Last Will anyone?
 

My husband and I had an odd conversation (for 50 year-olds anyway) about what I want him to do with my studio "stuff" if I go before him. After informing him that he IS going first, I really got to thinking about it. I have more stuff than any quilter really should, but he's a good hubby and apparently he loves me cause he actually takes me to quilt shops even with all the fabric and notions and machines that I already have. He figures that stuff in my studio is worth many thousands: two machines, a long arm, fabric, notions, lace, yarn, I don't know what all. Plus the stuff that I inherited from my mom.....

Okay, so what did I say? Goodness, I have no idea! Now I'm worried someone (namely my sons and dil's) will burn my stuff just to get rid of it!!! Oh goodness, that will not do. No one in my family can sew even a button, so there's no one to give it to or to say "decide about this."

Have you made arrangements for your quilting supplies and machines? What have you decided? What can anyone do or not do? How do they know? I'll agree that none of it will matter to me when St. Pete is asking questions, but I'd like to know that my work and love will not be tossed without even a thought. Like anyone, I've got tons of money and countless hours of working, organizing, hoarding in there. I need some advice! It's occurred to me that my work and hours may not even be considered.....

Look up the Quilter's Will on the net. I had a copy of it and now I can't find it. It is really funny, and will help the kids, etc. know what to do when you are gone.

I read where you should pin the names of your friends on your onfinished quilt tops etc and that way if you "go" when your family is going thru your stuff they will say "Oh, mom wanted Suzie to get this etc. I thought that was a good idea.

I looked up the Quilters Will and here it is....
http://quiltville.com/quilterswill.shtml

I have told my family no flowers.. make arraingements of my fabric and let anyone take what strikes their fancy. I can just picture bouquets of fat 1/4 's.

We did the talk. Dh knows it is worth a lot. He wants to keep most of it for our 14 children. Some sew, weave and or quilt and I know they will be all over it. DH would never burn it but he would consider selling materials but not quilts. I asked to be buried/cremated in MY quilt but he is keeping it. That is fine with me. I never thought he was that interested. I asked him what he would do with MY quilt and he just smiled.

I like your idea Lori ....

Will it to charity if you have no one to give it to, like quilts for kids orvalor, or those that make them for the womens shelters, that way you know its going somewhere that can make good use of it

I have family and friends who will get my STUFF, anything leftover will go to my guild to be used for charity quilts or sold at our yearly quilters boutique at the guild quilt show. Moneys from the quilters boutique goes to our charity quilts to buy extra batting, backings ect.

After reading the quilting will, my husband said he would give me a Viking funeral. Hmmm.

I'm giving everything to a girlfriend in my will. My daughter has absolutely no interest in learning how to sew or using my Pfaff embroidery machine :( Oh well, my GF will be a real happy camper when I go!!!

I asked my husband to only let my quilting friends in my sewing room if I die! I have also told my children this! :)

I have 2 daughters-1 will probably not want anything or not very much.I gave her a sewing machine and she never uses it.The other daughter will be all over yelling mine,mine,mine-woo hoo it is all mine.The grand daughters may get some too.No fabric/ufo burning will go on here-well there may be a few uglies hiding yet.

My husband has a collection of kerosene lamps and I have the sewing room full of material. I've told my friends, if he goes before me, anyone that comes to the funeral or wake leaves with a lamp. If I should go before him, everyone gets a pack of fat quarters. Either that or our children will get a dumpster ready.

Put your wishes in writing and give a copy to whomever you feel needs one. I have told my husband my two quilting buddies get first pick and anything left goes to the group of ladies at church who do such great work and deeds. I think "in writing" is the most important part. But keep a stash - we can't die til our stashes are gone :)

Funny --------

I have two daughters who will want most of my stuff. The other two wouldn't be interested. So, I have given instructions that the two who want it must share as equally as possible and enjoy everything they take. If they find out they don't like it or can't use it, they are to donate it to a quilt guild, church, or charity organization that can use it.

My whole family had this talk and we decided my husband's going to die first. He saved me from the car accident, so it's his turn.
So I told the kids, pick whatever they want, and then let whatever's left go in the way I enjoyed my life - have a big auction! Let it go to whoever bids the highest, knowing that at some auctions, things were grouped together until someone wanted to bid something!
The auctioneers will do all the work, carrying things.

My girls will get the first pick of all my sewing stuff. Any residue will go to the charity bee that I sew with. The sewing machines will be given to various shelters. My mother can no longer sew and my two sisters, barely threads a needle so mother told me to take all of her sewing stuff. I brought home 8 black bags of fabric, buttons, thread, etc. I have gone through the miscellaneous stuff and have started distributing to various chariites sewing supplies. I will do the same to fabric that I will not use. There are many churches that make quilts and assorted things for their missions. What is not something I would use, can find a good use with other groups. The quilts that I have made for my next generation of grandchildren are ready for them when they get here. I have 14 grandchildren and so far I have completed 10 quilts for the next generation.

This was an issue I had to deal with when my sister lost her battle with Colon Cancer in 2001. She had over 2,500 quilt books & a 7 bedrrom house & 2 storage facilities filled with fabric & notions. She also lived 300 miles from me & I was still working as a teacher. As I had only been quilting a few years at that time, I did not know the value of some of the quilt books. If you have a quilt book selection, I suggest getting them listed & include the retail price as well as what you paid for them. Indicate those that are collector's sought after titles. This will help anyone who is given the task of selling them or even claiming them as a charitable tax deduction.

That's a very good question, and good answers.
My quilt guild has been "assigned" the task of receiving fabric, etc. from a friend who passed. We are going to sell the items to guild members and other guilds, and the proceeds will go to a charity.
But I better think of what I'd like done with all my stash and machines too.

One of my grand daughters informed me that when I expire (she informed me that was a nicer way of saying it) she plans on getting all of my machines, fabrics, quilts she wants it all including the house to hold everything! Me I am not going to worry about it but enjoy teaching the children to sew and sharing my love of creating with them.

I love your plan.

My Son and his Daughter do know how much money items are worth. I have now 11 machines., plus bins of fabric, plus plus plus all the other things. Rulers, cutters, scissors, you name it. So I could go happily knowing that my Granddaughter will have extra $ for college or whatever. My son, wants to fill up the living room with my quilting stuff., he loves it, even knows how to work the machines...He is the first in the household to admire the machines I keep bringing in, he absolutely loves the older ones from early 50's. I do too and use ALL of them except the treadle.

I've told my DH that everything goes to my quilt guild.

i have 5 daughter's. apparently at least two of them want to share the bounty. haven't had the conversation with DH. I also have a friend who quilts. She is my Godmother in the Orthodox church so i'll leave her something as well.
i had a near death experience a few years ago. Now our family is more open about discussing death and passing on of the things that are memorable to each.

I have no children and alot of stuff. My husband knows how much the machines are worth but the little stuff....clueless. Never the less, what we paid for it and what it will be worth is two different things. I would have him donate it to our church for them to use for humanitarian projects, if they don't want it a quilt guild will.

I was the recipient of my dearest friend's stash when she passed last December from brain cancer. I fondle it, ask her what in the world she was thinking?????, have finished some of her UFOs and have donated what I don't think I will ever need to a group of quilters that she taught to quilt at the shop where she worked. They are making quilts from her fabric for a battered woman's shelter. I think of her every day while in my quilting room and than God for the friendship he gifted us.

I am 55 and I had my kidney removed last year when they found cancer. We discuss it all openly. I have one daughter, and she sews. I will leave all my stash and my new machine to her. My cutting island also. She can have any of my tools or mats and rulers she wants. It's all hers. She gets that and my Jewelry. It's understood. What my family will need a lawyer for, and a will, is my Hallmark ornaments collection. It's pretty big.

My family knows that my DDIL can have what they want (but neither sew) but maybe take some for the DDGD's. Then the rest is to go to my sewing group.

DH and I have had this discussion multiple times. His DD has NO interest in sewing, only interest is what I sew for her, such a scrub tops, quilts,...
His son has NO interest, he thinks it's funny we talk about it, but when we buy a new machine or another antique one, his response is usually something like 'How much was that? Don't you all have enough yet?" or my favorite " Should you all really need to buy anymore of those?" DH tells him "Don't worry son, we're having fun spending your inherientence!" Has kinda turned into the family joke.
My DD wants to sew, bought her a machine, but she is scared of it. ( needle in finger as a teenager) I will say she at least she says she wants to learn, but have doubts she will. I will in her defence say, she is 24, married and has a little girl, who just turned 6 and she works full time in the O.R. and attends college full time. So, really, when does she really have the time?
My DH says he would never get rid of any of the quilts. We still have 2 his Grandfather made. He loves the antique machines as much as I do. DGD is 6 and likes to "sew", but like her Mother she may out grow it. Don't know what will happen to it, but DH and kids have promised it will not go in the garbage or in a SALE. I guess time will tell.
I hate going to estate auctions and there is someone's life work laying out there on the table or ground to just be gotten rid of and the family doesn't want any of it. Especially, quilts and quilt tops. I have come to tears about this before. But we have bought some and my DH and I call it a rescue mission and talk about wondering what stories they could tell or the hands and history of it.
DH is 53 and I am 43, maybe we are to sentimental, but I can only dream one of our girls or grandchildren loves to sew someday!....
If no one in the family wants my collection, I want it donated to a charity organization.
Like where I make Pillow Cases for Foster Kids.
But rest assure who ever gets it all, better enjoy it and not just let them sit there and ruin, because I will know where they live and might just visit! LOL

My very best friend of 45+ years passed away a year ago and she and I have sewed and quilted constantly the whole time we have known each other. We live about 5 miles apart in the country. I did not know exactly what she wanted done with her "stash" but she did have a daughter-in-law, granddaughter and a sister and a bunch of nieces. Oh yes, she had an entire bedroom FULL of fabric on the bolts in bookcases, etc. and then a basement where she had her longarm machine, rolls of batting, and fabric.

So, imagine my shock and horror when my DH and I went over there one day and her DH said that he had spent the past two days burning her fabric, etc. I actually thought I was going to be sick. Seems he did not like her family enough to share with them. But, I was able to get some fabric in plastic totes that were in her closet - guess that he did not know that it was fabric in them or he would have burned them too. I also got her books and when I asked about any of her paper patterns, etc. he said that he guessed that he had already burnt them. Really sad.

No dumpster, please! Donate the fabric/sewing machines, etc. to your local guild for charity quilts. they will be delighted to get it, and the needy will love the results.

What a selfish, spiteful man - or is he suffering from dementia? Even if he didn't want his wife's family to have the fabric and sewing gear, he could have donated it to charity or sold it.

Wow I never gave it any thought. I do have a daughter and sister who does most everything I do.

it looks like giving it to friends and family comes in first, then charitable organizations and guilds and then sell everything. my partner and i share our love of quilting, but we have different tastes in fabric. so, i suppose i will do the same...friends and family is first. quilting friends could take what they would like to have, and the rest could go to their guilds. (i don't belong to a guild.) my partner and i certainly have to discuss this a little more in depth, i guess. thank you for bringing this dilemma into the foreground for me to ponder.

I don't have a lot of stuff, a few vintage machines and a little stash, but it all goes to my DD who is an only child. I told her to do what she wants with it. She likes to sew, but doesn't have a much of time for it. I imagine her donating some, selling some and keeping some of my things.

My guild will know what to do. What's left after family goes through it will go to 1) the charity group I quilt with, then 2) St. Vincent DePaul store to be sold. I've shopped in there often enough to know that it will be appreciated by someone.

I have 1 son, a daughter-in-law and a 3 year old grand daughter. I plan to teach my grand daughter to sew and quilt and embroider so she will get everything but if she is too young to care about my things my sister (who quilts) gets it-she has 2 daughters too that might be interested.
Talk to family to see who might want things.

@ janegb-Is your avatar a Morse machine? I just got one and have to get busy cleaning and servicing it. It looks like a 57 Chevy!

Now it's got me thinking. We've discussed it at our bi-weekly quilt meetings, but never really put anything in stone. And as far as DH is concerned, I would hope he would call upon my girlfriends to help out. My DD & DS aren't really interested in any of it, nor is my DDIL. I would call upon my girlfriend to take charge, take what she wants and let the rest of my quilt buddies go through the rest. I'm going to have to write down my request and give copies to my DS & DD, DH and friends. If my DH burnt my stuff I would be rolling in my grave....well, my ashes would be up in the wind!!!!