i know for some of us it is hard to give our guilts to others without expectations (i.e. that they will love is as we do, that ot wo;; be taken care of, that it will be cherished, that it will be used, etc) but the fact is that once we give our quilts to others, they are no longer ours. i give my quilts without any further expectations from the receipients.
i made a quilt for a really close dear male friend of mine that he had displayed on his sofa. he passed away quite unexpectedly about a year later and i mourned his passing for almost 1 1/2 years. i have no idea where the quilt i made him ended up. even if his siblings did not keep it, i would not want it back because every time i look at it, it would remind me that he is no longer here sharing his friendship with me. i cant imagine that they threw it away so i can only hope they kept it or gave it to someone else to enjoy. in another situtation, one of my uncles was in the final days of life with cancer, when he came home from the hospital i had made a quilt for him which he wrapped himself in every day until it was time for him to leave us. i dont know where that quilt ended up either but also i would not want it back. i believe his fiance has it and can only hope that she is finding comfort from it.
quilts have a way of making their way around to find someone to love and/or use them. we see them at estate sales, yard sales, thrift stores for sale all the time. my only desire is that my quilts be used and loved by someone if other than the original receipient.