Inside the chart pack that Gail sent me, was also this letter. I presume she is going to include this with all of her charts that she sells.And yes although this was a freebie to me, I believe she is intent on selling her work.
Even if her work was such that I would buy it, this letter would leave me cold enough never to spend money on her wares again.
I want to politely tell her that she will be limiting her market and that a cross stitch pattern pack is not the right venue in which to preach her religion but I don't really wan to offend her. Apart from the religion she is a nice person.
Any thoughts or ideas?
And let me know if you can't zoom in on this picture enough to read the letter.
23 comments:
I think it's an inappropriate thing to include with her products. You should let her know that while you firmly believe she is entitled to her beliefs, to include them in this manner on a commercial product could seriously backfire on her, and she should think about that.
Just point her towards this entry.
??? You lost me honey.
This post is nicely enough written that you could just point Gail towards it to get the message across.
Ah I see !! Oh I'm in between tasks now if you want that phone call too ....
OK based on both your comments (Stephen and Tina) I wrote the following,
Hi Gail,
Thank you soo much for these charts - they look spectacular and I can't wait until I find enough time in my stitching schedule to stitch up a version.
I thought that as a designer you might want some feedback about your chart packs.
On both charts the blue outlines of the backstitching are so thick that they obscure the symbols in the squares underneath. In some of the squares I really will have to guess at what symbol to use. I suggest when you put this chart out for sale you might want to include two versions of the chart, one of cross stitch only and then another on the back of the page with the cross stitch greyed out and the backstitching dominant. That is how Terrence from Dimples Designs does his and it is very effective.
On the variegated version your list of materials includes Dinky Dyes Black Opal silk - but I couldn't see anywhere on the chart where that symbol is used.
Finally in your chart pack you include a letter on your personal religious beliefs. While I respect your beliefs, they are not mine. If I purchased a chart from a designer that I did not know, the inclusion of a letter like this would leave me cold and I would never purchase their wares again regardless of how wonderful their charts might be.
I honestly believe that a cross stitch chart pack is not the right venue to preach your religious beliefs and I believe you will be limiting your market if you do so. I think you are wonderful person even if we do not see eye on religion, but I thought as a designer who is intending on marketing and selling her product, you might like this feedback.
It is not my intention to offend you in any way.
Regards
Mel.
Wow, Mel... I would actually have been a lot more blunt with her (especially after reading Dawkins) - well done on the diplomacy here :-)
I think what she does is backhanded and mean-spirited. This apart from the fact that she sounds either totally stupid and self-rightous and that she's a bigot.
If she "found Jesus" as a child it only means she's been brainwashed and indoctrinated as a child. How can she even form a non-biased opinion on the subject??
Stepping down from my soapbox
Mel, good job - like Mariann, I expect I could not have been nearly so PC. I will be curious to hear what kind of reception you get from her - I'm not sure how to read her sometimes, and I could see it go either way. I certainly hope she isn't using the charts as the means for the delivery, as opposed to doing the designing because she truly enjoys it; I have gotten both vibes from her in different instances.
You could also suggest that if she wants to express her faith in less "in-your-face" manner, she could just quote a Bible verse on her charts. But her letter, as is, is a serious turn-off. It gives the impression that once a customer buys a chart from her, she'll be after them to convert or join her particular flavor of church.
Please note I *am* using this as a way to home my beginner diplomacy skills :) :)
Here's the response:
Hi Mel,
Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it and am not offended. Am going to hang onto this and try and fix what you talked about in the pattern and scan a paper for you with just the cross stitching and send it e-mail.
The Dinky Dye Opal floss is used in the actual black work outside of the jewel, within the square border.
I also am going to give some thought to the religious paper thing as well. I truly don't want to offend. I just wanted to share something I was excited about. But.... I see your point. I am also making friends with others in Muslim cultures so am re-thinking this on that level as well. I'll probably stop including the paper.
Thank you for being a good enough friend to be honest with me. I like that in people. Again... I value you as a neat friend.
In Christ,
Gail J.
The reliance on Jesus and Original Sin is definitely childhood induction - poor woman.
If she wants some truly honest feedback, her letter IS preachy and potentially quite offensive. No wants to get a sermon along with their cross stitch chart and that is what she is doing. How would she feel if she bought a new chart and there was a note from the designer saying Thank You and Oh, By the Way, "Allah akbar!" I can guarantee her Christian sensibilities would be offended.
Wonder if I should design some Satantic pieces ....
Wiccan would probably enough to send her fleeing for her holy water!
nah - she knows I'm atheist with Pagan leanings.
Anyway I've always found that Satanism hits home harder to Christians than any alternative religions.
Maybe its because you have to be a Christian to worship Satan??
Well, I can't think of any Christians that WORSHIP Satan but it's more likely that you will BELIEVE in Satan if you're Christian. While I do think there is evil in the world, it may not necessarily becuase of Satan. Maybe more like mental defect or moral deficit
I meant that Satanist are a subgroup within Christianity the same as Catholics and Anglicans :)
The belief in Satan as an entity (as a fallen angel, ruler of Hell) is a Christian belief. Other religions refer to evil and the evil that is done by different names and have different meaning .....
Al Queda and Iran like to refer to the US as the Great Satan ;)
I agree that Christians don't worship Satan, but they're obsessed with Satan, sin and sex (funny these terms all start with an S). And the more obsessive they get against these things the more they show that they actually *want* them all...
So, Gail wrote you back..she knows your religious "sensibilities" and still managed to sign it "in Christ"....my opinion, she's a brainwashed nutter.
DEFINITELY brainwashed !!!!!
Definitely a nutter too!
See, brainwashed nutter.
Post a Comment