orangeroom

How nice to know that your love reaches out to the recipients of your quilts. I had never thought of how 'connected' one can feel until recently. I had a pattern (and all the material) for a blue and yellow quilt, and always wanted to make a quilt for a military person. A co-worker had a son who is currently serving. I asked her to find out what her son's favorite colors were. As luck would have it, blue and yellow! Made the quilt. Gave it to the co-worker to give to her son when he came home. He loves it and is always in the background when they skype.

When cleaning up my sewing studio a few months later, I found two left over blocks. I made them into a pillow and gave it to the co-worker to do as she pleased. She cried. She decided to keep it. She tells me often when her son and her skype, she can see the quilt and he can see the pillow in the background. A quilt and pillow ties them together, even though they're 1/2 a world away.

suziehammond

Much as I adore knowing how much my loved ones and friends cherish their quilts one thing I would love to follow even more would be the stories of the 'give aways'. When we lived in CA I made quilts for service members in Afghanistan using photos of their children from home. I remember so many of their stories and so hope that their owners all got to come home and live full lives. One was a young lady chaplain who had to deploy and leave her you baby behind for her tour. Can you imagine the tears at night when she curled up under the photo quilt? And when she came home and 'retired' it to drag it out maybe 10 years later and see those color bare photos? Would love to have a little computer mole on a few of those so I knew where they wound up .............

Sierra

This is for Cricket: It is hard to sew love into a quilt if you are giving it to someone who doesn't appreciate it (or some group) time after time. Why don't you google, ask around, ask at your church or guild, or.... ? and find a group that does want the quilts. You can state your own conditions - make the quilts under your own schedule. You can even write a nice note to the unappreciative group and say their time table demands and lack of "thank yous" are no longer acceptable and you will be sending your quilts elsewhere. You can do what ever you want, but you need to have some knowledge that the quilts are appreciated.

I sent 3 quilts to Japan after their tragedy and made the decision to send them to friends whose daughter had been married to our nephew instead of sending them with a big shipments organized by a quilt group. We had been very close friends long before the daughter and nephew met. They did respond in a very cold letter, saying Japan can take care of their own, but they had found a family that would take them (not any of the victims). So now I know, nothing I can do will heal the anger.

I very much like the tag "made with love especially for you" that I've seen used. I have only made a couple of quilts I didn't really like but I know tastes vary so I put a lot of love into those anyway. They went to our churches fall blanket drive. My GD (9 at the time) wanted to make one also. She worked on it while I was busy with the two younger children and the stitching was all over the place. Instead of taking it out (would have been hard, she used short, pre-set stitch and the backing was fleece) so we wrote a label that said something like "Made just for you! My first quilt. I hope you like it. (her initials and "9 yrs old") and date". Our pastor was wonderful and gave her a grand hug. She loved making a quilt for another child and love definitely was sewn it. That is the feeling that she earned, and it is a feeling you have earned too. I think the advice to slow down is important. There are probably older people in your neighborhood who are lonely and don't have much connection. Find them and make them a quilt. Maybe a young mother who has lost her husband through death or divorce, or he is overseas. There are a lot of people out there who need to know that someone cares. God bless you for your caring and hard work!!!

Also, I want to thank you for your honesty of your feelings and for describing the responses you got, good and bad. You are doing wonderful things. I suspect that people who aren't of a giving nature might presume that you are "getting something out of it" (meaning money or....?) because they simply don't understand. You can't even be sure the battered women or whoever are even getting your quilts with people like that. Make some changes that will grant you some love and appreciation. We all deserve that, you especially!

Sierra

Marge said: "I don't know about you, but I have "boomerang" kids, they kept coming back."

We told people our kids were on bungee cords. In this modern world with so many options, I'm glad our kids had a place to retreat to at times. I hope things work out for you and yours. You can bet the quilts are a constant reminder of the fact that they are loved! Each of our kids have quilts (6 of them) and they still use each one of them, after years of use. They can feel they are loved!!! I hope that even after we are gone the love in the quilts will be there to remind them that they are loved.

JulieR

Cricket, what a hero you are to me! I am truly inspired by your dedication and service to others. I know you don't do this for recognition or thank you notes, but the lack thereof would wear on the hardiest of souls -- including yours. You must take care of yourself first -- like putting on the oxygen mask in an emergency, only when you are whole and healthy can you help others!

I must also say that people in the throes of severe emotional distress might not be able to write thank you notes. The organizations might not provide your contact information, or they might not pass along anything they receive.

But mostly, I can share that my experiences with *people I know* don't always reflect their true appreciation for the gift of a quilt until well after the fact. For instance, my father in law thanked me for a quilt I made for him last Christmas, but I had no idea until he passed away last month that he used it almost every day! My MIL offered to send it back to me, because it meant so much to him. I gave my parents the first full-sized quilt I ever made, to much thanks, but I didn't see it again for almost a decade. Then, suddenly they'd had it framed and mounted on their living room wall! My sister thanked me for a quilt I made for my niece, but my mother recently told me that's the quilt she sleeps with every day for naps, and every night in bed. I had no idea, and these are people I talk to all the time!

I can understand feeling discouraged by the lack of response, but remember, too, that you've made a difference in the lives of people you'll never even meet, even if they never reach out to tell you so. Even if it just means someone is warm for the first time since winter set in.

*I* appreciate you, and I thank you for all of your hard work. Even if you never make another quilt, your legacy will live on in all of the lives you've touched through the years, and the world is a better and more beautiful place because of the joy you've brought to others.

cricket_iscute

Thank you all for your comments on the homeless quilts and related situation. I can see that I am not likely to be able to finish all the quilts for both boys' shelters by Christmas. My quilting partner is overwhelmed with her job and family obligations, wants to continue, and hasn't much time. I've spent close to 300 hours on these since September but it is not enough. You are right that I am tired and, especially after many fmq problems on the boys'quilts this week, might have to put this aside for a bit. My best machine for fmq is misbehaving. On the other hand, I've often felt like this in December, when many quilts are close to being done. That final push is hard! I have five basted to be quilted now and more ready to sandwich. And I do need to put on my oxygen mask and get some rest myself. Thank you for your comments and appreciation.

Cricket