2manyhobbies

Well the point to any fundraiser is to make as much as you can, and organizers look for what might bring in the most cash. A beautiful quilt draws attention and often the best way to deal with it, is to sell raffle tickets. People donate a few bucks, hoping they will be the winner. if they win, they feel like they are the luckiest people in the world, but the organization feels great that they sold many tickets, thus making money for the organization. A quilt at one of our local shows, was valued at $1600, and I know hundreds of tickets were sold. I bought some! Didn't win though.

Scakes

My experiences making and donating quilts and totes for local fund raisers has not been pleasant. You get lots of compliments but no one wants to spend the money. Anything I do from now on will be small with not so much time and money invested in it. I still make quilts for QuiltsForKids and enjoy it. I've made several for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. I'd like to get involved on a more local level with a hospital or veterans' home and get away from postage costs though.

maryfrang

I have made several quilts for our local school's music department fun raiser. This year, I let them know how much material costs I had in the quilt. They started the bidding just under the price, and ended up getting three times that for the quilt. I don't think they even knew how much the materials cost, and did not know where the price should start. The quilt was a tshirt quilt made from the Band directors t shirst.

Maybe we need to let the party know at least an estimate for the material on items we donate.

Daylesewblessed

DogHouseMom, I certainly appreciate your contribution to this thread. Your experience with this issue is valuable.

My quilt donations are to an annual auction for a Bible camp. My mother has done the same for years. She has been disappointed with some of the prices and favorably surprised with others. She has a positive attitude and enjoys the experience of giving. Prices received depend on a lot of things: the economy, the attendance (which depends on advertising, weather, etc.), and the quilts. The event has one raffle quilt, 100+ auction quilts, and a room full of silent auction table toppers, wallhangings, embroidery, jelly baskets, other crafts, etc.

I love donating to this event and attending it when I can. It is an opportunity for me to give to something I believe in. It also challenges me to do my best work. I put a lot of time into my items, but not a lot of money.

The organizers allow the contributors to put a minimum bid on their items.

It has been my experience that baby or juvenile themed quilts usually get the better prices. Also, wildlife or sports themed (masculine) quilts do well.

My quilts for this event are unique. I think it adds interest to the event and the attendees have more enjoyment if there are quilts that are enjoyable to view. Not that florals and traditional quilts aren't fun to view, but you need to consider the audience. They are usually looking for gifts for family.

Dayle

coopah

Right! I only donated once and it was a small wall hanging. Never again. I just send a check if it's an organization I normally support.

quiltingfan

In the past I made 2 quilts for an auction to support military family members. The first year I made a full/queen size and raised almost 350.00 the next year I only had time to make a twin and it raised 375. It finally dawned on me that people don't pay attention to size. I was happy to have made that much but it was very unusual circumstances. Oh it was not an auction it was a raffle. That makes a big difference. People will pay 5 dollars for a chance to win a quilt but not full price. Don't feel bad it is not a reflection on you just the economy. Beth

quiltmom04

I think you are missing the point a bit. Very often we hope that our work will increase the value of the raw materials, so hopefully a $50 investment in supplies could be at least doubled when the project was done. I know when I'm in a gift exchange with a limit of, say, $20, I can make that $20 into a much more valuable gift. Same with this. I want to be able to give more to an organization than I might write out in a check. Also, who among us has not been heartbroken to see a handmade quilt treated like a dog blanket. Yes, it IS a gift, but we also know what our gift is actually worth and find it hard to see it undervalued by folks who don't know what they have. Suppose you donated a first edition book by a famous author, but the group you gave it to didn't know and sold it for $1 because it was an old, worn out book? An extreme example, perhaps, but wouldn't you be disappointed because you knew it could be worth so much more, and that's what you had intended with your gift?

Nona

I made it a rule not to give or donate any hand made item to anyone who did not do handwork themselves. Too often you find a piece you have worked days on in the back of the pickup truck or in the garage. People who do not understand the time and effort (not including money) it takes to produce a hand done item do not value it. Just donate money or go to walmart and buy something they will love!

May in Jersey

Had 2 different experiences with fund raising quilts. Made a twin size quilt for auction at DIL's school for autistic children and bidding was going great but stopped when the director's disabled DD put in a bid as everyone wanted her to win it. It didn't bring in as much as expected but the money went to the school and the director's DD was happy with her quilt.

Friend knew I made quilts for a veteran's group home so she made one for me from her leftovers and gave it to me at a retreat. it really was a great looking quilt. When I got home I heard about a fund raiser for my cousin's grandson and donated the quilt. Don't know how much it brought it but whatever it was it was for a good cause, friend and I felt good about helping out and the young gal who won it was thrilled with it.

I like making quilt tops and usually donate them to groups to finish and whatever they do with them, raffle, auction or give to others is fine with me. I'm using up my stash and helping others and that's my aim.

ghostrider

If you're asking the amount you can claim as a charitable contribution on your tax return, it's the cost of your materials only, no labor, as documented by receipts in case of audit.