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I am a professional quilter. Basically you have an idea and I turn it into artwork you can snuggle with. I also have a large stash of fabric set aside to design my own quilts to sell. I'm celebrating 20 years of making quilts this month, which you'd think would be a big deal.
I live in Oklahoma, which is one of the poorest states. There's a lot of people here that only shop at discount stores, meanwhile I'm buying the best quality fabrics and threads to make sure my quilts last a lifetime. It's a very uphill climb to get the great unwashed masses to understand that a cheap Walmart quilt is not the same as one of mine. Unfortunately it makes my life a living hell.
I love making quilts. I'm an artist, so telling me to just stop sewing is like telling someone to stop breathing. I've had other jobs in the past, but I end up with bosses that steal from me or scream in my face for no reason. I can't take that level of abuse either.
Basically whenever I set up at the local event, this same scenario plays out:
Stranger: Oh, I love all your quilts, they're so beautiful! Did you make them?
Me: Yes Ma'am.
S: Wow, you're so talented! I really love this one, how much is it?
M: That's a queen size that won an award at the State Fair, it's $515
S: What? What the fuck is wrong with you?
M: Excuse me?
S: It's just a blanket, you stuck up bitch.
M: I'd be happy to explain, this is custom printed fabric, and this pattern takes me 45 to 50 hours to complete, so really...
S: I don't care how much time you wasted. It's only worth $50, take it or leave it.
M: I'll have to leave it ma'am.
S: You're such a fucking retard. I can't believe this. You're never going to sell anything with that attitude of yours. *stomps off*
M: *tries not to cry*
I was used to it, sadly. No matter what I do, whenever I try to earn money I get treated like shit. Once the gas prices started going up in March, it got so much worse. I was set up at an expensive event ($500 for a booth and I was the only one with sewn items.) It was a long event - 10 am to 8pm, and the entire time my only interactions were negative. I was called a thief, a liar, a scammer, an elitist bitch, an idiot, a retard, a bastard and my personal favorite a "cancer on society". It hurt a lot. I also didn't cover booth rent for the first time in a decade.
Three shows in May and all were disasterous. Didn't make booth rent and wasted time. I was lucky if people just walked by. If they stopped, it was to say something hateful - like I'm in charge of gas prices. June and July I have comic cons, so thankfully no rude comments. I have 100+ quilts at my house and bills to pay, so when I've been setting up at an event, I put the quilts on sale. Luckily I've sold a few, but it doesn't cover the cost of fabric. Like my twin size quilts appraise for $900, I try to sell them at $315, and right now people are arguing that $100 is too much.
I'm so tired and worn down. 20 years down the toilet and I still get treated like shit and can't sell anything. I'm marking everything down and having a big sale. It's not like I live in a mansion and spoil myself with shopping and vacations 24/7. I've never been to a spa, I cut my own nails and hair, and the last time I went on vacation was when my MIL died in 2015. Before that was my honeymoon in 2002. I just don't understand why no matter what I do, I get treated so horribly. I do my best to be polite to everyone and try to help as much as I can - but I'm treated like I'm Satan incarnate.
I'm giving up.
I live in Oklahoma, which is one of the poorest states. There's a lot of people here that only shop at discount stores, meanwhile I'm buying the best quality fabrics and threads to make sure my quilts last a lifetime. It's a very uphill climb to get the great unwashed masses to understand that a cheap Walmart quilt is not the same as one of mine. Unfortunately it makes my life a living hell.
I love making quilts. I'm an artist, so telling me to just stop sewing is like telling someone to stop breathing. I've had other jobs in the past, but I end up with bosses that steal from me or scream in my face for no reason. I can't take that level of abuse either.
Basically whenever I set up at the local event, this same scenario plays out:
Stranger: Oh, I love all your quilts, they're so beautiful! Did you make them?
Me: Yes Ma'am.
S: Wow, you're so talented! I really love this one, how much is it?
M: That's a queen size that won an award at the State Fair, it's $515
S: What? What the fuck is wrong with you?
M: Excuse me?
S: It's just a blanket, you stuck up bitch.
M: I'd be happy to explain, this is custom printed fabric, and this pattern takes me 45 to 50 hours to complete, so really...
S: I don't care how much time you wasted. It's only worth $50, take it or leave it.
M: I'll have to leave it ma'am.
S: You're such a fucking retard. I can't believe this. You're never going to sell anything with that attitude of yours. *stomps off*
M: *tries not to cry*
I was used to it, sadly. No matter what I do, whenever I try to earn money I get treated like shit. Once the gas prices started going up in March, it got so much worse. I was set up at an expensive event ($500 for a booth and I was the only one with sewn items.) It was a long event - 10 am to 8pm, and the entire time my only interactions were negative. I was called a thief, a liar, a scammer, an elitist bitch, an idiot, a retard, a bastard and my personal favorite a "cancer on society". It hurt a lot. I also didn't cover booth rent for the first time in a decade.
Three shows in May and all were disasterous. Didn't make booth rent and wasted time. I was lucky if people just walked by. If they stopped, it was to say something hateful - like I'm in charge of gas prices. June and July I have comic cons, so thankfully no rude comments. I have 100+ quilts at my house and bills to pay, so when I've been setting up at an event, I put the quilts on sale. Luckily I've sold a few, but it doesn't cover the cost of fabric. Like my twin size quilts appraise for $900, I try to sell them at $315, and right now people are arguing that $100 is too much.
I'm so tired and worn down. 20 years down the toilet and I still get treated like shit and can't sell anything. I'm marking everything down and having a big sale. It's not like I live in a mansion and spoil myself with shopping and vacations 24/7. I've never been to a spa, I cut my own nails and hair, and the last time I went on vacation was when my MIL died in 2015. Before that was my honeymoon in 2002. I just don't understand why no matter what I do, I get treated so horribly. I do my best to be polite to everyone and try to help as much as I can - but I'm treated like I'm Satan incarnate.
I'm giving up.
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