what an interesting thread. thanks guys.
after reading through the whole thing, i think tothill said what my guts feel.
no one who knows me well enough for me to consider making them a quilt thinks they come cheap. and i'm not wealthy; when i made a quilt years ago for a good friend's new house, i offered her the chance to upgrade the backing to flannel if she helped to pay for it. quilter's flannel is atrociously expensive and this was a queen sized quilt. she did it, and recently i slept under that quilt at her house. more than ten years, three kids, four cats and a dog later, it is washed and worn, soft as butter and as utterly loved and real now as i ever could have dreamed it could be come while i stitched it.
i loathe insurance companies. if the house goes up in flames and the replacement value of the quilt is given, driving to pennsylvania and purchasing a new handmade quilt isn't going to replace the holes left in the heart. and if it's about money, the replacement value of the quilt in the cheque will go towards something that means something to them anyway.
but i'm funny that way. living richly and being broke ass changes your perspective on what's important i guess.
aileen