Sewnoma

"If you sew it, they will come"!

In my experience, if you keep enough quilts out and visible they will gain admirers, and whenever someone gets attached to one I get a huge kick out of saying, "Well, since you really like that one, why don't you keep it? That one is an extra. No, really, please take it, so I will have an excuse to make another one!" and watching people go through the stages of disbelief, shyness about "taking" something, then finally excitement and snuggly happiness as they cuddle their new quilt.

There are only a very few quilts that are mine permanently. The rest, I'm just 'breaking in' until their true owner comes along. LOL

I learned this from my grandma, by the way. She was always very generous with her quilts; many, many, MANY people ended up with her quilts, not just family. She passed away 10 years ago now, and I STILL run into friends of the family that tell me how their quilt is still in use and still loved. Sometimes I almost think Gram enjoyed giving the quilts away more than making them, but then she made SO MANY she kind of had to give them out or her house wouldn't have had space to move in it!

Sierra

I've found that kids need 3 quilts over the years, (1) baby, (2) big girl/boy quilt for a bed, and (3) one for H.S. and/or college (they have to help with this one). Besides that, there are extended family who have experienced something awful, or ones who have been extra sweet to us, and to make them a quilt is delightful. The head-of-school who left last year and is one incredible lady who nurtured a couple of our G-kids. Raffles and auctions for schools, churches, etc. This may be your time to try out new and challenging designs and give it to someone you think might like it, or give it to a woman's shelter.

I have a friend who makes seasonal and holiday quilts and her house looks entirely different each time I go. She loves celebrating the "now"! Maybe you would, also. There is also the Linus quilts for children in hospital.

helou

I think exactly the same way Sewnoma does
I only have one brother and he has three daughters and the three of them have one or two young children. I am not making any quilts for them as I really don't think they will appreciate them. I am making quilts anyway and I am waiting for the "future owner" to come along l I want to see their excitement to receive a gift they did not think possible to receive!!!

isewman

just jokeing---ME-(ha-ha). There is groups/charties--nursing homes???. Again just jokeing ME. Don

Nancyfarm

One of my wonderful quilt teachers has made wedding quilts for each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, though almost all of them are little kids. I think it is so spiritual that these kids will get something from Grandma even though she may no longer be with us. What a gift! I hinted to my mother (a wonderful knitter) but she thought it was silly. She has passed on, my daughter is getting married, and I'm pretty sure a handmade gift from Grandma would have meant the world to her. I will make many things for my grandchildren.....if I ever have any!!!

ghostrider

You can always offer them for sale. You can also make them for shows, challenges, and other competitions. Not everything has to be given away for free.

Skratchie

The easier question is, what CAN'T you do with the quilts you make?? You don't have to display/use all your quilts all the time. I plan to make different quilts for my bedroom and our living area to change out as the seasons change. One day my children will hopefully get married, and I'll make them new bed quilts for their married lives. I have people on Facebook constantly asking me to make them a quilt, and many of them don't care about style or even color - they just love handmade objects (I've sold several this way, actually; I usually only ask for the cost of the materials so I can go buy more fabric, but people often pay me more). I also have a tendency to make quilts for people I like who I think would like to have a quilt, but are too shy to ask.

I don't see myself ever running out of things to do with quilts. One of my most treasured things is a quilt my mother's Air Force roommate made for me on my first marriage 22 years ago. The quilt outlasted the marriage, and she has since passed away from breast cancer, and the quilt is looking a little ragged and should be put away, but it is one of my favorite things ever. I can only hope that one of my quilts may some day mean so much to someone else!

Hulalulu

Quilting is an art form -- if we only needed "blankets" we would get them! The need to express our creativity is done through the whole process of quilting from fabric and pattern choices thru quilting and binding. Have fun -- donate some, have a couple on hand for gifts, make some smaller quilted items as gifts (placemats, bags, table & bed runners) and give some away for charity events, silent auctions, fund raisers for people in need.

kamaiarigby

I am a quilt addict, I just can not stop making them, my family is all quilted out but still I make them, I like to have a few quilts on hand to give away, ( to the needy and not the greedy).
I get that warm fuzzy feeling every time I give a quilt to a person who has fallen on hard times

Boston1954

Call the local church and find out if there is a poor family who might like to have one. I used to be in a group that made quilts for families in the area who were the victims of a house fire. They were mostly tied quilts, but they were greatly appreciated.