Amateur

I was told a couple of weeks ago that my work "looked amateur". I looked it up in the dictionary and this is what I found, "amateur | ˈamətə, ˈamətʃə, ˈamətʃʊə, ˌaməˈtəː | noun 1 a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid rather than a professional basis: it takes five years for a top amateur to become a real Tour de France rider | his last fight as an amateur. 2 a person who is incompetent or inept at a particular activity: that bunch of stumbling amateurs." It is true that I don't get paid for my quilts, I make them for myself, for gifts or donations. That would qualify me as an amateur, a professional would be paid for their work. On the other hand, incompetent or inept? I make quilts because I love the whole process- the pattern, fabric, sewing, quilting and completing. Nothing is perfect. There are always going to be variations in stitching and maybe a design choice could be better. If somebody would love to have one of my quilts as a gift, I am happy to oblige when possible. If a person sees my work as "amateur" and complains that it doesn't match their decor, they will receive a gift from Walmart or nothing at all. My rant is over, haha! I just had to get that off my chest. Looking on the bright side, my Christmas Yellow Brick Road quilt is almost finished!