Sunday, May 15, 2011

Are you still making quilts?

That's what someone dear to me just said this evening (names are withheld to protect feelings all round). I mentioned that I have been working on bindings for several days because I let my completed unbound quilts stack up this spring and had several to finish. "Are you still making quilts?" Like, "How many quilts do you need?" "Where are you putting all of them?" Or, maybe, "Don't you have other things to do?"

Ouch. I hastened to explain that one was for my niece, one was for my husband's couch in his den, and another was a larger quilt for our bed. As if I had to justify making quilts. And I was upset for feeling like I had to justify what I do.

Maybe I'm reading too much into what was said. Maybe it was just a passing comment. But it was still an ouch.

5 comments:

Anne Ida said...

People who haven't been bitten by the quilt bug themselves have no idea what we are all about, and I think we just have to accept that, even if it does hurt.

Once I had a colleague who popped into the copy room at work while I was printing a paper piecing pattern - she started off her comment by sweetly saying that she made a quilt once.... when quilting was still in fashion! I just couldn't believe my ears! And I got really angry and upset, too.

My friends are constantly asking me when I'm going to buy a larger flat to make room for my quilts, I know they don't mean anything bad by it, and they love my quilts, but still it gets to me sometimes...

But I have realized what we do is our passion, our way of being creative, our way to challenge our brain, work on eye-hand coordination etc. And honestly the only person I have to justify myself to is me. I intend to enjoy my quilting as long as I think it's fun! :-)

Happy quilting! Hugs and stitches from me

Marla said...

I get that all the time. My favortie is my Grandma asking WhatDO YOU DO with all those quilts! Actually it cracks me up when I get the question. I just say, I make them! LOL!! Those that ask OBVIOUSLY haven't been a reciepient!!

The Calico Cat said...

2 laughs here (I know for a fact that some people have not made "that" many quilts... & they still get these questions.)

Do people ask these same questions to stamp collectors or hobby golfers? (etc. any hobby/collection they don't do/have.)

Linda C said...

One of the girls at the bank always asks me this but in part it is because she is friends with another quilting friend of mine.

I don't take offense she asks so it must just be the how or the one they used when they asked you "are you still making quilts?"

Tanya said...

Sometimes I say all of the above to myself. "How many quilts do you need?" That goes along with "Where am I going to put them all?" And of course I know I have other things to do... like cook and clean.