Janquiltz

Did a search here regarding naming quilts, and didn't really find a good reason to do so on the board. Here are some of my thoughts/opinions:

Future generations that may find your quilt will appreciate knowing where it was made, when it was made, for whom it was made, perhaps why it was made, and who made it - both the person that pieced the quilt and the one that did the quilting. Having this information establishes provenance and gives historians a glimpse into the lifestyle of the era.

This information would probably be appreciated and considered valuable or important to family members because it is a part of their family history. This kind of information can be useful in appraising a quilt - it helps date fabric. I am sure that my quilts will never be considered valuable and they will probably never reach the quality necessary to be juried in to a quilt show - but I know that my children and grandchildren appreciate the things that I have made, and have delighted in the information that has been found in our family history.

I believe that it is important to at least label your quilts and give as much information as possible. By law, at least in Arizona, the statutory definition of a record begins with the words: "regardless of physical form or characteristic". By this definition, the quilts we make are "records." Naming a quilt gives a little insight in to the thoughts and feelings you might have had either for the quilt you were creating or the person for whom you made the quilt.

When you find a quilt made years and years ago, don't you find yourself wondering about the person that made it and wishing you knew more about them? Just a little something to think about the next time you are making a quilt - future generations may wonder the same thing about you and your quilt.

Whew - sorry I went on and on here. Considering the wide range of lifestyles, and members who live all over the world and go from new quilter to what appears to be "the pros from Dover" (darn there are some really, really talented people on this board), I am really interested in knowing some of your thoughts and opinions on this subject.

craftybear

thanks for sharing this information with us

quilterella

I bought a couple really old quilts at a flea market a couple of years ago. One is a hexagon that was tied(and very ugly) and the other was a scrappy star quilt, also tied. Unfortunately there were no labels on either quilt, so I have no way of dating them. I,now make sure I label all my quilts because you never know where they may end up!

gaigai

Sorry, nope, don't label my quilts and don't intend to start.

Lori S

I am with you on this one. My family constantly bugs me to lable them. My stand on this issue with them is clear. I intended them to be consumed in my lifetime, not put on a shelf for a generation who never knew me to pull out and possibly discard, rarely if ever having seen the light of day.
My family all sews and knows the hours that go into each one, so although I can appreciate the reverence given... I have taken to threatening them with tossing a cup of spagetti sauce on them myself if thats what it takes to get them to use them. Additionally, I tell them if they can not see themselves using the quilt , donate it to a charity so it can be raffled , auctioned or otherwise put to its best use. Putting it on a shelf, is not this creators intention, nor do I consider it .. its best use.
I will admit that it was only under the "spagetti sauce" threat that ... the quilts came out of the closet.

jdiane318

I label if it is something special. It isn't really about dating things.

feline fanatic

In another life I wanted to pursue a career in art. Having taken numerous art classes it was ingrained in me to always sign your work. Not only for provinance but simply because you took the time to create the piece of art, the very least you should do is sign it and date it. I feel the same about my quilts but I do have a few that I have made and use around the house that are not labeled. Many quilters sign and date their quilts in the quilting itself. Diane Gaudynski signs her quilts with the quilting.

My view is you never know what may happen in your lifetime... You may become famous, or God forbid you may pass away unexpectedly, who knows. Having your quilts signed and dated in some way, either with a label or incorporated into the quilting, means a lot more to the people who have them if either occurs. It is not a historic provenance so much as it means something to the recipients. A loving reminder of the quilted gift. That's my view on it. If the quilt does become an heirloom, whether that was the makers intent or not, signing or labeling means a world of difference to the people in possession of the quilt. I personally think it is sad that makers do not sign or label their quilt in any way. It is almost as though you are not proud enough of your work to take credit for it, even if your intent was for it to be used up and loved to death in your lifetime. JMHO.

Quilting Grandma

I name the quilts. For instance ---- the last one was "Celebration". It went to a GD who was graduating from High School. I also include a short note that it was made with love and prayers and when she uses it, remember -- God loves her and she is forever in our hearts and prayers. Finish with the date and my name.

Scissor Queen

I label all of my quilts except baby quilts. I also name all of my quilts. So far every quilt I've made and given away is in use. Even if they're used as long as they're taken good care of, quilts last a very long time.