Congratulations, you finally broke me

[Sparklyturtle]

This is also why I stopped sewing for anyone except for gifts and family. I'm so sorry it's happened to you; my sister is also a quilter, and she had to stop making them when her husband became ill and required full-time care.

[workerbee222]

My Mom took up quilting in retirement. I get it. But I have to say, on MY income, I can't afford a $500 quilt, either. Your market isn't in craft shows. Maybe art shows. My impression is that Etsy attracts people who want one-of-a-kind stuff --cheap.

There's no excuse for rudeness. It makes me sad that the general public has no idea what it takes for raw materials to be turned into something they want. If it's any consolation, it goes across other skills. A friend of mine is a handyman. Homeowners and realtors would sometimes try to get him to repair things free, and offer to pass his name onto the buyer of the property as a good source for help. You know - to 'get his name out there.' He's in his sixties. His name is out there.

I work in a clothing store for men. Sewing here, it seems, I'm a genius. When I worked at a bridal chain store, I was doing something 'anyone' could do, apparently. At least, that was what I was told on a weekly basis. The women who come into my current job site do respect what I do. Our stuff is probably at the top end of what certain people around here can afford. It's not for everyone. A lot of people walk in, look around, and turn and walk out. The owner said that used to bother him, but it doesn't any more. He figures he and the non-customer aren't wasting one another's time.

[Pixelated]

Coming in late to this ... I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. People have no clue what somebody's time and talent are worth, nor do they care to think about it. I do realize the economy is tough but still ... too many people today have "cheap" solidly fused onto their brain. Besides the time and talent, they also don't realize that generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Pay $15 for a quilt made in a sweatshop somewhere? And then complain when it falls apart after 2 years.

I remember years ago stopping at a small shop in a small town on the shore of Lake Huron, and the owner showed me an absolutely gorgeous piece of needlework. He had told the maker that he would put it up for $80 and he wouldn't take a cent for showing it. He was still having trouble moving it ... because, ya know, "I can get something for half that price at [low-priced Big Box store]!"

I recently paid $100 for a painting by a local artist.I love it. I saw a second one that I liked (much smaller but about the same price) but that collection has disappeared from the coffee shop where they were hanging. If they can get hold of the artist, I plan to offer to buy that one too. "You paid $100 for THAT??" Yes. Feel free to try duplicating it if you think it's so easy. I wouldn't bother because I can just barely draw a straight line with a ruler.

[earl colby pottinger]

I followed the link to your blog but could not find your email address.

If you can ship to Courtice Ontario Canada, please email me at earl_colby_pottinger@yahoo.ca

The last time i saw a quilt I wanted I bid $3500 for it and still was out bidded. I am willing to pay for items I like.

[XCashier]

I never sew for anyone outside of immediate family, and your experiences are exactly why. Plus, when I worked at the Fabric Store, frequently customers would try to cajole me into doing their sewing for them...without pay, of course.

Some people have no couth whatsoever. They think they know everything when they know nothing, they have no damn clue how much time and effort goes into making things and therefore undervalue them, insulting the maker to try to get a cheap price. Absolutely shameful behavior. I'm sorry you had so many bullies abuse you at your shows, and I certainly don't blame you for stopping them. Stick to Etsy or eBay; you won't have to see those bozos in person! And yes, add the shipping price into your sale price so you don't get screwed out of hard-earned money.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Some people have no couth whatsoever. They think they know everything when they know nothing, they have no damn clue how much time and effort goes into making things and therefore undervalue them, insulting the maker to try to get a cheap price. Absolutely shameful behavior.

A phenomenom known as the Dunning-Kruger Effect, whereby people with low ability, expertise, or experience regarding a certain type of a task or area of knowledge tend to overestimate their ability or knowledge.

[RealUnimportant]

Although that wikipedia article only mentions this fact as a passing theory, it's been heavily statistically debunked, although that doesn't render it less applicable - even the people who designed Dunning-Kruger had Dunning-Kruger.

[Kanalah]

I feel like I've tried everything to help educate people about quilts. I've made price tags that show the materials costs and the hours I spent working - people wanted to only pay the fabric costs, or arguing about my "padding" the hours worked when I was making less then $5/hour. I've had the same prices for a decade. I can understand that not everyone can afford a handmade quilt - they're a luxury item. But what boggles my mind is the *personal attacks*. So you think my prices are too high because WalMart has a bed in a bag for $50? Okay, but don't get in my face and call me a stuck up scamming bitch. I'm developing agoraphobia because every time I leave my house to work an event, I'm getting abused by strangers. I mean I understand that I was a "mistake" to my family and maybe I don't deserve to share the Earth with everyone else. But to have strangers harass me because they're too stupid to understand basics? Okay fine. I've had my prices lowered to below fabric costs since the trainwreck of a show in March. I've even had other people who sew tell me that I'm the problem because I'm supposed to understand that I'm *not allowed* to charge for my time when I make quilts. Apparently it's a quilt thing? Whatever. So randos tell me that my prices are good. I guess I just need to understand that I and by extension everything I make is worthless and I have no value. I should know my place and not be stupid.

[workerbee222]

I've read about the Dunning Kruger effect but my take was that it's a uniquely American problem. I don't care if some experts debunked it. Empirical evidence in my life strongly suggests it exists.

I don't think *you* are the problem. I do think making quilts from leftover fabric from that *hoping* to sell them is just not a good idea. The result, as you have seen over the years, is not easily marketable. The person who wants to buy a piece of art will want some input about color/design, etc, The Walmart/Tarjay shopper wants to go into a place and decide if she wants a blue quilt, a brown one, or a burgundy one, and pay $40. Heck I sew, and I've done that. I just don't have the money for a $400 quilt. I DO envy (it's a moral failing of mine) the few people I know who say, "We bought this piece of pottery on vacation in Faraway Land, and we're decorating the kitchen around it." My last vacation when I didn't just stay home was two hours away.

I've met your customers. They shop at *Large Chain of Bridal Stores.* Hardly a week went by that someone didn't opine that *anyone* could do alterations. I don't work there any more. That wasn't the only reason, but after a while it would have been reason enough. I do some work out of my home. Most of it is referrals from a pageant coach nearby. The woman who has a sewing business near me will no longer do formal wear. People just don't want to pay a fair price for the work. And - though I have 40 years of experience, my boss just hired a back-office person to help at work. Her hourly wage is 50% more than mine, though I do get a commission on what we charge for alterations.

I feel your pain. I'm thinking about asking for a raise, myself. Preliminary research suggests that my current compensation is about the top tier for what I do, but gee whiz. The least they could do is not talk about it with me right there.

[Kanalah]

It's not "leftover" fabrics. I pay 12 to 28 per yard for designer fabrics. I think that the best course of action for me is just to give up. Clearly I am worthless and don't deserve to even make back my costs of fabric. I'm selling what I have at a loss and giving up on my lifelong dream, I wasted 20 years of my life fighting to make even $2/hour.

[earl colby pottinger]

To Kanalah:

Did you think may be the reason you have problems is how hard it is to contact you?

I went to your blog.

I could not find an E-Mail address to send you a message.
I could not find a phone number to give you a voice call.
I could not find a mailing address to send you mail.

How do you expect people to contact you?

[Kanalah]

My blog is dead, no one reads it. I can't even find it in my profile here.

I have a FB page, an Etsy shop, a stand alone website, and I do around 20 events in person.

I don't give out my address for personal reasons.
I don't give out my phone number because people call me at 5am asking for deals.
I thought my email was listed publicly somewhere based on the amount of spam I get.

Now that I've poked around in the code, I changed my sig, if anyone can even see it.

I have an event every weekend from Sept 17 to Christmas and I'm just trying to keep my head above water. I don't want to be homeless again, but it's a possibility.

[RealUnimportant]

The link in your signature works just fine, the email button on that page also seems to work, as does the Facebook button with its own messaging system if people don't like email. I wouldn't put your phone up anywhere for the reasons you've already stated; there's never a quilting emergency that requires an immediate answer!

ToS, FAQ, and Custom order pages are a bit dry and sparse. Even if it's just fleshing it out a bit to include the questions you're answering in the FAQ, and info like "payment must be made [whatever your terms are] before commencing production of custom orders" and that kind of stuff on the other page. I don't know what Square offer in the way of SEO, but I'm not seeing any search terms in the code, so you may not be getting all the hits you could from people using Google etc.

The Space quilt looks delightful! I wish Sterling wasn't so weak right now...

[earl colby pottinger]

Is it just me? I even register on the site and still do not see the email address. Where is it?

[RealUnimportant]

Bottom-right corner of every page.

Is it just me? I even register on the site and still do not see the email address. Where is it?

lower right corner, the email envelope icon that's been in use for 25+ years now...