annthreecats

I don't know about raffles v. auctions, but I'm almost finished with a quilt that I'm giving away at my family reunion this summer. I tried to make it gender neutral. It's the quilt top in my avatar. The backing is navy blue and I pieced it with a row of the blocks from the front. The binding will be the same navy blue.

ShowMama

I have made a number of quilts over the years for fundraisers in which the quilt was either raffled or auctioned. The raffles did actually bring in more money, but that was mainly because tickets were sold over a period of time. But if the raffle is not an option, then you just accept it.

As far as size, I personally don't offer anything less than queen size. A runner or lap quilt is so limited in size that many people wouldn't bid on it, no matter how beautiful it is. But a queen size quilt would appeal to a large number of people. I find that the general public still mainly associates quilts with bedcovers, something to keep you warm. Many don't think, as we quilters do, that there are so many reasons to have a quilt (bed runner, table topper, wall hanging, etc). So I feel that a large quilt would appeal to the largest number of people.

For the actual look of the quilt, be sure to use colorful fabrics. Those seem to spark the most interest.

MyMoose2

One of the grade schools in our area has an auction and one quilt is auctioned by each grade. The first graders each drew a picture on white fabric backed with freezer paper, colored it, and the quilter color set the art and pieced the blocks into a quilt. The kindergarten class teacher traced each child's handprint and they appliqued them for their quilt. Most of the winners of the auction were parents, grandparents, teachers, or the school board.

Yosamitesa

For being a school auction, I would do a good lapsized to a twin sized quilt. I would go with either a child's theme or with the patriotic. I have seen quilts auctioned at schools that were basic 9-patch to extravagant with embroidery and applique. The deal is, how much time, energy and money do you want to put into this? One thing you could do is use the school colors and maybe put the school mascot on it or in the quilt somewhere.

GrannieAnnie

Quilt.......

Should be at least queen sized

Design choice is yours completely, remember it's your time.

applique seems to be an attention getter.

What's in fashion now? Seriously, I don't follow fashion so I can't answer. I'd lean toward neutrals myself.

Try to keep it gender neutral. But your audience will mostly be female probably so don't sweat that.

And I agree, if you can, try a raffle. Usually more profitable.

GrannieAnnie

I'd never buy a chance on a lap quilt, but I'd spend a bunch on a queen specially if it was for my kids school.

GrannieAnnie

Remember, you can have the most fantastic auctioneer in the world AND you can have the most beautiful quilt ever, but if there's not someone in the audience who has money to burn, you're not going to make a lot on your quilt.

GrannieAnnie

Wonderful choice for an unknown owner!

quiltstringz

I believe that most patterns have a disclaimer that you can use to sell a few just no "mass" production. If you have any questions or feel uncomfortable you can email the pattern co/designer and tell them what you are doing it for and see if they have any objections. If I were doing a quilt for auction I think I would stick with a good sized lap quilt, they can say something like wouldn't you just love to snuggle under this while watching tv! I recently quilted one for a friend of mine and it was the Disappearing Nine Patch (free pattern out on the web) and it was done scrappy in all beiges and was absolutely beautiful. The raffle quilts I have done have all been Queen but you are hitting a larger audience - we normally make around $3,000 + on the Relay for Life quilt that I do each year.

nycquilter

For many years, I made quilts for the PTA auction at my DD's school. The past two years, I did the same for my god-daughter's school. For DD's school, the first two years, they (the PTB) wanted self-portraits. The first year, when teh kids were in 1st grade, I ironed freezer paper to white fabric and the kids used fabric crayons and markers to draw themselves. The next year, I found a pattern that was either a boy or girl. Each child sent me a piece of fabric that they chose, from old clothes or sports uniform, and I used that fabric for the pants/shirt or dress. Then I sent the finished blocks home for the children to decorate. I got them back and sewed into a quilt. The 3rd grade class, I taught them foundation piecing using muslin as the foundation and they pieced schoolhouse blocks. The 6th grade (I took a break) they again did foundation piecing on muslin and did the snail trail pattern (a tesselation which they had studied in school) in their school colors. EAch time, at the auction, the quilts raised at least $750, with one year going as high as $1500. For my goddaughter's classes, the kids simply drew on white fabric. I don't know about the money but was told it was among the highest amount raised by any one class project. I also donated a regular quilt for the "shop" at the auction and that quilt went for a lot less. The size varied, depending on the number of kids/class, but averaged twin-size, I think.