Woman Rejects Daughter's Birthday Present, A Handmade, Family-Themed Quilt, Because She Failed to Include Her Dog in the Design: 'It was cruel not to include my youngest'

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Dec 12, 2024 5:00 PM EST

Welcome, ladies of the internet. Every creative knows that making someone a handmade gift is the most sincere and special gesture any artist could make. The act of pouring numerous hours, money for materials, and your entire soul into a unique, singular object intended for a special person should always be met with grace. However, every artist also knows that there are certain people, that no matter how much you love them, will never deserve a handmade gift because they are incapable of appreciating it.

Unfortunately for our protagonist in today's story, her mother was the type of person mentioned above. When her daughter gifted her with a family-themed quilt, her reaction was to sadly reject the gift because it did not include her 'fur baby.' A commentator down below put it best: OP should have just gifted her a cheap, framed picture of her dog instead of putting in any real effort. Read more comments and the full story by scrolling down. 

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  • 01
    r/AmltheA sh le u/Angels_of_D a h_Zack 10h • AITA for not including the "entire family" in a quilt I made for my mother?
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 02
    So, a little while ago, it was my mother's birthday. I like to sew, so I thought it would be a good idea to make her a quilt. I had the idea to make some of the squares family photos, so I got some family pictures printed out onto fabric, and added them in the quilt. It had me, my siblings, and my parents. When I gave the quilt to my mother, she seemed happy at first before she looked at all the photos. She looked disappointed, and when I questioned why, she said that she was upset that I didn't
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 03
    Now, as a bit of a side note, I have always had a phobia of dogs, which people never really got about me. We do have a dog in the house, but I choose to not ackowledge it or be around it. My mother knows very well my fear of them. But, she treats this dog like it's her own son. She cooks it meals everyday, gets it food at McDonalds, gives it many presents during Christmas, and practically every framed photo in the house is of the dog rather than anyone else. Essentially, she treats it less like
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 04
    Since I don't like the family dog, (for reasons I won't dive into here...) I chose to not incorporate it into the quilt, (also since I don't have any photos of it on my phone anyways...) And now, my mother seems to really dislike the gift. I asked her if she doesn't like the quilt, and she just sighed and said that it was cruel of me to not include her youngest in the quilt. I feel bad. Since I am moving away soon, I wanted to give her a nice hand-made gift, since I've never done that before, bu
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 05
    My dad is telling me that it is perfectly fine that I didn't include the dog, and that the quilt is still very nice, but my brother seems angry with me, saying that I can't just leave out family memebers in a "family themed" quilt.
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 06
    It's been around a week since that happened, and my mom has never once used or even touched the quilt. I looked and found that she put it under her bed. I feel sad, but also guilty. I feel like a major j since I just wanted to make her happy. My mother has also been a bit more distant with me as well, so I'm scared that our relationship will be affected by this. 2,685 640 Q D
    via u/Angels_of_D*a**_Zack
  • 07
    Jenicillin 10h Certified NTA. Take back the quilt you made with loving hands that she doesn't appreciate and move out. Reply 2 7.7k
    via u/Jenicillin
  • 08
    Fickle Toe1724 .7h Good idea. He will appreciate it. 1.3k
    via u/FickleToe1724
  • 09
    Sweetsmyle 6h Ah le Aficionado [14] Please do. A quilt is really hard work and it should be given to someone who respects and cherishes it. I worry your mom will let the dog tear it up. 1.1k
    via u/Sweetsmyle
  • 10
    LadyBAudacious • 5h This and I hope he puts it on their bed. How cold to ignore a handmade gift. I don't get it. I'd be thrilled. It's not like she hasn't got pictures of the dog all over the place already 758
    via u/LadyBAudacious
  • 11
    LindonLilBlueBalls Part ipant [3] 5h Keep it for yourself. Take it with you when you leave as a memento from that time where you thought your mom loved you as much as the family dog. That may sound harsh, but that reaction and dismissive way she treats your phobia is appalling to me as a parent. I would never react that way to such a thoughtful gift from one of my kids. ΝΤΑ 381
    via u/LindonLilBlueBalls
  • 12
    MrJeoffrey Mann • 5h Perhaps her 'youngest' can make her a new quilt. Sorry your mum is ungrateful. It sounds like an amazing, beautiful, thoughtful gift. ... 230
    via u/MrJeoffreyMann
  • 13
    BeccasBump • 4h Ah le Enthusiast [6] No, don't, you will be putting him in an impossible position. He will have to choose between using the quilt and upsetting his wife or not using the quilt and upsetting his daughter. It doesn't sound like he's done anything to deserve that. 82
    via u/BeccasBump
  • 14
    Rare Sugar_7927 • 7h I'm one of those people who considers her cats, her fur kids. And I'll say this. You are absolutely NTA. Ffs, your mother is ridiculous to reject such a thoughtful handmade gift just because there's no photo of her dog on it. Geesh 5 minutes in the house and it'll probably have dog hair on it, so problem solved, the dog is included. ... Reply 13k
    via u/Rare Sugar_7927
  • 15
    Difficult Mammoth ⚫ 7h Part ipant [1] This. All of this. My dogs and cats have always been my kids and yet I will say... your mom is being absurd. Would it have been nice if Fido was included? Of course, but it's not world ending that he's not. Also NTA 506
    via u/DifficultMammoth
  • 16
    Sweetsmyle 6h Ah le Aficionado [14] The mom can get a pillow made with the dog's picture. And then when the dog inevitably passes and they get a new dog she can add another pillow. Mom can have a whole cuddly set with the quilt showing her human kids and the pillows showing the fur babies. 361 3
    via u/Sweetsmyle
  • 17
    NatGoChickie • 4h Also, the dog will never know it wasn't included it the quilt but I guarantee OP will remember this. NTA 138
    via u/NatGoChickie
  • 18
    Djinn_42.5h I personally agree, but it seems like OP should have known Mom was obsessed enough about the dog being part of the family to have this type of reaction. And her reaction IS over the top but it's supposed to be a gift for her so idk. ... 39
    via u/Djinn_42
  • 19
    hyperfocus pocus • 3h Part ipant [4] I mean my cats are absolutely my babies and part of family, but i would never expect someone to include them in a gift Because they're cats 63
    via u/hyperfocuspocus
  • 20
    T_G_A_H 9h Surgeon [35] NTA. Is your mother always this unappreciative and dismissive of your love and thoughtfulness? Is it always all about her? Focus your efforts on people who truly care about you and appreciate you. It sounds like your mother isn't one of them. Reply 1.6k
    via u/T_G_A_H
  • 21
    juswannalurkpls • 6h Ah le Aficionado [17] I can't imagine this being a one-off thing. Poor OP you are NTA and your mother sounds - horrible. 314
    via u/juswannalurkpls
  • 22
    cupcaeks • 2h Part ipant [1] Sounds like a narcissist to me, and op sounds conditioned to fawn to her after a lifetime of it. Ask me how I know 12
    via u/cupcaeks
  • 23
    WorthNo6245 .7h I quilt. Some people are "handmade worthy" others aren't. I would buy her a frame for her favorite child and take the quilt back. Reply 383
    via u/WorthNo6245
  • 24
    Lizzyrules • 6h I was thinking the same thing. A tacky one with "moms favourite boy" or something written on it. Q ↑ 63 ↓
    via u/Lizzyrules
  • 25
    Saffron-Kitty • 5h Ahle Enthusiast [5] Thing is, the mother would probably love that even if it were an utterly tacky frame 44
    via u/Saffron-Kitty
  • 26
    "She treats this dog like it's her own son. She cooks it meals every day, gets it food at McDonalds, gives it many presents during Christmas, and practically every framed photo in the house is of the dog rather than anyone else. Essentially, she treats it less like a dog, and more like a human child, even calling it her youngest son."
    via Ailime

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