I just reply that I am so far behind on the ones I want to make that I will never catch up, so the possibility is not good that I would get to one for them. That stops them in their tracks.

If someone kept pushing (and they never have), then I would give them the "do you have any clue what you are asking me to do?" speech. I'm pretty comfortable just saying no. My time is mine and I don't give it away unless I want to. No apologies for that.

It depends how they ask as to what my answer is... Most people who know me, know that I don't have any money. They have to buy the materials.

I am a teacher and librarian in my day job. 800+ kids know that I am a quilter and occasionally they get to see the fruits of my labor. Naturally, they often ask me to make them a quilt. I answer honestly that it costs to make a quilt and I'll gladly take their order with half the money up front, the way I handle commissions from other customers. I always get a answer that he/she doesn't have that kind of money or can't pay, etc. Since they are kids, I take the opportunity to gently teach a quick lesson on manners and that when we ask for something, we should be willing to pay for it. (Otherwise it's begging.) I suggest you treat people who ask the same way you would treat a child who hasn't learned the lesson and teach them.

P.S. when a adult who offended, I apologize and say that I'm so used to working with kids, I sometimes forget myself when I'm dealing with adults.

i agree

I love that!!! I don't make quilts for people that ask. I make then as gifts for my friends or family that deserve them. I would be more than willing that if they bought all the stuff, I would show them how to do it. Ihad a lady tell me that she would buy me the fabric and ask if I would make it for her. I didn't even answer her. I'm sure she would have cringed at the prices of fabric. I really don't think that non-quilters understand how much $ and time is in a quilt.
Another thing I dislike is when I show someone what I made and tell them that I quilted it, they ask me to fix their clothes...lol. I get a little upset and just do it. It takes no time at all. A guy at work gave me $5 to fix a hole in his overhauls and it took me about 5 minutes to fix it. :)

I make my relatives one for their wedding gifts and baby gifts and barely keep up. My sister keeps bugging me for one so I told her she had to get married to get one and she just frowned at me. She kept asking so I told her the last time she asked that I would make her one if she quit smoking. She said thats not going to happen so I offered to teach her how to make her own.

The answer they get from me is: I won't make one for you but I will be glad to teach you how to make one for yourself. If they are interested I will help them. If not I am out of the loop and they don't ask again.

LOL I'm not a sewer....& denim is on my personal hate list. Don't allow it in my sewing rm, so machine won't run off screaming from a denim attack.I tell ppl my machine is very delicate & doesn't do denim. That's my story :-)

Soccertx, I made a quilt for my nephews newborn in Sept. this year and hand delivered it to him, he did not say thanks, what an ugly quilt, nothing. His wife hasn't mentioned it either. I agree with you, I find it extremely rude. Some people are not quiltworthy
JulieM

People that don't sew do not have a clue what goes into a quilt money wise or other wise.