Are they willing to pay you what your time is worth??? That's what I thought. End of story...No you should not feel guilty.

this is exactly what I do. However I add just a lil bit more..

Just for my TIME I ask $50 for a baby, $75 for a lap $100 for a Queen and so on... oh and I also mention how much it will cost them to have the longarmer quilt it ... after they pick their jaw off the ground i never hear anything more about it.. YAY me !

I have a few friends and family members that will ask if I can make something, but they are always willing to buy the fabric and/or the pattern, so for me it's not a huge issue. If they don't want to buy the fabric I won't make it. I can't even afford the fabric for all the projects I WANT to do, why would I spend money on something that has no appeal for me whatsoever? If I make anything else that I don't ask them to buy fabric for, it's usually a gift I'm making them.
I love spoiling these few good friends with homemade stuff because I KNOW they appreciate it, and they know how much time and effort went into it.

The answer to the original question is "No" you are not mean.

To all quilters who don't want to be harassed by those seeking freebies:

Make a price-card ~

Customer buys the pattern, the fabric, and the thread.
Prices: Baby Quilt $350; Lap Quilt $400; Twin Quilt $500; Double Quilt $650; Queen Quilt $750; King Quilt $900.
Customer will pay in advance.
Customer will receive a finished quilt-top.
Customer is responsible for finding a longarm quilter to finish the quilt.

I guarantee you won't be bothered again after you hand them your nicely printed price list. :)

Whether you paid thousands of dollars for a machine or it is a passed-down machine, that was just her way of seeing if you would do it for free or being nosey about how much you are spending on your hobby. I only do things for free for "some family members". Others who have been nosey in asking, "How much would it cost to make a quilt for me?" I answer it this way... With the price of fabric, thread, batting, longarm quilting and my time- it is in the range of $925-1100 for a queen size quilt with a deposit of 50% up front once you buy the fabric.

"We didn't spend thousands of dollars for the machine to make a quilt for your great grand daughter. I spent thousands of dollars on my hobby."

And she paid thousands of thousands oof dollars on her house and wont let you live there for free???? How dare she!!!!
some people have more balls than a bowling alley. Those people make me sick. They try to guilt us into making things for tthem. Never works for me.
Stick to your guns!!!

Just tell her that since she is a baker, she has to make you 15 pies so you can freeze them because you will be so busy working on her quilt to make your own. And make sure they are a variety.

Wow, what a manipulative **tch. I think you should feel thankful and smart for not allowing yourself to get sucked into a situation where she would have even more opportunities to browbeat and harass you. And I would LOVE it if you showed her my post.

no your not mean.. it is your machine. doesn't matter how much you paid for it. its your fun. your stuff to make.. enjoy. i was asked to hem a pair of pants along time ago. charged five dollars. i cut a long sleeve shirt to a short sleeve charged five dollars . they do not ask me to sew for them anymore....:)