Quilt Cop
 

I need to just whine for a bit. Today my mother and I went out with the sole intentions of showing her boss my latest quilt. Her boss collects antique quilts but loves to see what I'm sewing up. The boss loved my quilt and we hang around and talked. I Got a possible new customer, and then here she came with her magnifying glass unholstered ready to pounce, interrupting me and my customer.

So I had to let you gals know what we are doing wrong. For one we aren't Amish, only the Amish make real quilts anymore. She knows because she just went to a Amish auction last week. And of course the quilt police owns several amish quilts. As I'm talking to my new customer she(the customer) asked how I care for my quilts because she had a few of her grandmothers old quilts . Well my antique quilts I don't wash very often. I keep them safe on guest beds and stored away, they are refold often and aired out weather permitting. Well according to the police that is wrong also. Quilts are to be used daily and rolled around on the floor with by your grandchildren, and washed when filthy. Of course her quilts can handle this abuse because they are amish. My utilty quilts get treated better than her perfect amish quilts.

Finally I let her know that I had handle some amish quilts in my time and they too are machined pieced, not all but more than half are pieced on treadles. And the ones that I had seen in "Amish shops" in Amish country Pennsylvania were not good quality fabric like I see on the more modern quilts. I gave her credit where credit was due, because I too admire what it takes to quilt a quilt by hand. Its a talent I have but refuse to use becuase it hurts my fingers and takes to long. And I just flat like machined quilted quilts. I asked her if she had ever been to a real quilt show for the big girls with electricty. No was her reply, I let her know that one of Sharon Shambers quilt was sold to the Museum in Paducha for around $12,000. And she also got a big fat check from one of the longarm manufacutures for $10,000. Machined pieced and machine quilted, Her jaw dropped and she went back to her corner where she belonged.

If she were a quilter or a seamstress her quilt knowlegde might have been a little more insightful and helpful to me. But this gal asked me to mend her husbands pants last year becuase she doesn't even own a needle and thread. I told her that theres a alteration shop down the street.

Wow, no quilt would pass the magnifying glass test. Good job putting her in her place.

Don't ya just love "experts" who know nothing? :p

It seems that the people who know the least about a subject, want to talk the most about it. I had to laugh when you told her there was an alteration shop down the street. haha I never considered myself as a quilter until I joined this board. Now I say it out loud sometimes and the sky doesn't fall in on me. I've gained more confidence from everyone on here. I know I don't do some things the right way, but that's okay...I'm having fun anyway!

Good for you , you told told her without losing your cool!!:thumbup:

Funny thing is... the ones who know the least don't know that they know the least, and still want to talk about it!! Good job.... and besides - yes, the quilts I make are meant to be used and loved, but if I had any antique quilts, you can be sure they wouldn't be rolling around on the floor with my 2-year old grandson!! :)

All the power to you! Sometimes I question my sanity when I meet people like that and for a moment my insecurities all come up but luckily so does the adrenaline as well.

I agree with Neesie. It seems the less they know the more they open their mouth. I have a bad habit of looking around while telling the person I'm trying to find someone who gives a crap about your opinion but I can't seem to be able to. I know I'm bad LOL

We have quite few Amish customers. When I was working my booth this year I brought some hand work with me and a few of my customers stopped to see what I was working on. You know ... not one of them quilted. They sewed their own clothes, but none of them quilted.

I guess they must not be REAL Amish :)

YOU GO GIRL!! anymore I dont even bother showing my quilts to those I KNOW dont appreciate what goes into a quilt, it just makes me mad. So dumb that some feel the need to "know everything", ha!!So pooie to all the snobs!!!