linkd

I made my son a quilt for high school graduation. It was late. It followed him around for several years and I suspect it was washed in beer more than once. Agfter he got married they adopted a puppy who managed to chew through to 4.5 in sqaure patches. It took me a long time (waiting for that puppy to stop teething) But even though I still had material for the missing patches I replaced one that was a mottled blue solid with a blue with dog bones printed on it.

I quilted the 5'x10' patch by SID and a large dog bone in the center. Now he doesn't show off the quilt nearly as much as he does the patch.

nstitches4u

Don't pretend you don't have some! We all have them! lol

mimiof4

When I was in "high school home ec" I made my very first quilt, all hand quilting, I didn't have any kids at the time(of course) but when my first son was born I already had the most precious quilt for him. He used it for awhile, and then it was put away and saved, he had no clue. Well the Christmas before his son was due the following January, there was a gift for the bundle of joy to arrive in the New Year attached with a note of how it was made for him then saved for his first born. Well to make a long story short when he and my grandson's mother divorced the quilt was never to be seen again. I have asked her about it several times, she has no idea what I am talking about. I am sad but life and many quilts go by.

Rose_P

You have expressed the problem to a tee! Sadly, more than a few people have this attitude, and they are usually people who have much more respect for paid work of any kind than anything that's done as an art or craft. After read some of these sad stories, I will be sure I know any potential giftee very well before I'll risk wasting my time and effort on one like that. I'm wondering if we could come up with some sort of a test, such as asking what they think would be a fair price to ask for something if you were selling it on Etsy or in a shop. The answer might tell you a lot about their respect or the lack thereof for handmade quilts. It might open up some dialogue and an opportunity to spell out what kind of investment went into the item, both in terms of costs and time. You could research what skilled workers earn in the working world, and express the value of your quilt in terms of those kinds of dollars in addition to the initial cost plus overhead (the cost of your machines, rulers, cutters, notions, etc.). For people who measure everything in terms of dollars, that's probably the only way to get through to them.

nstitches4u

I have not had anything terrible happen to my quilts. At least not to my knowledge. lol

A friend in my quilt club made a beautiful cathedral window quilt (all handmade---no machine stitching) for her granddaughter. Her son and his wife later divorced and the son got custody of the 2 children. He did not get custody of the quilt, however. When he asked for the quilt, the ex told him that it 'might' have gone in some stuff that she sent to Goodwill. (Can you say spiteful!) My friend contacted Goodwill, but it was long gone. The little granddaughter was heart-broken. Of course, grandma is making her another cathedral window quilt.

Norma

MacThayer

I would be very upset if someone used one of my quilts for a doggie bed, at least while it was new and beautiful. What happens to it when it's old and worn out --- well, I'll be dead by then, so I won't care.

My policy is to never, ever give a quilt to someone who hasn't asked me for one. I assume if they ask, they are interested in having a quilt. There are just too many people out there (my relatives included) who don't have a clue as to how much work, time and money goes into a quilt. Sometimes you have to ask what kind of quilt they want as well. My niece used to think quilts were "horribly old fashioned" until she saw a blue jeans quilt and asked me to make her one. She adores it! Has her whole bedroom done in denim now! One sister never was one for quilts, until she saw one in a catalog she adored, and sent me the photo. To me, it was boring to make: all big blocks, but great colors. I couldn't have made her happier if I'd sent her pure gold! So, as a caveat, make sure the person wants a quilt, and make sure you give them the quilt they want. And if they don't seem to want a quilt, for Pete's sake, don't give them one!

nycquilter

I seem lucky in that all my quilted gifts have been loved and adored. Remember the book,"The Velveteen Rabbit"? the beloved stuffed animal was so loved his fur was rubbed right off. And when this beloved rabbit had to be discarded because of some pre-antibiotic infection, how it became real? and years later, the little boy saw the real rabbit and thought of his beloved stuffed animal? This is how I want my quilts, especially baby and children's quilts, to be. Loved to death. I don't want my quilt to become anyone's heirloom, put away and only looked at on occasion.

And, about burying the dog in the quilt, I am sure this was meant as the highest of honors. I am sorry that you felt hurt. When I worked on a locked unit and one of the patients died, I had everyone work on a community, memorial quilt. It was gorgeous. When I asked what they wanted to happen with the quilt, I was told to send it to the mother of the patient who'd died so it could be buried with him. This was a group of patients who were locked up due to not having their medical condition treated in the community, posing a very real risk of disease transmission, not locked up cause they're alzheimer's or mentally ill. And this was what they wanted to do to honor one of their own.

Vicki W

I am so sorry that your quilt was mis-treated. I love being able to give quilts to people.

Everyone I have given has been received and very much appreciated. My DD has her son's baby quilt in the car with them at all times. The little dear can now say that his Granny made it.

I sent a baby quilt last weekend to a girl who went to school with my DD. DD said she cried when she opened the quilt.

I gave one last summer to a girl who was expecting, she watched me work on it and I didn't get it finished before she had the baby. She called me just as soon as she got out of the hospital. Asked me if I wanted to come by and see the baby....she sure was glad I had the quilt in hand.

Another one I gave away at work and the girl said her older child was trying to take it before the baby was there.

You get the idea, maybe I have been very blessed but so far I have gifted to people who love quilts.

Ruby the Quilter

I'm always amazed how someone can't see the work it takes to make a quilt. I think I would find the right time and let her how much time it took and the love put in it and if she didn't like it she could have said something.

CMARAS1234

the worst thing and the funniest.. I decided to make a queen size hawaiian quilt that was " The rain that falls on lahua Blossoms.It was labor intensive to cut and baste. , Then applique. finally started to quilt it and had the main part done the center ( echo quilting. My job sent me on the road for quite awhile. and I left it in the hoop ( big Hintenberg) in my guest bedroom with the curtains clossed. when I came home several months later,It had faded out on the top part that was in the hoop// I have not touched it since.

Funny Last year I got a present from my daughter, and she said that she had got it somewhere , she thought it was a craft show, and it reminded her of me. I had sent the quilt to her ten yrs before as a xmas gift.. When [I] said the quilt looked familar.. She realized I had sent it to her. and was very embarassed. He cmaras