After seeing my fiances quilt and some of the Christmas gifts that I gave away everyone wants a quilt now lol. I better get super busy if im going to make enough gifts for NEXT Christmas lol. Very happy that they all like them but still lol. Has this happened to ya'll before?

YES.. YES.. and YES.. and most of the time I will do them on my time and conditions :lol: If they get too demanding , then I just start to ignore them or pretend I don't hear them when they try to talk to me about making them a quilt :? Welocme to the world of quilting :wink:

yes, it happened to me, I get requests all the time, and I do the ones that I want for who I want, I am still doing ones for family, the odd one gets made for others along the way depending on the event or celebration.

Yes and I also have requests for crocheted items. My family not only asks for quilts, they want aprons, potholders, pillowcases, hats, scarves, mittens, slippers, afghans, etc... and I hear about it if I don't come thru with the goods every year at Christmas.
But you know - I love it!

My dh's family is very upset with me as I haven't had the time to make all 8 of them quilts. I made a real pretty red, black and white quilt for my MIL last year for her birthday and Christmas, and my SIL started to cry saying I don't love her. I don't really like to work under pressure like that, so right now I'm in the "stubborn" stage.

Yep!! when they see a quilt I give as a gift they say "would you put me on your Christmas list" and most people have no idea the $$ or time it takes to make a quilt.

I agree mic-pa, most people have NO IDEA about the cost, time and effort that goes into a quilt.

I smile and say "I am committed at the moment but if I get some free time...".

I am happy to do quilts as gifts for friends and family but don't like to be pressured with specific orders.

I had the most fun quilting yesterday than I've had in months simply because I worked on what I WANTED to work on-not what I had to do or needed to do. It was relaxing and I didn't use my seam ripper once!! No stiff neck or sore shoulders. For the past several months I've worked on things other people ordered or for gifts that had to be done.
I feel honored and proud when people do ask me to make them something but I agee-- they don't realize the cost or time involved. I think I'll just quilt "for me" for the next several weeks.
Think of it this way: you must be a good quilter for your friends and relatives to all want them. As DeeCee said: just smile....

I agree with others here - I DO hear from others - like, well, you didn't make my child one... yeah, and there's a reason for that!!! I do not like making quilts because I 'have' to - rather because I 'want' to - will I eventually get everyone one? Sure, but not at the expense of my joy in quilting...

oh yeah, but it sure feels good tho huh?

Last year was the first year I even suggested I wanted to make an Art quilt for someone other than myself. I'm still working on a third OBW but finished 2 other OBWs for my two sons. Most people especially if they don't sew, have no idea how many hours it takes to make a quilt. Usually the ones who ask "How long did it take to make?" are the ones who don't sew or make anything craftwise to know how many hours it takes.

Oh, yeah. And the more quilts you make, the more demanding others will be....and I hate the whiners who have no idea that the quilt they want you to make will cost an arm and a leg.... :D

Pretty much the same. What everyone has said.
We draw names for Christmas. Last year I drew on SIL, and gave her a quilt I had almost finished, that had no 'reason for being' yet....
So when I drew the other SIL, I KNEW I had to make another.
I figure that if I keep drawing a different family member each year, I can give them each one that way....

I give a baby quilt to each baby born.

Beyond that, I would probably say something along the lines of, "Well, there is a really nice quilt store over at XX, why don't you go in there, and have someone help you buy the amounts of fabrics and pattern you want, and I will add you to my ever-growing pile of things I have to make!!! I am only about 50 hours into the quilt I am working on now, however, so I can't promise you a deadline...."

Yes, I am a wee bit snarky, lol!!!

Iluv2quilt said, "my SIL started to cry saying I don't love her." Wow! I think I would tell my SIL to grow up!!! I am happy to give items that I have made as gifts...but, I sure don't intend to spend my entire year making things for everyone. For one things...this quilting hobby is an expensive one! As much as I would like to give quilts as Xmas gifts...they really don't fit into the $50 limit that my family has. Sorry. This year, the gals in my family received an apron, a church cookbook, and embroidered kitchen towels from me. The guys all got shirts/sweaters from Kohls. LOL

Aliaslaceygreen, I love your response and the solution of drawing names is perfect. The ones who didn't get a quilt from you don't realize how much more effort, time and, especially money, you spent on the gift you give. I finally got the point across when a family member was visiting and watched as I cut out a crib quilt - she remarked that it was too time consuming for her and how could I stand to spend that much time making just one thing!

I have the same thing but they also know I have my plate full with everything else I have going on. So they usually say "when you get a chance" :lol: which is okay by me.

As far as SIL crying about "I don't love her" I would punch her in the mouth and tell her shut her pie hole!! But thats just me............

Billy

I think honest IS the best policy. Sure, you can be added to my list, and to be fair to all others, that asked first, your name will go to the end, and when I get the time and the money....
Or say yes, when I get the time and then mention how many hours you have in your current project and how many are coming behind that one.
I like the idea of drawing names too. I tried to get my kids to do that, but it's hard to get them focused on anything.
I do try to think of it as a compliment though.
Cutting a quilt out while someone is there is clever.
aliaslaceygreen, I don't think that's snarky at all.
Suzi, you made a quilt for your MIL and your SIL started to cry? something more than liking quilts, going on there...

Yea everyone wants and no one is willing to give! aliaslaceygreen I like your comment that's a good cure! Let them shop then invite all over for a Friday or Saturday night cutting sucession! We'll see how bad they want a quilt.

Personally, I'd be very grateful to have a family member ask me to make them a quilt. :cry:

I know what you mean. My DD asked me to make quilts for her soon to be in laws. Now I have even more to make. At least I can take my time to do these.

Last year I HAND embroidered and HAND quilted a wall hanging for my DD's MIL. She is a breast cancer survivor and the wall hanging was made of cross stitched pink ribbons. She didn't even tell me "thank you"..... :-(

I was lucky, because at one point I was taking a Mystery Quilt "class" once a month and finishing a small quilt top once a month. After two years, you end up with a bunch of quilt tops! LOL Well, I took them over to my SIL's house and spread them all out on the floor and told every woman there (I think there were 5 or 6) to pick the one she liked. Slowly but surely, I got each quilt finished and each of them gpt her quilt. Since they knew it was in progress, no one bugged me about making a quilt, I finished a lot of UFOs, and I got good homes for my quilts. The remaining tops have been donated to family auctions, so several cousins now have quilts, too.

My new thing is pillow cases, and everyone wants a set.

I know some jails have quilting for the gals. Not sure about guys though. lol

Last night, I sat down and wrote/drew out all the swaps I got myself signed up for and I realized that I better get to gettin' if I want to meet my deadlines. After that, who knows what my swap returns will bring and who will be the beneficiary of the goods.

I have a number of friends, family and acquaintances through the years ask for me to make things for them. I have started being pretty blunt with those acquaintances and tell them just what is involved financially and time wise to make a quilt.. some have asked what I would charge.. up until recently I have been and hand stitcher.. and their jaws drop when I tell them what I would charge to make a quilt. When asked if I will do alterations for them on clothes.. I tell them I won't even hem my own jeans.. why would I torture myself like that. I've decided I'm at an age when I don't have time to beat around the bush and they never get gentle hints anyway..close friends and family are another story, but most know enough to know that "good things come to those who wait".

Get used to it :D:D:D You will work yourself to death if you have a large family LOL Pick a few each year...if you hear complaints about "where's MINE" tell them they are on the list :wink: :D:D:D
I am sticking to lap quilts for everyone, less expensive, I can afford to give more, and I will still have time to do the quilting that I want to do... :D:D:D

Yeah large families. I do some every year. We pick names luckily. And they would understand if I didn't get one or more done. Last year I did 5 this year 4 and this coming year I will probably do 6. New additions don't go in the pool of names and with two pregnant it means an extra two. But baby quilts are fast and easy. Good thing. I am down the the last few anyway. Though from the sounds of it my aunt was impressed and wouldn't mind her name on the list. Actually she told mom that she could make a fortune selling them. She lives in France.

Obviously they do not realize how long it would take to make EIGHT quilts!!!!

ROTFLMAO that made me laugh out loud for real the kids and dog looked at me strangely hahaha :D :D

This is a clever solution!!!
I just found out that I need another baby quilt! Just by june, and for a cousin i barely know...but "I" want to make it, ya know???
My baby quilt is pretty straightforward anyway...

My standard reply is "Stand in line, I started on this quilt I gave ______ several years ago."

I have had total strangers ask about my quilts. They seem to think it takes one week to do these things..........lol

Perfect comment !!

Well currently I don't have an extended family (one of the perks of divorce) and my sister quilts herself so would never get a request from her.

However I did think of two responses, not sure which one I would use...depends on if good/bad relationship with sister in law

1. Go find a pattern, buy your fabric and you can come over and I'll help you learn to quilt. Then you would either have a quilting "buddy" or she would shut up fast.

2. You could find a pretty (simple) mini quilt pattern or simply a single block pattern for her to hang on her wall - nothing says you have to give a bed size quilt to someone. If she still "whines" say "the size of the quilt has nothing to do with how much I love you, I just don't have time or money to make bed size quilts for all."

I get the same thing, and while it is a compliment that your work is admired, I find that most people who ask have absolutely no idea of the cost and time involved.

I sew things for my family gladly because they understand the time, effort, and money involved.

Several years ago, a neighbor came over, saw a tablerunner I was finishing for my sister, and asked if I would make her an especially long (96") one for her formal dining room table. She offered to pay me.

Knowing how particular she was I feared I would have to make one runner after another to please her. I explained that I sew as a hobby, for myself, and my family, and that if someone were to pay me then it becomes WORK. With my time contrainsts I wanted to keep it a hobby pastime. This seemed to satisfy her.

I

I have said the same things when people ask if I sell my stuff, or if I have ever thought of selling things :thumbup:

don't you hate when that happens.

That is exactly right JanetM. and when they want this particular pattern but change this and that and different fabrics it can take the pleasure out of sewing and make it a chore.

Regarding the SIL, I'd make her wait even longer after that performace.

In fact, when you get around to it, why not make her a wall hanging with an 'Oscar' quilted on it.

I tell them I would be happy to teach them how to make their own any time. That usually ends the conversation.

I also like "you should sell them" pppfffttt they have no clue how much fabric, thread, batting and your time costs.

Lord only knows how many times I have heard that one. The way I look at it the ones generally saying that have the idea that maybe $150 would pay for a king sized quilt. That would barely cover the materials for the job!

We can all thank the "Bed in a bag" for that one.......

Billy