bearisgray

I'm willing to part with $1 - $5 dollars for raffle tickets for a quilt - and even though I know very well what it takes to make a quilt, I'm not willing to pay lot for one (regardless of how much money I currently have invested in fabrics and equipment)

Although it does irk me when an auctioneer will go on for 5 minutes about a pan of brownies, and blow off almost any needlework item.

COYOTEMAGIC

Ok, maybe I'm confused, but I thought the part of donating an item for an auction or other charity situation was for the good of the organization, not whether it brought in the money WE thought it was worth. If it brings in $1, that's $1 more than they had before.

If you aren't willing to give freely of your fabric, time, and skills to an organization, why give to them at all?

Like I said, maybe I'm missing the point of this thread

sdeaaz

Coyotemagic, you are right.... I know.... but I still came home disappointed that in the end I didn't donate enough. Guess I could still write a check. Thank you ladies for sharing your experiences... guess I will look for a better item to be auctioned and save my quilts and runners for friends.

ckcowl

it seems to always be disappointing, discouraging and frustrating to donate quilts to local activities for auctions---you can sometimes do better if the organization is going to raffle the quilted items- if they are motivated to sell the tickets- i've had quilts i put $75 into go for $15...
and said---why didn't you just give them away as a door prize???
i stopped donating to some- a couple i still donate to i just don't want to know---what ever they do--what ever they get---i don't care- i don't want to know- i gave the quilt up---it's no longer mine- it just doesn't matter what happens to it next...having that attitude about it has saved my feelings---like giving quilts to family members- it's theirs---if they want to use it to have a picnic on the ground- or stuff it in a box under their bed- i don't have a say anymore- i gave it up.

Greenheron

This is not the first thread on this subject. If a person spends money and time on an object to donate to a worthy cause they have a reasonable hope that the charity will at least benefit to the amount spent. It is dispiriting for something of worth to bring little return. Many posters in the previous thread recommended quilts be donated for raffles but not auctions unless there was a reserve established.

An auction of quilts for charity, such as the Mennonite Relief, does way, way better than quilt(s) among miscellaneous donations.



Logically, donees object to spending time and $XXX dollars to benefit the cause to the tune of $15. Wouldn't it be better all around to just give the $15 up front?

w7sue

I have donated many quilts over the years ... usually to a charity organization that gives them to children ... my favorite is the Cancer Cabin in Woods, Oregon. I usually try to give them four or five a year. One quilt I donated to the group ended up being raffled off at the library in Pacific City. I don't know how much they earned on it, but it was more than I spent making it (at least I hope so). The lady who did the longarm quilting gave me a special price because of it going to charity and that helped keep the cost down. I even bought tickets for the darn thing because I posted a picture of it on my facebook page (bragging about it being chosen for the raffle - lol) and a girlfriend said she wanted it. I didn't win it for her but it was nice knowing that I made a contribution to the local library. I would definitely do it again.

My question is -- how do you establish a value on a quilt? When I was in the library purchasing raffle tickets I told the lady I had made it and she asked if I would consider making a quilt for the children's area of the library. The wall they wanted to hang it on is only 24" wide so I made a small wall hanging - consisting of three 12" squares with sashings and borders. I gave it to them and they have given me a receipt, but I have no idea how to establish a value for IRS purposes.

As far as quilts for gifts - I only give to people who I know will appreciate them. We all know who those people are and it's always fun to surprise them with a gift of a quilt - just did that today - a small wall hanging for a former co-worker.

carolaug

I love making quilts and spend alot on the materials and make for family and friends. No one has a clue how much I spend and that is fine...my two boys have one that I made. I used their pets as the theme. 12.00 a yard for the fabric. This was before I learned how to shop smart and also prior to having a stash. Since the theme was dogs..guess who uses the quilt...LOL...that is fine, I will say that at first I was very upset. But my husband said its because of the fabric I choose, at least they are on their couch. Both boys are always asking me to make them a quilt...when I said I did they said oh that is Layla's or Roxies...well I guess its loved. As for donating to org. I have been asked many times and have not..its cheaper to donate money. I have been asked again from a close friend for her Avon walk. I may make a string scrappy baby blanket - but never bigger that that. Sorta afraid if I start that everyone will want me to donate..I still have a lot of quilts to make for family members.

Krystyna

I haven't donated to general charities simply because I know that no one understands the work that goes into them. If you want to donate ... do it to a quilting group. At least there you will be appreciated!

2manyhobbies

Sometimes the fault lies with the organizers. I FINALLY convinced our 4-H silent auction people to raise the minimum bids, for one. And the bidding increments had to be at larger. But I also convinced donors to put a decent value on their items--better to pitch it higher than lower. A group of gals make a quilt each year for the auction. They are slightly smaller than a twin, and the first year, they valued it as $50 piece. So what happened? The bids were so low, one of the gals in the group bid on her own product because she was heart-broken that the bidding was low. When they brought another quilt the next year, I insisted they put a value of $100 on it. What did they get? an over-bid! go figure.

damaquilts

I use to donate to the auction every year for the Humane society. It never made anything close to what it was worth so I stopped also.One year I ended up bidding on one of my own quilts just so it wouldn't get sent to the thrift store. LOL Now I did make a quilted tote bag for Japanese Chin rescue and it sold for $60.. Shrug??
Who Knew? I am making more purses, smaller ones, this month for them Hopefully they will make a bunch again. But another person donated the fabric to me I am just paying for the hardware and the batting.