Charity quilts vs all other quilts
First let me say from the get-go that I'm not wanting to offend anyone with this question. Charity quilts are very important to me & I make more blocks these days for charity quilts then the actual finished quilts because quilt completion has really gotten hard on me as I am getting older. Now I want you to know that I am not a perfectionist by any means and I make a lot of mistakes & imperfections in my quilts but I make them with love for those to whom I give them.
Over the years I have heard comments from friends & quilters concerning charity quilts that go something like this:
1. Charity quilts are good to "practice" my quilting skills on.
2. I really "botched" up on this quilt but it will make a good charity quilt & they will never know the difference anyway.
3. I have the quilting fever & want to make something...anything...and I'll give it to charity even if it's not something I would keep for myself or give as a gift.
4. I just finished a quilt but it's not something I like or good enough to gift so I will just give it to charity.
etc, etc, etc.
So here is my question to you. Isn't a charity quilt a "gifted" quilt & shouldn't it be made with the same amount of love & attention that you would give any other quilt? Shouldn't we slow down & put the same amount of time & effort into a charity quilt that we would put into a quilt for someone that we personally know? Can't we make "practice" quilts to donate to animal shelters (or something similar) & make real, thoughtful, caring & loving quilts for charities. It's true, we probably won't ever know who will end up with the charity quilt that we donate, but in my opinion that does not matter. It was made for a person in need of love, warmth & prayers at the time it was gifted to them for a very special reason.
Just some food for thought on this subject.