I have been working on a quilt for my porch. I used that new square-in-a-square cutting technique we talked about last week, and I cut enough squares to make about 4 quilts! I sewed up about 50 blocks and
put them in place on my design wall. It isn't at all what I had in mind. I think the value contrast is too sharp, and maybe there are too many unconnected fabrics of all colors in it.

Because this was a quilt intended for hanging on the wall outdoors (although shaded and screened), I used a real variety of fabrics including polyester and blends and some bottomweights. Cheap fabrics. Good fabrics. In other words, I can't just finish it up and sell it. It's definitely not a baby quilt, or I would finish it up and donate it to the shelter.

What do you do with ugly or boring quilt tops?

I made a big quilt top and hated it after it was together. I cut it up in big squares, sashed the squares and put it back together. It made a nice crazy quilt. I keep it on the porch swing.

I'm sorry that happened, but I know how you feel. Like you said you could give it to a shelter for women and children. Maybe get a tax write off for next year. Or keep it for a spare when company comes, pinic blanket, etc. Just some ideas.

My first quilt top, in fact.. it was a muted turquoise fan on muslin.. very antique looking.. and bigger than queen sized.. I worked like a demon on it, got it finished and loathed it... Sold it for $250. and went on to bright colors.. I'm MUCH happier with.

when i'm learning a new technique i use fabrics i normally never use in my art quilts. i make them with the intention of donating them.

these quilts are donated to hospice care every year at the holiday season with a gift basket of lotions, lip balm, and hard candies.

i make all the quilts and the ladies at our church put together the gift baskets. it ends up being about 20 quilts a year.

I started making quilts 4 yrs ago but only lap and baby size.
Am I glad. There is so much to learn especially about color and I have made many mistakes that I dont like. With small quilts you learn alot and much faster. I am just now learning how much difference color makes to a pattern. I just finished a disappearing nine patch and see what I should have done. Glad it is a lap size. I needed to use larger prints for my dark colors, it would have looked much better.

Can you post a pix? Someone here might love it. I started making a Tessalations quilt for a friend of mine...I had seen one another friend had made and loved hers. Mine is UGLY! I'll bet mine is uglier than yours for sure. I only had blocks made and took them off my design wall put them in a box and gave them away. She loved the UGLY thing I loathed. Hey You never know.LOL

My other thought is possibly making doggie beds from it and donating them to an animal shelter!

Sorry of your disappointment, I can relate!

I made a crazy block quilt top, maybe five years ago, and it is huge. After it was all sewn together, I spread it out on the floor to have a look. You know it's not that great of a quilt top when your husband and three kids have nothing to say, except, "Well, it's interesting." It is rolled up and stuffed onto a shelf and hasn't been touched since.

Can you donate it to a homeless shelter, where they sleep on the cots? Our guild makes quilts for family and childern centers,nursing homes,crisis centers, oncology units, hospices, any place that has a need for quilts. My friend Flora and I are the Co-chairs for the quilting for the "Quilting for Others" committee. I won't be satisfied until every bed in Tucson has a quilt. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Pam W.

Can you donate it to a homeless shelter, where they sleep on the cots? Our guild makes quilts for family and childern centers,nursing homes,crisis centers, oncology units, hospices, any place that has a need for quilts. My friend Flora and I are the Co-chairs for the quilting for the "Quilting for Others" committee. I won't be satisfied until every bed in Tucson has a quilt. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Pam W.