mic-pa

I have three queen size, two lap robes and many wallhangings that are mine. I have gifted all my kids and grands with quilts as well as many friends. Now I am making quilts for charity and comfort quilts for people I know that are stricken with cancer. Love doing this for other people.

QM

Of the over 450 quilts I have made since I began in 2000, about 2% are still in the house. About 10% have gone to relatives. About 5% have been commissions. Up to last year, the remainder have been divided about equally between ones I've sold and ones and ones I have prepared for various charities, either as raffle quilts or for direct benefit. One person who has been commissioning my quilts all along currently owns about twice as many as I do. Several hang in his business. My DH and I recently has a discussion this topic and decided that we would no longer sell any quilts except on commission, probably just to the one party. There are 3 quilts in the pipeline for us, largely because I am challenged by the patterns. Right now, we are seeing a great deal of local need for children in out of home placement, babies and toddlers in major poverty and semi-abandoned older adults. We just made a commitment to provide quite a few to a local rehabilitation hospital, to symbolize to those patients who have given up that they still matter and can help themselves. The saintly family doctor I grew up with made a huge point of discussing the importance of these symbols in survival and healing. As a teacher, I heard many times that MY attention and encouragement changed the lives of my students. I am now quite disabled, but this is one corner of our world where I can have a positive impact one person at a time. Two people who were diagnosed with terminal cancers credit their continued life to the impact of quilts we were able to give them. Others died no longer feeling abandoned. An emergency foster parent told me that the ONLY thing owned by a child who was brought to her in the middle of the night from a crack house was a quilt I had given to the social workers for this purpose. (Everything else had to be destroyed.) These things do matter. I feel very strongly that every quilt given for these purpose must give a strong message of love. One of my friends often says that a charity quilt is, ultimately, a gift to GOD, and we must not give God shoddy gifts. She and I disagree on a great many other issues, but we are totally in agreement on this.

Maresan

Actually I never made a quilt for myself as I give them as gifts to people. It made me think though, that I should make one just for me.

Stitchnripper

I have most of mine! I have made some for the grandchildren and one son, and other relatives, and some baby quilts, but I quilt mostly for my own pleasure and if someone asks for one, I'll give it, but I like looking at them. We sleep under one of them right now. Not all of them are bed sized.

elizajo

What a generous and insightful quilter you are, QM. It seems that you have found under-served children and adults who slip through the cracks. And I love you and your friend's philosophy about how our gifts to God shouldn't be shoddy work.

ckcowl

99% of the quilts i make go somewhere else-
the first 5 years i was very actively quilting the quilt that lived on my bed came from Pottery Barn!
when we moved into our new house i did make one for us- now we have 3- but all the rest go somewhere else
i gift them, donate them & sell them- i seldom keep one

SouthPStitches

I used to think I had to make a quilt for a specific purpose or person. I still give away the majority but do keep some for hubby and I.

Jennifer

I have given over ten away to family members and to babies. But my husband and daughter claim most of them prior to me even thinking about giving them away. Hubby has about three. Daughter has three. I have two that I cannot part with.

Dolphyngyrl

so far all except one although I have one I have currently for a friend that I haven't finished and a couple kits for the in-laws that I haven't started. I am so attached to my work. Its like my art to me, hard to give away

Jackie Spencer

I have been making quilts of all sizes since 1975. I give about 90% of them away. I have 3 daughters and 10 grandchildren, they see one in progress and its, Ohh Moma, or Ohh Nanny, then I know what to give them for Christmas or their next Birthday.