I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum to see the American Quilt exhibits and was confronted with some really rude quilters who treated me like a idiot. I won't go into specifics, I just wanted to remind everyone that quilters come in all shapes, sizes and ages. Don't assume someone doesn't know what they are talking about just because they don't look like your traditional quilter.

And if you are a lady in your 50's, brown hair, white shirt w/ print who was visiting the museum today with 2 other ladies of the same age who snickered at a young mom wearing a Mariners shirt.... I hope your sewing machine eats every last one of your quilts!

that is terrible!

Unfortunately, there are snotty people everywhere. If only they knew what a negative impression they make.

Well said. If enough of us hope for it .... it might happen.:)

So sorry you had a bad experience!

I had a similar experience years ago.

May I suggest for therapy, that you make a pincushion in her honor. Something brown. :lol:

What an unhappy experience for you. Maybe they were visitors from????

well good for you for 'telling' them, even if it was here :) yup, everywhere you go you may run into rudeness. and some venue's seem to really bring them out! sorry you had to deal with a negative during what should have been a really fun day! keep your chin up and just remember that people who behave that way are just avoiding their mirrors...don't take it personal, just consider the source ;)

I don't mean to laugh at your experience, I do feel your pain, but your statement is really funny.

You go girl!

Well if they are going to be rude to a fellow quilter I also hope their machine eats their quilts and what the sewing machine doesn't get maybe a run a way seam ripper will.

Shame on them! But a quilt eating sewing machine???? That might be a little drastic! LOL

People can only put you down if you let them. If it should happen again just look the woman in the eye and say something like, "I've heard that menopause can sometimes make a woman really nasty and hateful, I guess it's true."
Or, "I'm sorry, did I inadvertantly convey the impression that you had the right to be snotty to me?" Don't ever let anyone make you feel less than what you are.
Naomi Judd once said, "Every woman should feel like a princess because we're all daughters of the most High King."

To bad you didn't take a picture of her---you could have printed it out and turned it into a pin cushion. Then every time you thought about her you could stick a pin in her eye.

Rapture - that's a good one about menopause!

I just hope that someone will be really snotty back at her, like telling her that her points are off!

And age has nothing to do with skill and ability. A lot of people don't take up quilting until they are retired.

I love these comebacks, I hope I can remember them if I ever need them.. I especially love the quote from Naomi Judd!!!

Those are really good. I will have to remember them.

You go girl!! And great comebacks! Why is it we can never think of them at the time?

I have met some real snobs at the quilt shows but on the hold they are very nice.

You go girl! That is terrible! No one should judge anyone else!

See if this makes yu feel better.
DD, DGD(18mths old) and I went to Quilt show, couple of years ago.DGD started to throw a tantrum, in her pusher.
One lady turned around, lookes at child, glared at mother, then turned to freind and said"this is no place to bring a baby or a pusher.Look at the space it's taking up."
Quick as a wink DD looked her straight in the eye and replied"Well your a fair unit, you're taking up more space than us, maybe you also should have stayed at home".
Other ladies around us applauded her.
Very sheepish embarassed lady apologised, and left quickly.

Double ditto!!!!

I love it.!!!!!
:thumbup:

Quilters come in all sizes, ages and styles. Sometimes when I go into a LQS, they look at me like I don't belong there, because I look like a biker. So what is a quilter suppost to look like?

I hate people that try to stereotype people into neat pigeon holes! We all aren't one type!

Love it! Unfortunatly when the time comes to say something nasty back, nothing comes out because your dumbstruck.

Sounds like that woman just got her PhD in Bitch-oligy, and was eager to show it off!

The good news: Most of us (middle-aged quilters) are actually nice. Sorry you had to meet the bad apple. Don't let her (or her cronies) spoil anything about your quilting experience.

Why would any mature woman think to snicker at a young mother? That doesn't make any sense. I would have been puzzled and offended. Shame on the old biddy bitches for making you feel uncomfortable for no reason.

Honestly, I'm with you. Whenever I see a young mother trying to deal with a tantrum or bad behavior I think "been there, done that" because we all know our little tykes definitely had their "moments".

You go girl...I always get comments about quilting and that I can't possibly really know what goes into a quilt. I look very young, red hair, freckles, lots of tattoos...when I tell them I hand quilt using size 11 betweens, they usually shut up!

I applaud you for having such a quick comeback. Rude people are miserable and the old saying "Misery loves company".

This brings up a good question: what DOES the average quilter look like? Well, first of all, none of us are average!!! Why do we have to be stereotyped anyway?! I look like (am!) a cowgirl, but I'm a quilter, too! Bad quilt juju on those snotty, judgemental biddies!

In our Sunday School class today---it was about if you can't say anything good, don't say nothing at all! So, I know I need to remember also. But maybe something happened and she didn't mean to be rude! Probably a long day, and not many sales! It is good to let it pass, and focus on good things!!

Next time look them in the eye and say
"We are all like a quilt we come in all sizes & shapes. Not any two are the same. Some young and some old but both are loved." Just remember the judgemental people are want bee's. They do not know how to love or appreciate God perfect quilt.

you go girl. i remembr going to one yrs ago in PA wheni was 18 and looked 12 and some woman was trying to explain "what a quilt was" to me, by that time i had made over 10 quilts, all by hand and hand quilted. she tried to tell e proper quilt protocal too!!

Funny, Stewy!

People like that I don't waste my time on. There are too many people and especially quilters who are nicer than that.

When someone is rude to me, I like to "hit 'em in the head with love." I'd have asked her if she was having a bad day or if she was tired from walking all over the exhibit. If I did it right, she would be ashamed of her original remark. She'd learn, and I'd be a nice person instead of lowering myself to her level.

There is NEVER an excuse for rudeness in my opinion. Your sewing machine remark was quite amusing and the comeback lines provided are great. Hopefully, I, too will remember them when the time comes, and guaranteed it will. Rudeness runs rampant, sadly.

Unfortunately, there are rude people in all walks of life. Most of them are poor miserable souls or know it alls and really are missing out on so much. Somehow it seems worse when it is quilting folks, because 99% are the most wonderful people alive, so loving and giving. You must have run into the quilt police. I guess they do exist after all...

I like this idea!!! I am so sorry they were rude. There is no excuse for that. Most quilters that I have met are more than happy to explain a method if you ask them to but to treat you like that is uncalled for. I enjoy seeing young quiters at shows. It's nice to know that quilting is not a dying art form like so many other things. And yes, I have been at quilt shows with my DD and DGD who was in a stroller. I embroideried a tee shirt for my DGD that said "Quilter in Training" on the front. It was a conversation starter. I like her come back to the large woman.