mountain deb

Sometimes the novice sewer looks at a quilt and sees the whole picture and thinks WOW. You come along and show her if she breaks it down into small blocks it is manageable. Sometimes they need to be educated into how to look at the project, pricing and time. Would she make one for someone else if asked?

cricket_iscute

You wouldn't have posted the question here if you wanted to make the woman a quilt. Don't feel guilty. You have a right to your life and talent.

I think the problem is that while a quilter would like to grace someone with a quilt, they feel guilty saying no because the reality is that the materials will cost a lot and the opportunity cost (what you give up to get something) could be very high in the life of that quilter.

I've had trouble with this issue in the past. But I've been burned enough that, when someone asked me to fix a whole bunch of zippers because she is rough on her purses, and I knew that person to be manipulative, I said no. She came back again and again and I just kept saying no, I had too many other things to do. It started because I did offer to fix one she broke during an intermission and showed her how to do it, but she didn't want to do it, she wanted me to. I had warned her not to move the zipper while I went to my car to get a needle and thread, and what did she do? Yep. So I told her, I'm sorry, but they are closing the building and that's all I can do for you. If you had not broken it the second time, it would be done now. I was proud of myself for refusing to do something I did not want to do, which was to fix dozens of broken zippers.

brenwalt

Just tell her you don't have any "laying around" - just comment that she would enjoy making one herself. Otherwise if she won't do this, there are lots of really inexpensive quilts on ebay - refer her to ebay and she can knock herself out shopping!!

nancysand

I agree she is probably clueless and thinks one of your beautiful quilts would dress up her home. Unfortunately since she has never worked she may not realize what kind of work goes into a quilt. I have had to come out and just laugh when someone asked me to make their Grandmother a quilt by the following weekend which was her 90th birthday. I had made a quilt for her daughter when she was injured playing sports and that opened the door for other requests. When she asked me to make a quilt for her son, I made her purchase the fabric and batting, I put it together and am quilting it when I get time. It made her realize how expensive it was.

KnitnutBZ

Don't forget, you said you MIGHT not I will. If she mentions it again then you can say, only if you want to, " I have my projects done now when do you want to plan to go get your fabric for yours. " But make sure you have a planned comeback if she turns it around on you. Good luck!!

cjc

I'm with you on this one. What a compliment!

grandjan

I wouldn't be offended. It was probably meant as a compliment. But I don't think I'd feel obligated either. People who don't know anything about quilting don't appreciate the commitment of time, effort, talent, money that it takes to complete one. And, sadly, they often don't appreciate it even when you do put forth the effort to make them a special gift. I'm very selective about who I make quilts for these days, even among my family members. I went to a bed-turning once and a beautiful quilt was displayed, made in the 50's, with a huge three-cornered tear in it. It seems that the owner's husband (whose mother had made the quilt) had laid it down on the floor and used it to slide a bureau from one side of the room to the other. It was enough to make you weep. The quilt was stunning. Who could do that? Well, someone who just doesn't know quilting and doesn't care much. And there are lots of them.

Rose_P

What on earth is a bed-turning? I have never heard of this, but in this context, it almost seems that the woman was trying to draw attention to the horrible thing her husband had done to that quilt!

Rose_P

Aha! Google to the rescue, again: http://www.hgtv.com/video/old-fashio...deo/index.html

cathyvv

Excellent idea!