ffq-lar Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 I was explaining to a co-worker just what I do as a longarm quilter. She commented on how that sounded like a "nice hobby". Letting her know that I do this as a business and not a hobby, I finally found a comparison that people seem to actually get! I said to compare what I do to a professional photographer. Both may start out as enthusiastic amateurs. Then, with the purchase of some very expensive machinery, a dedicated place to perform their tasks, and the guts to find a customer base, they both go "pro". They take classes, keep up on the latest in their industry, deal with many and varied personalities every day, and put out beautiful things that please their customers. And some of those things become heirlooms. Just thought I would share! BTW--she still didn't get it!!:P:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 good explaniation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibbyG Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Send her to a quilt show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage Keepsakes Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Originally posted by LibbyG Send her to a quilt show. I think your right Libby. She needs visual education, because if she didn't get it from how Linda explained it, she'll never get it!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Then ask her to have one of her family's quilts (if she has one) to be appraised! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Some people just don't get it anyway, LOL....... I have a quilt on the wall of my office and a female vendor commented on "the blanket". I explained the quilting process to her and that I had made it and I also explained my long arm machine. I have taken vacation time to attend quilt expo's and shows and when I return she always asks if I went to a "knitting convention". I have to chuckle......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delld Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Originally posted by LisaC Some people just don't get it anyway, LOL....... I have a quilt on the wall of my office and a female vendor commented on "the blanket". I explained the quilting process to her and that I had made it and I also explained my long arm machine. I have taken vacation time to attend quilt expo's and shows and when I return she always asks if I went to a "knitting convention". I have to chuckle......... Reminds me of the quilted toilet paper TV commercial and the gals were knitting!!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 My sister in law and brother in law both pretty much dissed my quilting machine when I got it and believed that all I did was turn it on and it did everything automatically. My sister in law is of the old school that it's not a REAL quilt unless it is hand quilted. She has strong opinions but has never, ever made or hand quilted a whole quilt herself. I just ignore her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Linda that is a perfect analogy! Some people just won't ever get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyT Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Good explanation, Linda R. It's amazing how many people don't get it...even after they see your machine and the quilts! They still think the machine does it all for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Great explanation, Linda. I"ll have to remember that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Great explanation Linda! I think many don't really understand no matter how hard you try to explain it...then when they see the machine - they have a whole new respect for what you do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenie123 Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 WHew ,this is a touchy subject for myself whom vowed that all my long hours of piecing a quilt would never be quilted by a computer operated machine,.................fastforward..........less than a year of saying that Iam in the market for a used milli, so it can be upgraded to things I knew nothing about if I keep open minded . I am buying for my own personal use ,I have been quilting on a 35.00 singer 201 ,and pinning on the floor is getting old so needless to say I have decided that if I am going to do it I just as well go big also because all my kids are grown and want big quilts ,the last one I quilted hada few pleats in the back so the idea of no pinning excites me just as much as the machine I have never layed eyes on ,hopefully tommorrow I will test drive and be forever hooked . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 good luck Queenie123, I hope you are hooked well on the first touch! Linda/Vivian, that SIL might need to be educated that using updated tools and technology is still you doing your work. Ask her if she writes everything by hand using a quill, and I am sure that she doesn't use a telephone! Good work to ignore her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Originally posted by Neher-in-law5 good luck Queenie123, I hope you are hooked well on the first touch! Linda/Vivian, that SIL might need to be educated that using updated tools and technology is still you doing your work. Ask her if she writes everything by hand using a quill, and I am sure that she doesn't use a telephone! Good work to ignore her. [/quote A Quill!!! LOL]:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.waits Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Send her to the "Quilts for Sale" page on Carol Bryer Fallert's website. Once she sees the prices, maybe she'll be convinced that what we do is art, not a hobby. At least, not for those of you who are in business. I'm still in the "just for me" stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyA Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I tell people to think of me as a "finish carpenter" for quilts. They still don't really get it. And even my friends look at my job as a hobby - like I can just run out any time. Go Figure. Just laugh. It's all good. Who wants to be taken too seriously in life any way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilted charm Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 All I have to say, is if it were just a hobby, I'd get to do more of my own stuff! I have to squeeze my things in between the paying customers. As my husband says, "since she got that machine, I never see her. She only comes out of the cave to eat and sleep, and I never see anything she finished!":P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anicatt Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Originally posted by quilted charm All I have to say, is if it were just a hobby, I'd get to do more of my own stuff! I have to squeeze my things in between the paying customers. As my husband says, "since she got that machine, I never see her. She only comes out of the cave to eat and sleep, and I never see anything she finished!":P Yes! Sounds VERY familiar - hehehe A good way to get your own stuff done now and then is to slot yourself in as a Customer Every now and then a mysterious woman called *Gracie* appears on my quilt schedule. (Gracie is actually the name of my millie btw ) Doesn't always work because sometimes a please please PLEASE quilt comes in but *Gracie* is very forgiving and she does give me a bit of space to juggle things around - Ani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I live with three men (ages 15 to 54) who think mom goes to work and "plays" each day. All they see is the time away from the farm...i.e. I am not feeding/taking care of the 5500 pigs any more or driving much tractor. I figure the 15 and 18 year old boys are big enough to handle the pig chores instead of their "old lady":D I also find it much more stimulating to visit with my renters and people who drop off/pick up quilts then chatting with the pigs:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IQ'd Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I told one of my aunts, who was of the mind that it isn't really quilted unless done by hand, that people used to sew it together by hand , pick the cotton by hand, weave the cloth by hand etc. but when we got machines we looked on that as progress. I used to sell embroidery machines too and some people would say that about embroidery. I don't have the time it would take to quilt a quilt by hand, or to piece one by hand. She stopped listening to me and I am sure she still doesn't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 I was explaining to a woman once, and I could see the light come on. She said, " Oh! You're a fiber artist!" I said, "That's right, honey, and I'm not working in Metamucil!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclark Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 Very well put, Linda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 Great explanation and I agree, some people are just not ever going to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Grammy Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 LOL I was asked to help at a local state park on quilting history and she asked if I could bring my LA along. I said that was not posible and when she asked why not it was just a sewing machine:(. I showed her a picture on my phone and said this is what I quilt on I'll bring a picture but not the real thing. She said wow didn't have a clue and that a picture of that bad boy would be just fine. :D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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