Grrr, Wanting Something for Nothing & No Appreciation for Fine Hand Quilting....A Rare Speckledhen

[DigMyChicks]

I was reading your posts of how your family has reacted to getting handmade item, how awful, shame on them. I hate it when people don't understand or appreciate the time and cost we put into our quilts. The pics of your quilts are just stunning, This is my new project I'm working on my 3D quilt and then the last picture the quilt went to it's new home. The color contrast isn't as sharp as I had envisioned it but once started and had the fabric for it I felt committed.

Beautiful!

 

[speckledhen]

Beautiful quilt


people think you can just turn out a quilt in a day or two, good quality, loving work takes time.

Thanks, I'm glad Ranee loves it. As far as time, tingling and numb fingers don't help the situation. That's why I was determined to learn to machine quilt so I didn't have to give up my hobby entirely. Until a few years ago, I pieced by hand as well. I'm not the best machine quilter, but I am improving a lot and I love my machine, named Rhonda (as in the Beach Boys "Help Me, Rhonda!", lol).

 

[Zoomie]

Thank you, I will check out those videos! I know what you mean, I could never get the hang of that binding tool thingie until I watched a Youtube video. LOL! How did I ever survive without a computer?

I will post pics when I finish piecing it. It is a kit quilt. I never thought I'd be interested but it's very intricate and not something I would be able to do on my own. The pieces are already cut out! Which is great because there are about a million of them!! This is what it looks like when it's done, this is just a pic they have to advertise it:

 

[speckledhen]

I'm working on a 3D quilt,

here is the first block

I
I have the second block almost finished, I found a mistake and now I have fallen in love with my seam ripper

here is the pattern


here is the link https://www.google.com/search?q=lab...X&ved=0ahUKEwjo04D518_QAhVs34MKHTDRAK4QsAQIGg
the finished top quilt pic disappears when I submit the post

I remember you showing us that block and I LOVE IT! It's gorgeous. I have done attic windows and a couple of blocks that are sort of 3D-looking, but not to that degree. This one sort of verges on having that dimensional-look, not technically 3D like yours is:

 

[speckledhen]

@katsdar @speckledhen I like those blocks! That 3-D is really a cool look. I love effects like that when you simply use color in a clever way. I've always wanted to do an attic windows, but have not yet found the perfect fabric for it.

And thank you, speckledhen, I was really taken with that pattern and thought it would be a gorgeous quilt. So far I am impressed with the directions, they work, although of course you do have to read them. I must admit it sure saves time to use the kit; some of those pieces are tiny and it would have been difficult to cut them accurately.

I had never done a kit until a friend sent me a huge box of fabric and there were kits in it. I pieced this one, which another friend bought from me and quilted. It's called Posey Park and was HUGE!

 

[speckledhen]

I have the thimbleberries pansy park kit, that someone needed to rehome, I'm not sure it was ever out of the package. Your quilt is an inspriation to get mine started

Oh, crud, I did say the wrong name! Yes, it's Pansy, not Posey. The directions are good so you can do it, just be methodical. It's pretty much a king size quilt, I think, or a very large queen.

 

[speckledhen]

Enjoying this thread. Thank you for posting.
Working on so many projects in my retirement years.

Thank you for reading it. When I first began my quilting hobby back in the 80's, I had the vague notion that when we retired, I'd make and sell quilts. That really didn't work out so well. I have little need for hundreds of quilts for myself, one bed here, and no real place to store a lot of them. I have to do it but what to do with the finished product? I want to sell some just to pay for the cost of the fabric and thread, but not many buyers. Maybe we can get out Etsy shop back up and running when my business partner works out her issues. Maybe. If I had my own Paypal, I guess I could continue but DH won't open one and I am also hesitant to mess with it after hearing so many issues. And I don't want to get into a real official business with tax issues, etc, and complicate my life. So, I try to sell here on BYC and on the Facebook page for Blue Roo Creations. May lose that domain name this year. Can't keep paying for it if it just sits there being useless.

 

[speckledhen]

please post the beautiful log cabin quilt pic so others can see and appreciate work.

Sure. I think this would look very nice in your colors. Being made with strips, I may have more in my scrap totes to add to the fabrics I bought today, too. I have them basically organized by color so shouldn't be hard to check that tomorrow.

 

[speckledhen]

Wow that is a huge difference Per yard
Madder Rose is one of the main colors in my color pallet of tubes. Red comes in so many shades. I never was a screaming fire engine red person. That orange red is just not me. Prefer the cooling down that fire engine red with a bit of softening. Just not a pale Pink person. Cotton candy is too sweet. Not me I have more fire in my belly But not a screaming look at me fire engine red.

Actually, red, as in Christmas red, is my least favorite color. Yellow is second to that. I like rose colors. I like soft buttery golds. When Ellie asked me to do her "winter" quilt (we joked about it because we don't participate in the holiday and I loathe Christmas fabrics, so did not use any of those, only "winter" fabrics, nothing with any Christmas-specific patterns), I had to buy a LOT of reds because I don't stock those, generally. But, green, on the other hand is my favorite color. Again, I am not a Christmas green fan, but I like woodsy greens and sage greens. Didn't use sages, of course, but I had some greens that worked in it. Cost me about $100 to buy enough different reds and other greens I didn't have to complete her quilt (she got me a gift card from ThousandsofBolts to buy them, but I had a few of my own on hand I used, too). When I did her faux watercolor quilt for spring/summer, someone on BYC, a very super thoughtful lady sent me a box of fabrics to use. Watercolor quilts use a myriad of different fabrics, very splashy florals, which I also rarely stock. Here is the watercolor quilt I did for Ellie in case you didn't see it:

beautiful

Glad you're liking it.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

SpeckledHen

I would be arrogant and straight forward as that blanket and your time commands and deserves the price you are asking and more! In fact, I think the woman should be honored to get it at the price you stated.

Even from a guys prospective, that is a **** beautiful quilt/spread (and no I'm not Gay) lol. If they cannot appreciate your quality, the hand works and time they are lacking in some reality. Perhaps next time, give them the price and ask them to pay up front. Keep that beautiful piece of work and use it as a display of your quality..... and BRAG!

At the least, I would have dropped the offer at the first hint of her objection to the price...neighbor or not! Then comment its OK I'll just write off the $XXX .00 dollars in materials as a loss on my taxes.....then say "I agree it does'nt show the 15+(?) hours of work I have in it, and remind her of the 0.50 cents an hour labors calculations". Can you excuse me, I need to oil my machine, I wore it out on that blanket and need to get started on another customers blanket...just hope the electric bill isn't too high this month. I would guilt the hell out of them! They certainly don't mind insulting you now did they?

We all know (even we Men) the hard work and love you put into such and the photos show that. The fact that the person was getting inputs from a senior citizen(s) prospective, I doubt that most of them are in touch with the reality of toady's cost so dint take it too personal. I am sure the fabric prices they noted were of some senior citizen discounts of 3 year outdated prints and such that were collecting dust at the fabric shop.

I am as country as you can expect today, but even I can appreciate and respect a good hand made Quilt/Spread and compare it too a Bespoke suit of fine virgin wool's and materials. Not to mention the personal Taylor customized quality.

Thank you for sharing the photos, they were a pleasure!