I love to make charity quilts--it gives me a chance to deplete my stash, experiment with a color or technique or pattern, then I quilt it as if it were for me. Knowing I won't know the recipient is no excuse for shoddy work or materials. If I'm giving back for my gifts, what I put out into the universe will be completed to the best of my ability. I just finished a quilt today that I ended up quilting to death--yes, whoever it goes to may or may not notice--as long as they feel the love stitched in with everything else. I use these quilts to further develop my skills on my HandiQuilter, to try new backgrounds or fills or whatevers. I consider this to be a win-win situation.