The nerve

[Feywalker]

Okay, I figured this would be the place that people could appreciate this situation. My mom crochets with thread. Over the years, she has tried to crochet a thread tablecloth for each of her sister-in-laws (she has 6 brothers) and due to her very busy life, this has occationally taken years. For my aunt Deb, she made one for her 100ft dining room table. It took about 7 years on and off and she finished it like maybe 8 years ago, maybe. Well, I'm sure you know you don't put something like this in the washing machine, especially if it has an agitator. Mom told Deb it had to be dry cleaned. Deb pulls it out and uses it on special occations over the years and food inevitably get dropped on it. Into the washer it goes. As you can guess, the years of washing have destroyed it. So Deb asks my mom to make her another one, and not in a polite manner. Can you believe this? Mom told her hey, one per person. I couldn't believe it when my Mom told me. I was so irritated on her behalf. I mean, she designs these in filet herself with last names, or designs to fit the person. (I may be a bit biased, but my Mom does amazing work) I couldn't believe Deb had the nerve to disreguard the care instructions Mom gave her, and then think she deserves another one cause the original got worn out. 100+ft filet table cloth. Grrr.

[ErinLindsey]

She abused it...she deserved to lose it.

 

If she wants another one, she should pay your mother a commision to make a new one. (no discounts for family either!)

[secretstasher]

Gosh I would have cried. I spent 3 months on a blanket for my nephew, that was bad enough. 7 years spent on a project to have someone wash it and kill it I would just cry xxx

[Shell]

tell her to go buy a plastic one! 7yrs of work to be destroyed is very sad. she made no effort to look after it, so she really doesn't deserve a new one. I wouldn't even make another commissioned. you can't pay for that kind of work. but it is nice she used it often enough for it to wear out!

[CraftyShannon]

It would make me sick too. Bad enough for her to ruin it, but I can't believe she actually told your mom what she did and demanded a new one. If I had ruined something that special, I'd be so ashamed there is no way I'd admit to the person what I did. I don't blame your mom for not making another one.

[kisha29]

she was told how to take care of it but didn't listen so she is just out of luck. To bad for her. I would understand if something had unraveled or something the first year but it's her fault that it's messed up, pooh pooh on her.

[Mandys76]

MY SISTER DID THIS EXACT THING!!!!!

 

I spent 4 years making her a motif tablecloth out of size 60 thread. She put it in the machine (a top loader at that, so the agitator did it's work) and ruined it in ONE wash.

 

NEVER, and I repeat NEVER, have I made her another item. While she likes my crochet skills, and has often asked for an afghan, she knows full well why I won't do it again. GRRR

 

Your mother has to stand up for herself! I was heart broken when it happened to me, so I know how your mother is feeling right now.

 

Give her a hug for me

[Chanti]

I dont know about your mum, but I would have been in tears, if I had been told that something so wonderful had been destroyed becuase of sheer negligence!

[Adii]

I agree with everyone; your mom shouldn't do another one.

But I think she shouldn't cry either, because that Deb isn't worth it.

 

And I wish you good life

[Vibey]

Augh! AUGH!

 

The disregard and disrespect for your mother's hard work and skill! She doesn't deserve such a work of art.

 

(And when I first read 100-foot, I thought it was a typo! Egads!)

[nucki]

Now ya know... I could understand if it was sheer ignorance. If she just didn't KNOW that it was that delicate and should be taken care of in a certain manner. But she was warned, and she decided to ignore the warnings. Her choice, her problem.

 

You know... your mom could always offer to teach her how to do it herself! THEN she'd REALLY understand just how much effort - not to mention TIME - went into making it!!!

[LadyyOftheOak]

I agree with the others, she doesn't deserve another one. It's a testament to your mom's skill that it held up as it was through repeated washings. These projects turn into our children.. I would have been heartbroken as well

 

Ok I gotta ask.. a HUNDRED foot dining room table? That would take a HUGE washer to handle that... that's longer than my entire house!

[ladybugdreams]

>bangs head against wall for your mom (and you)<

 

Oh man, I would have killed! I was having a sip when I read the 100 (too) and choked! Someone who does not appreciate or value or thinks they deserve the world (when they don't always do) should not be blessed with such a beautiful gift. (I have a sis uh, make that 2 like that).

 

Please, here's a hug for you, and give your mom a huge one, I think I can safely say, on OUR behalf!

 

(and then you get a TINY ball of thread, a cheap hook, hand them to Deb and say, here ya go hun, have fun!)

 

Oooh I'd have... ok ok before I lose it!

 

Hugs

cynthia

[lhasaapsolady]

She didn't follow care instructions what a pity. Your mom was right, 1 per person. If your aunt wants another she should pay your mom so real good money to make one.

[Auntie Kellie]

 

I feel terrible for your mom. I'm glad your mom stuck to her guns though with her "One per person" rule. I also would've given Deb a huge chunk of my mind after destroying such a beautiful piece of art. Filet in thread is just too beautiful not to take care of properly. I hope your mom will only make them for people that will appreciate them from now on.

 

Hugs and Cookies

Auntie K

[Mom w/a Motif]

Ooooo! I would have a really hard time not saying more than 'one per person'!!!!! I am sorry that happened to your mom.

 

I have never crocheted a huge tablecloth like that. But, my MIL ( ) had a huge bedspread that her Aunt had crocheted that was coming apart at the seams. She asked me to sew it up and she would pay me $100. (At the time I was so excited-$100!! Yay!! I wasn't working at the time, and we needed the money badly...) After sewing it for months (a little a day), I was getting annoyed. This thing was obviously not taken care of well, at all!! Then, when I was done (mind you, I was so pregnant I could not sit there and sew like that. My back was hurting, and my tendonitis hurting so bad I could hardly hold a needle...) She didn't even say thank you! She said 'Oh you're done already'? (It had been months.) I was sooo irritated. I wanted to give her a huge piece of my mind. (Of course, I didn't, but....) She never did say thank you or anything more about it.

 

Some people I don't think it would matter if you told them or not, they still wouldn't get it. I'm sorry all your mother's hard work was destroyed like that, though.

 

Tina

[craftconnie1]

some people put no value on hand-made items; we live in an age of machine made,and some people put no value on family members work. I 'll bet if your aunt had actually paid for this work of art, and had actually paid what it was worth she would have looked after the tablecloth. I'll bet she has looked after store boughten tablecloths the right way and with more respect. I too have family members that have no respect for my work, actually having the nerve to refer to them as ' Connie's rags ' and yet expecting my work as gifts. I give them dollar store soap ( my version of coal in their stocking )

[comfort80]

from experiencing the time that goes into filet crochet, and the painful blisters that go along with steadily working that tiny steel hook, my hands and heart hurt for your mom...

i like what someone else said about teaching her to do it herself... or better yet, take her to an antique store and show her how much they are selling these "priceless" works of art for. we have a couple near us, and a small-ish table cloth was going for 160.00....

[redbird51]

she obviously had no clue as to the amount of work that went into this tablecloth. or if she did, she didn't care. i would not make another one. it would be very hard for me not to say anything about her care of it. that's why, as sad as it is, you have to pick and choose who to give hand made things to. i'm so sorry your mom's fine work was not appreciated.

[Mommy2Max]

When a project you've worked on gets messed up, it just breaks your heart. I made my husband a beautiful afghan a few years ago and one of our dogs chewed a hole in it when he was a puppy. I was heartbroken over it and cried and cried and I stuffed it into a bag and put it in the back of the closet. It took me a whole year before I could bring myself to get it out and survey the damage so I could repair it.

 

Good for your mom for sticking to her guns. I like the suggestion of handing Deb a hook and a ball of thread and telling her to do it herself.

 

Hugs to your mom!

[AuntyM]

That is so sad. That was one HUGE tablecloth. I can't even imagine making something that size, or BLOCKING it. How in the world did she block that??!! Wow!

 

I agree, people don't realize the TIME it takes. It seems like a good idea to offer to teach her how to crochet. ROFL As if.

 

Whenever I gift something I include a yarn or thread label which shows how to care for it, as well as verbal instructions.

Several years ago I made NAME doilies for many family members, and I said "This needs to be handwashed. When you need this washed it has to be reblocked which I would be happy to do for you. "

[funkyreporter]

That is HORRIBLE! I cannot believe someone would be so unappreciative as to mishandle such a priceless heirloom and then have the gall to say, oh, spend the next seven years making me another one 'cause I'm too lazy to take care of things. Your mom must be somewhere between furious and heartbroken.

[mizduck]

Not only would I never make her anything again, I'd have to choke her!! I don't even know how to express my condolences on this one.....

[yarn_obsessed]

What a horrible story! Yes, 100 feet, in thread?!!! My goodness, what a feat! I think that beats most of us in terms of tenacity. Your mother is a treasure & so are her creations. Don't we all have someone in our families that would act this way? Poop on them, they barely deserve a wave in their direction. We all have to have the grace to overcome. I'm with everyone else, one per person.

[Lavelle26]

Oh my...I feel for your mother. I honestly do. I have been working on a tablecloth for the past 8 years (on and off) and it is still not done. I, first off, am KEEPING this thing...and if I did by chance give it to someone, they had better darned take care of it. First signs I see someone NOT and I would be taking it back. The nerve!!!!