meyert

I agree with the sentiment already express that just because I may not like the quilt that does not mean that I didn't try my best. For donation quilts I am often using donated fabric so some of them I won't "love" as much as if I had bought the fabric special

I have donated quilts to the homeless shelter as well. They were ugly..like the ugliest thing I have ever made. A neighbor donated the fabric and I didn't want to throw the fabric out. I was told those ugly quilts were snatched right up. There were people very happy to get them. So I have decided that I won't put my own tastes on donations... I just sew and piece the best that I can.

petthefabric

I have mixed feelings too. The guild quilts go to local groups. The quilts are chosen for that group (children quilts for police/sherrif). And sizes too. So there's so many different posibilities. I want each quilt to be attractive. Since it's for someone whom I don't know, I make it to my attractive standards. Usually the recepients get to choose so I'm thinking they get something they like. A friend gave to a recovery program and said some ladies waited for one of hers because there was a lot of thought, design and care in them. Some go to hospice. The leader said she thought these people deserved something nice at that stage of life. I've been in nursing homes and many of them haven't the mental capability to know nice, just comfortable.

Then, the Bible says to work for God in all you do. Not for man.

So I choose to do my best. Making as many as time allows-so they're simple. And with the stash at hand, being a good steward of my resources.

This fits my value system. Your value system is different. And diversity is welcome.

ckcowl

I make lots of quilts every year- gift some, sell some, put some away in my trunk for the right person, event, cause to come up. Sometimes it’s a birthday, a wedding, a new baby, a coworker- a cancer benefit, what ever- every couple years I pull out the quilts that are in there & check them out- if I cannot think of a specific person/ event/ place for certain ones I donate them where appropriate. So, my donations are all made as if they could be a wedding gift, birthday, a great sale.... practice quilts - less than perfect quilts usually go to the kids in the family for fort building, picnics, beach quilts,camping... ( forts are their favorite)

Jingle

I make lots of quilts every year for foster kids in my county. I use fabric out of my stash that I would and have used to gift someone or some I have used for my own bed quilts. I just make them simpler but I would give them to anyone. They are small size but could be used by any size kid. I use simpler designs as I don't know if they will be liked or used.

Tartan

Charity quilts should be made with the same care. It would depend on where the charity quilt was going and the intended purpose. Is it going to the animal shelter for dog beds? Is it a lap quilt for a wheel chair where it would need to be extra sturdy for repeated washing and maybe caught in the wheels? How about if it was going to the homeless shelter where they prefer ugly but sturdy quilts so they last and are not stolen? I always do my best work for charity quilts as that is the way I do things but I can see some instances where use over beauty would work better.

P-BurgKay

Oh my, I agree with so many of you. I make my charity quilts with as much love, as I put into the quilts that I make for my family and friends. Those that receive them, it is not always there fault, that they are in the position that they are in that they are receiving charity quilts. Girls keep up the good work and continue to make charity quilts. I am. I have a charity that I make for, and I feel sure that the ones that receive the quilts I make, are enjoying them. JMHO.

Krisb

I love to make quilt for charities.

1. if they are intended for foster kids or Project Linus or law enforcement, I try to emphasize more masculine patterns, since these are less often received.
2. For LWR, usually just donate fabric and let the church quilting ladies do with it what they will.
3. Animal shelters, use up the I don’t like it anymore fabric.
4. Nursing homes try to use more old fashioned fabrics.

In any case, I do the best work that I can. People do not deserve our second rate rejects. However, a well made quilt where I don’t like this pattern or color combination in my house now that it is completed is not a reject to me, nor does it mean that someone else may not love it. Just not my current taste.

The idea that people in need are somehow unable to recognize shoddy workmanship is offensive. If it is not good enough to gift to someone who know, it is not good enough to gift to someone you do not know. With the economic situation what it is today, your charity quilt could go to anyone—your relative, your neighbor, your friend.

Getting off my soapbox now.

sewingpup

I have probably given away about 100 quilts in my lifetime....not as many as a lot of you.....I do know that the cost for me to make a quilt varies from 100-300 dollars....just for the materials as I only use quilt shop fabrics and good batting, good quality thread. yikes....100 X 100 is $10,000 plus my time.....so as I really am not rich, I am not going to kick myself if I make a simpler quilt. I do believe my quilts have lasted longer than many store-bought ones....at least that is what feedback I have gotten back from folks. I do use up scraps when I make quilts to give away....The last fancy quilt I made cost me about $400 for the fabric, pattern, tools, and class and then I paid another $600 for light custom work...and then I gave the quilt away. I must be crazy! tee hee....but I will continue to do it as long as I am able.

quiltingshorttimer

I hear what you are saying--I've been asked to quilt some real messes made by a group from my church intended for charity. I worked to get many that be acceptable but there were some that got tossed by me (with organizer's ok) cause really a mess & they were going to foster kids. When I first got my LA my guild was cranking out quilts for every wartime vet in our county (some from WWII up to present) and with about 700 quilts we needed all our long armers. I considered those practice quilts--not that they were not done well, but it was me learning different patterns, etc. I've since gotten better, but those were fine, too.

A member of my guild works with homeless--she recommends acyrlic blankets with "space" blankets be donated as homeless have a better way to keep those clean and the "space" blankets are needed for wet weather or extreme cold.

Iceblossom

Most of what I do are donation projects. Because some of what I do I recognize as being rather "taste specific" I really prefer groups that let the person choose what they get. My quilts can be very different and you can love one and hate another -- but they both will be good examples of whatever they are.

I use the same workmanship on all my projects, my personal gifts may have more design or technique to them. I like to piece quilt tops, and I want to make more than I have homes for -- if I did have a long arm I'd probably pretty comfortably make one per month or so, my growing stack of unfinished tops does make me pause and slow down a bit. Sometimes when I offer to make someone a quilt we go through my tops, whether my own finished or the "available" tops and someone really likes something I made with no one particular in mind.

I've seen some donated projects that I thought were pretty awful in one way or another. I don't think everything has to be brand new coordinated fabrics to look good, but things shouldn't look like you swept it off the floor either, and again, workmanship should be solid. In the guild I belonged to we supported Ronald McDonald house and we had a very critical person who did intake on every quilt (large guild, several hundred per year). She had a crew of menders, and if something was deemed completely unsuitable and/or non-fixable, there was a person with more tact who would privately tell the person what was the issue.

I say at worst a quilt will keep someone warm, but surely we deserve it to ourselves as creators as well as the recipients needing a lift at a hard point in life for whatever reasons, to make it as nice as we can. That doesn't mean that every quilt has to be show worthy, but even something humble made with love and workmanship can become more than just some left over fabric.