I've been thinking about this thread since it started. Which is why forums and conversations are nice. At FB people talk at you not to you and it is pretty useless to try to have a conversation, it is a very clunky platform for that.
Expectations: What someone does with my gifts is none of my business. Give freely or not at all. Resentments have no part in my current mindset, and I'm much healthier for it.
Yesterday it crossed my mind to wonder what my reaction would be if Anyone gave me a gift worth two hundred dollars or more and took months to make. I think I'd be briefly amazed and honored, but then I'd feel obligated, very obligated and not comfortable, even burdened owning it.. At this stage of my life there is no one I'd gift that kind of valuable gift to, we do charitable giving instead and plenty of it.
WE know quilts are meant to be used and loved, but I can understand why they would be put away and saved for good. Particularly if someone told me what it cost and how long it took to make.
And based on a lifetime of observation, what isn't used in the home isn't wanted from the estate. No memories associated with it.
And I understand about soft. I love my quilts on my bed, change them out every month so I can see them all. But on the couch? I have two quilts within reach, but I use a $6.00 yoga blanket. On the bed if I'm just having some quiet time tapping or reading? I use my bed runners which are double sided with no batting. Very soft.
And some of that heavy/stiff feeling is probably do to the state of the art. Quality high thread count fabrics, highly processed batting, more quilting than generally done by hand? I have a couple of queen quilts (double sided) made with recycled shirts, batting without scrim....sooofffftttt
Thank you team, for provoking some pondering this week
Feel free to argue my points!