, mat, and some Omnigrids, so I'd say she earned the commission. ;)
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