Sigh.......AS a quilter I use my best quality and skills for all my charity quilts. Not just because of who gets them. And my DH and both DS's served in the military. "Charity" is a misgiving word. All of our project linus quilts go to children in crisis or are ill, they could be from rich families or poor. No distinction.
I am very proud of those who serve our country now and proudly give my quilts to them.

1. No matter who you hope will receive the quilt(s) you make, they should be made with as much care, skill and quality as your talents permit. The materials used should be of the same caliber you'd use if you were making the quilt for any member of your family. You should never give away anything you wouldn't consider good enough to use in your own house. You should not use benevolent organizations as dumping grounds for quilts you consider in any way substandard.

2. QOV is a fantastic organization and i admire everyone involved here and in Canada. however, QOV is only one of many pipelines through which you can give quilts you've made for the men and women who serve our countries and preserve our freedom. A hand-pieced and/or hand-quilted quilt can be every bit as durable as one done by machine if it's made properly. If your preferred method does not fit into the QOV rules, but does result in a well-constructed, attractive quilt that will stand the test of use and washing, present your gift through a different organization. Better yet make one quilt to donate where you prefer AND ALSO send a check to QOV for whatever it cost you.

3. The Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines who receive the quilts don't know whether you call them "charity", "comfort", "Horace", or "Jill." they know only that somebody out there appreciates them as human beings, recognizes their sacrifice, and is grateful to them for being who they are and for doing what they do. therefore, any question and argument over the semantics is absurd.

now, if you'll excuse me, i have a pile of Irvings to finish.

back to the fun, please!

[quote=Bobby's Girl]Why don't you take your own advice and be kinder and less patronizing? What I have learned from this thread is that 1) some people hear charity as meaning looking down on the recipient ( including, by implication if not explicitly, the original poster 2) some people are offended at that use of the word charity 3) lots of people feel service personnel are the 'top of the heap' in terms of how much you should put into their quilts- some people hear this as having to spend more than they can afford, and they are offended by that, even if that is not the message that was intended 4) some people feel that any recipient of a gift quilt deserves our best and the distinction between service personnel and others is disrespectful to those people. No surprise at all that heckles are up- it is disingenuous to pretend otherwise.

both perspectives are of equal merit and value. both result in quilters inspired to give of themselves from the heart.

the opinions are not the problem. the arguement is the problem.

it wastes precious time and brain cells.

if we focus our energies on the quilts and their recipients instead of which words to use, or on deciding who rides the higher horse, we'll get a lot more done for those who deserve the results of our efforts.