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We search for the right fabric, the right pattern and put many hours into the creation of a quilt that we are so proud to give to a beloved or a friend. Just because we put so much time and energy into a project, should we expect someone to feel the same about the quilt that we do? An associate is unhappy that the quilt that she gave to a family member is not appreciated the way she felt it should be appreciated nor is it on display in their home. Who knows the reason the quilt was not displayed or being used but when she showed the quilt to us there was mixed responses. I for one loved the pattern and her quilting was wonderful but HATED the color combination but of course I would never tell her that, I mentioned the things about the quilt that I liked and congratulated her on completing the project. She is really upset over the lack of appreciative responses.
Two questions: Would you tell someone if you didn't like their efforts (me no way)? And second, should we expect others to love our quilts just because we do? |
Everyone's tastes are so different, not every pattern, or fabric combination is to another's liking. I believe that those of us who quilt and work with fabric and pattern realize this and therefore are appreciative of the work and the artistic license that is part of the craft.
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I think every quilt is beautiful because they are to the eyes of the creator. If they didn't like it they wouldn't have done it. I also don't expect other people to like a quilt made for them, but we should all be polite and express appreciation for a gift because no one HAS to give you anything. At least that is what my grandmother tought me. What makes me mad is when someone begs you to make them a quilt, even tells you that whatever colors you pick are fine, and when you make it they don't even acknowledge receiving it. That doesn't go only for homemade crafts, also for purchased things. Someone too the time and $ to buy me something and get it to me, to my eye that is more than I was expecting. I always appreciate a gift. If I am lucky eneough that is a home made craft, even better.
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I would never tell someone I didn't like a project they did. You can always find something nice to say. I figure they must be proud of it or they wouldn't show it to you.
No, they don't have to love my quilts, but a little recognition is always nice. |
Originally Posted by MamaBear61
Everyone's tastes are so different, not every pattern, or fabric combination is to another's liking. I believe that those of us who quilt and work with fabric and pattern realize this and therefore are appreciative of the work and the artistic license that is part of the craft.
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I can appreciate the effort that goes into a quilt even if I don't exactly like the quilt. I would never make a negative comment about a finished quilt. If someone asks to help them decide between two borders or such, I just give my opinion.
Quilting is an art. Art is a personal taste. People are never going to agree. |
When DH and I got married, his Godmother gave us a king size quilt. It isn't a pieced quilt but a cheater cloth but nicely hand quilted. The only problem is that it is all country pink, solid country pink backing, country pink design on front with off white background and quilted with bright pink floss. I still have the quilt but it is on the top shelf of the linen closet waiting for someone who loves country pink.
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Personally, any item that is hand made I appreciate wether I like it or not, just the fact that they care to take thier time to make something is enough for me. But alot of people do not appreciate this as I do.
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Years ago my aunt gave me a quilt that her mother in law had made. I thought that was the ugliest thing I ever saw. It was orange satin and had raised flowers on the front. The center of each flower and each petal was stuffed. I guess the trapunto of yesteryear. And it was hand quilted. I look at that quilt today, now that I am a quilter, and really look at the beauty of the quilt. Maybe orange isn't my favorite color but I can certainly appreciate the work and time that went into making it.
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If I am making a quilt for someone, I will ask them what colors they would like and what they do not want.
If I am making one for a customer, they choose the fabrics. I agree, everyone has different taste. |
I would never tell someone that I didn't like the fabric, pattern or anything else about it. And if it was made for me, I would be so happy that someone took the time to make something for me,
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I agree with Sewnsewer2. Once a quilt, or whatever gift, is given, let it go. Maybe the person receiving it uses it when you're not around. Remember, it's the thought on your part, that is special.
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When I make a quilt for someone, I go to great extremes to use the colors they like, as well as a theme or pattern that best fits their personality/lifestyle. But I totally understand if they don't hang in their living room! After all, quilts originated for beds! We have several quilts in our bedroom--that keep us very warm, but do nothing for our decor.
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I would never tell someone I did not like anything they took the time and money to make. All quilts are pretty to me, even if I really don't like the colors or pattern. They must like it or they won't have made it. You must think of the other person's feelings.
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I think we all are individuals. Because someone else loves one thing and you another does not make one of us better or.. more correct than the other? so NO. I love log cabins.. some love the beach. I could not live at the beach nor do I love beachy things. But others are not hot on deer, trees, etc. So when I create something I know its the old theres a rear for every chair theory. For some that chair will fit when they sit down for others.. not so they need a different one. Be happy with what you have done, love it because it makes you feel good and then the rest .. it doesnt matter at all.
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Most of my quilts have gone to family members and they have been happy to receive them. Some more than others. It's always nice to get a thank you. That's enough for me.
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Originally Posted by marty_mo
Two questions: Would you tell someone if you didn't like their efforts (me no way)? And second, should we expect others to love our quilts just because we do? Question 2. No! It's very satisfying to get what I think is genuine praise of my quilt(s), but, in fact, how someone else feels about it does not change how much I like it. |
:wink: my grandmother always said (IF I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, I SAY NOTHING AT ALL) she would always start with you know how i love to talk.
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I would never complain about a gift someone has given; that just seems rude. Someone here said quilting is an art, and everyone's taste is different. Beauty is individual.
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One of the things that has impressed me about this list is that I've noticed everyone is so complimentary about projects. No negative talk here! :)
Re unappreciated quilts---Many years ago I made a quilt for DS & DIL. Later when I visted I saw it on the garage floor. I bit my lip (HARD!!)but made no comment. True several more times. Now they have 2 teenagers & while we were visiting Christmas, she said she would love for me to make one for each of them so that when they have a family, they will have a "picnic" quilt to enjoy as much as they have theirs all these years. I immediately changed my attitude & the lip healed long ago. |
Well, I had this happen to me Saturday as a matter of fact. Helped throw a surprise BD party and I made the gift, quilt. I posted the picture here last week, it was a tube block quilt and got lots of praise for it here. The other 2 girls love it too. But the BD girl looked so disappointed when she opened it. One of the other ladies got kind of offended and said that if BD girl didn't want it, she would take it and the BD girl (kidding I guess) said she could have it.
I agree, once a quilt is given, it is no longer mine. I can bet that that quilt will not be displayed anywhere in her home LOL I would not say a word if it were me and at least act very happy with it because I know how much work went into it. |
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
When DH and I got married, his Godmother gave us a king size quilt. It isn't a pieced quilt but a cheater cloth but nicely hand quilted. The only problem is that it is all country pink, solid country pink backing, country pink design on front with off white background and quilted with bright pink floss. I still have the quilt but it is on the top shelf of the linen closet waiting for someone who loves country pink.
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Originally Posted by Pinkrose4664
Well, I had this happen to me Saturday as a matter of fact. Helped throw a surprise BD party and I made the gift, quilt. I posted the picture here last week, it was a tube block quilt and got lots of praise for it here. The other 2 girls love it too. But the BD girl looked so disappointed when she opened it. One of the other ladies got kind of offended and said that if BD girl didn't want it, she would take it and the BD girl (kidding I guess) said she could have it.
I agree, once a quilt is given, it is no longer mine. I can bet that that quilt will not be displayed anywhere in her home LOL I just looked at the quilt you made for the BD girl. How anyone could be dissapointed in getting that is beyond me. I'm going to try my hand at the tube quilting. If I would receive a quilt that nice looking you bet your butt I would be showing that off to everyone. I wouldn't even care if the colors didn't match anything I have in my home. That is one beautiful quilt. You did a GREAT job! I would not say a word if it were me and at least act very happy with it because I know how much work went into it. |
Originally Posted by Dingle
Originally Posted by Pinkrose4664
Well, I had this happen to me Saturday as a matter of fact. Helped throw a surprise BD party and I made the gift, quilt. I posted the picture here last week, it was a tube block quilt and got lots of praise for it here. The other 2 girls love it too. But the BD girl looked so disappointed when she opened it. One of the other ladies got kind of offended and said that if BD girl didn't want it, she would take it and the BD girl (kidding I guess) said she could have it.
I agree, once a quilt is given, it is no longer mine. I can bet that that quilt will not be displayed anywhere in her home LOL I just looked at the quilt you made for the BD girl. How anyone could be dissapointed in getting that is beyond me. I'm going to try my hand at the tube quilting. If I would receive a quilt that nice looking you bet your butt I would be showing that off to everyone. I wouldn't even care if the colors didn't match anything I have in my home. That is one beautiful quilt. You did a GREAT job! I would not say a word if it were me and at least act very happy with it because I know how much work went into it. |
Originally Posted by Pinkrose4664
Originally Posted by Dingle
Originally Posted by Pinkrose4664
Well, I had this happen to me Saturday as a matter of fact. Helped throw a surprise BD party and I made the gift, quilt. I posted the picture here last week, it was a tube block quilt and got lots of praise for it here. The other 2 girls love it too. But the BD girl looked so disappointed when she opened it. One of the other ladies got kind of offended and said that if BD girl didn't want it, she would take it and the BD girl (kidding I guess) said she could have it.
I agree, once a quilt is given, it is no longer mine. I can bet that that quilt will not be displayed anywhere in her home LOL I just looked at the quilt you made for the BD girl. How anyone could be dissapointed in getting that is beyond me. I'm going to try my hand at the tube quilting. If I would receive a quilt that nice looking you bet your butt I would be showing that off to everyone. I wouldn't even care if the colors didn't match anything I have in my home. That is one beautiful quilt. You did a GREAT job! I would not say a word if it were me and at least act very happy with it because I know how much work went into it. |
When making a quilt for someone I, too, try to make it in colors that they like and a pattern that fits them. I don't expect anyone to "gush" over it, but I do expect them to appreciate the effort. And no, I would never tell anyone that I didn't like their colors or whatever. Their choices aren't mine, nor should they be. We are all individuals with individual tastes. That's what is so wonderful about quilting. No two quilts will ever be exactly the same.
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When confronted with a handcrafted item that leaves a bit to be desired, I try to find something positive to say about it.
When I give a quilt as a gift, I hope that I picked the right color and a pattern that will be liked or appreciated. However, I cannot control how the recipient will react, or how that person will treat the quilt. Gifts should be given from the heart. If they come with strings attached, they are not really gifts. |
i'm sometimes disappointed by somebody else's reaction to a quilt i'm really proud of and think is pretty.
on the flip side, i've made some i thought were barf-inducing by the time they were done. i've sold every one of them. go figure. :roll: :lol: |
I different option on most quilts that my quilting buddies, but I love them anyway. Everyone has different likes and dislikes on patterns and fabric. I do mostly artsey quilts, wild bold colors and abstract designs, but the 2 groups I quilt with are more traditional. But I love the work they do, as they do with mine. Everyone is different, but they should be kind. That is only good manners.
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I learned my lesson about gifting after finding a white afghan I'd made in my SIL's dog's bed less than a year after she'd received it. I've seen quilts that I think are bu**-ugly, but, being a quilter who prefers traditional patterns, I appreciate the work, time, and expense that goes into most handmade items and can always find a complement to share. Everyone has their own taste.
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Originally Posted by Justok
I would never tell someone I didn't like a project they did. You can always find something nice to say. I figure they must be proud of it or they wouldn't show it to you.
No, they don't have to love my quilts, but a little recognition is always nice. |
Originally Posted by quiltingnonie
When I make a quilt for someone, I go to great extremes to use the colors they like, as well as a theme or pattern that best fits their personality/lifestyle. But I totally understand if they don't hang in their living room! After all, quilts originated for beds! We have several quilts in our bedroom--that keep us very warm, but do nothing for our decor.
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Originally Posted by marty_mo
We search for the right fabric, the right pattern and put many hours into the creation of a quilt that we are so proud to give to a beloved or a friend. Just because we put so much time and energy into a project, should we expect someone to feel the same about the quilt that we do? An associate is unhappy that the quilt that she gave to a family member is not appreciated the way she felt it should be appreciated nor is it on display in their home. Who knows the reason the quilt was not displayed or being used but when she showed the quilt to us there was mixed responses. I for one loved the pattern and her quilting was wonderful but HATED the color combination but of course I would never tell her that, I mentioned the things about the quilt that I liked and congratulated her on completing the project. She is really upset over the lack of appreciative responses.
Two questions: Would you tell someone if you didn't like their efforts (me no way)? And second, should we expect others to love our quilts just because we do? I'd hope someone who received my quilt would not openly speak ill of it, or destroy it, but saving that, a gift belongs to the person you give it to, so choose carefully! |
People are very ungrateful if they do not appreciate the thought behind the gift AND the work that went into it --- please tell her to send her quilts my way!
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When I make a quilt I do it with love. Once it is given away my job is done. The receivers job is to accept it gracefully. If they don't, they haven't done their job. Their job is not your responsibility. You have done your job with love. Keep on quilting and giving and one of these days someone will get a quilt with such joy you will remember forever. Been there.
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if you love something let it go.... I too think all quilts are special and i know the effort and skill it takes to make one but think what we are leaving behind. I'v seen many very old quilts with no name or date and i wonder what the womens life was like and how she felt about her quilt not only while she was working on it , but when she freely gave it away.
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The quilts I have designed for my kids/family/friends will have to reflect each of their tastes, and be made for the use they will get, or they will sit in their closets or be given away. I KNOW this, so if I don't make something to their liking I can't be upset if it isn't used.
My likes are so different from someone else's, although I love and appreciate each and every gift ever given me...who hasn't at one point thought "what were they thinking" LOL... so when I am going to put this much time, money and effort into a quilt, I make sure that it is exactly what the recipient will enjoy :D:D:D |
I quilt because I enjoy the process--- it is my hobby. If I give the result of my hobby, a quilt, to someone else, then I can't expect them to have the same level of enjoyment that I derived from quilting.
My MIL has painted porcelain objects for 40 years. She gives every one in our family Christmas ornaments, Easter eggs, and other painted objects every year. I have no guilt in saying a heart-felt thank you each time, without an obligation to display them all. I choose my favorites and pack the rest away, otherwise my house would be dominated by her paintings, which are not my taste. She chooses to continue painting things even though she can see that I don't put all of them out. As long as DH doesn't ask me to display his mom's work, then I won't. |
I look at it as I'm making something that will be given away, either tomorrow, next week, next year, next decade, etc...
Even if my creations ends up at Goodwill someday, they are something I made and left behind, even if no one even knows who I am. Someone, sometime, somewhere will find enjoyment and hopefully find comfort in looking at them, or receive warmth from them. |
I totally agree as to many different tastes for different people. I recently made a quilt with lots of different polka dot cats on it. There was one fabric I almost didn't use because I wasn't that crazy about it. Two people have since told me that they like that print the best of all in that quilt - go figure!
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