Originally Posted by bakermom
I'm like you Weezie. I might buy fabric for one quilt then get several more out of the scraps. I keep combining till i get down to tiny scraps(1 1/2") then i pass those on to a friend that will use them.
It's not always that people don't understand what goes into a quilt, They just can't justify the expense. Personally , i wouldn't pay hundreds or thousands for a quilt. Not because i don't think they are worth it-I've seen many that are- I simply don't have the funds for that type of purchase. That transfers over to other items i buy also. i can't justify spending $$$$ on a stove, for example, when i know one for $$ will do what i need.
If I spent what others here say they do, i could not afford this hobby or anything else for that matter. some here must have very deep pockets.
Both of your statements are true. Most of the time, most of us can't afford the "top of the line" anything--so we settle for less--something more in line with our pocketbooks. A few can afford the best.
I've been working on a bunch of scrap quilts this year--so far have 10 quilt tops ready to make up into quilts--but have two or three more tops I'd like to finish before I go into the actual quilting mode. It is hard for me to figure out the cost because I do have so much donated to me (nice problem, I know) and I have bought "lots" on ebay which make it almost impossible to figure out what one piece costs.... I also buy sheets for backing at the used clothing store locally (I'm in Poland) for my charity quilts--that costs about $5-6.
But I'm also not making "heirloom" quilts.
However,
I am working on a special one for my niece which has cost more--one combining her love of cats and books and purples--and I'm loving it. I had to buy some batik fabric to help bring it together, but it is really nice. I think it was when I spent this money on a bit of that fabric that I began to realize how expensive it could be--searching for special cats and books fabric on ebay. But I've spread that particular project out over a few years, so it's not too bad as an average.
I think what I'm trying to say is that because I've had so much fabric donated, and I don't just buy retail price, I'm probably spending way less than most on a quilt, just because of my situation. Otherwise, I couldn't afford to make charity quilts.
However, I do just LOVE to sew. There is something so therapeutic about it. I'm glad I've gotten back to sewing after so many years of not sewing while raising kids--but now down to the last two who are now teenagers, so it's not so bad.
I'm not criticizing anyone for any amount they spend. I do think that quilters are some of the most generous group of people that exist--(well, maybe OTR --old time radio-- fans may rival them, but there probably aren't as many of them), and as so many have said, there is nothing harmful about creating something beautiful with a sewing machine.