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

[speckledhen]

All blocks are finished and I am considering how to arrange them, but here is how they will look (borders not attached yet, of course)





ETA: first border is pinned and this is how it will look B4 the red chickenwire one.

 

[donrae]

Makes me smile just looking at them!

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I felt it was really catty for them to say that to her, making her feel bad and/or stupid to pay that price for a custom quilted piece when they hadn't even seen it or the quality. Seemed quite rude to me.


ETA: Good grief. My neighbor just called. I had said if someone knew some secret place to get top quality quilt fabric for less than TOB sales, I'd love to hear about it. She asked the woman who said I could find cheaper fabric where she was talking about. Well, she gave her the name of some individual woman in North Carolina. Say what? Now, how am I supposed to know about some secret fabric coven in NC, lol? And I still doubt she has the quality fabrics I've been using for less than what I've been paying. STILL, that is not even the point! I didn't even charge the neighbor for all the fabric I bought or used or for the batting. I charged her for a commissioned, custom hand quilted bed runner and all that entails-hunting down the right fabrics, the time, the quality threads used, the experience of the quilter, the hours of labor, etc. And, if I had not bought one fabric specifically for this project, I'd still have to consider materials in what I charged her because when they are used up, I no longer have them to use for something else.

I would be furious. (In fact, I'm angry just hearing it) Being a quilter myself, I know all to well the time and effort that goes into a quality piece. Lesser quality fabrics don't last as long, don't hold the stitching as well, the list goes on and on. It's obvious that your neighbor does not, and seems to think that a quilt is something that can be just thrown together on a whim. A quality quilt costs money, and involves a lot of work. I agree, it was totally rude and uncalled for for the woman to decide what fabric you should be using in your quilts. It shows a total disregard for the skill and effort that goes into a custom piece, and a complete lack of knowledge of the art as a whole.

 

[speckledhen]

I would be furious. (In fact, I'm angry just hearing it) Being a quilter myself, I know all to well the time and effort that goes into a quality piece. Lesser quality fabrics don't last as long, don't hold the stitching as well, the list goes on and on. It's obvious that your neighbor does not, and seems to think that a quilt is something that can be just thrown together on a whim. A quality quilt costs money, and involves a lot of work. I agree, it was totally rude and uncalled for for the woman to decide what fabric you should be using in your quilts. It shows a total disregard for the skill and effort that goes into a custom piece, and a complete lack of knowledge of the art as a whole.

Thank you so much for your comments and support. I was just taken aback by the rudeness of those women as well as her rudeness in even bringing the subject up to me, who suffered the pricked fingers and long hours creating something I hoped she would love. I personally think her runner turned out gorgeous and I bet anyone who sees it is telling her so.

I don't recall if I talked about this in this thread so forgive me if I'm repeating myself. I made a queen size quilt on commission for a good friend a few years ago and she gladly paid me for the fabric I had to buy that I did not have in my stash; it was her winter quilt in reds and greens. I did not charge her for anything other than what fabric I was forced to purchase because she's been one of those friends that you just want to do things for over the years. If I could have afforded it, I wouldn't even have charged her for the fabric; when I broke my ankle five years ago and was stuck in bed, she surprised me with one of those little Acer Netbooks so I wouldn't go insane, knowing I didn't have a laptop, that kind of friend. The greens I had some of, but reds I hardly ever keep, and both had to be certain shades, holiday type greens and rich, deep reds. The fabric alone that I bought at less than $5/yd from my online source, a killer BARGAIN for first quality cottons, was well over $100. That wasn't all I used, just what I had to buy to supplement what I had on hand. If I had bought them from a quilt shop, they would have cost me almost 3x as much. So that was fabric alone, not counting thread or design expertise or time and labor. That same quilt for someone else would have cost them around $500 to commission.


It was this one I mentioned in post #119



I have table runners and table toppers for sale now on our site and on Etsy and no one is buying. They are hand quilted, not machine quilted. Makes me wonder if the art is just no longer appreciated. And they are not really expensive, either. I'd still be making things, but gosh, I have to sell something to have room for other stuff, LOL. It just makes me wonder if they'd rather support Walmart's imported crap (and they'll replace that comforter four or five times and these quilts will still be together) rather than someone like me or Ladyhawk who are just trying to support our families. If so, hope they're happy with what they get. *(No, I don't hope that. I hope they curse Walmart when the seams come apart the first time they try to wash it, hehe).




ETA: Bed runner top complete.



And I made a set of mug mats out of the same fabrics.

 

[jerrey]

IT IS REALLY NICE PEOPLE DON'T UNDER STAND IF I AM GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING I WANT GOOD MATERIAL

 

[speckledhen]

IT IS REALLY NICE PEOPLE DON'T UNDER STAND IF I AM GOING TO MAKE SOMETHING I WANT GOOD MATERIAL

Agreed. If you get cheaply made fabric, it is hard to use and won't hold up over the years, either. I have a wonderful source for very reasonably priced top quality cotton fabric that I seriously doubt anyone will beat for what I'm getting. I may shop for good prices, but I won't skimp on quality of the fabric.

 

[jerrey]

YOU ARE RIGHT IF YOU WHAT SOMETHING NICE YOU PAY FOR IT ,AND ANY ONE THAT QUILTS REALLY DOES NOT WANT TO USE CHEAP MATERIAL IT DOES NOT HOLD IT SHAPE OR THE THREAD IT PULL OUT EASY

 

[speckledhen]

YOU ARE RIGHT IF YOU WHAT SOMETHING NICE YOU PAY FOR IT ,AND ANY ONE THAT QUILTS REALLY DOES NOT WANT TO USE CHEAP MATERIAL IT DOES NOT HOLD IT SHAPE OR THE THREAD IT PULL OUT EASY

You are absolutely right about that. It's one area that it does not pay to skimp in. Even a better thread than the usual Coats and Clark you find at Walmart can help, too, but the fabric is key.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

You are absolutely right about that. It's one area that it does not pay to skimp in. Even a better thread than the usual Coats and Clark you find at Walmart can help, too, but the fabric is key.

...The same people who want cheap fabric will also be the first to complain if the seams loosen with washing like cheap fabric tends to do....

 

[speckledhen]

...The same people who want cheap fabric will also be the first to complain if the seams loosen with washing like cheap fabric tends to do....

Yes, they will. The thing is that I can buy superb fabric at shoddy fabric prices because I have a source. If I didn't, I would have to pay more and if I'm searching for a particular shade or something super specific, I may have to go up in price by buying at a local quilt shop so I can see in person what I'm buying rather than getting it at my online source, but either way, I refuse to use shoddy fabric. It really doesn't save anything in the long run.

That rooster fabric is fabulous quality quilter's cotton. At Thousands of Bolts, I paid only $4.95/yard. They had sale fabrics, all guaranteed quality, as low as $2.95/yard! That's an excellent price for any well-made quilters cotton.