Those that don't quilt, think that it takes 1 week, $20 and is not that hard. I am very picky when it comes to giving quilts as gifts. I have to feel that the person will appreciate and take care of the quilt. My Charity quilts are sent out into the world for the sick children and the elderly. They are usually smaller and bring joy for what may be a short time. I am at peace with that.

Yes and it gets bigger every year. It is to the point of I really want to do some things for myself again. But if you do one Grdkid then you have todo the rest. Do on DD and Her DH then there is my other DD &Her DH. Now it is the SILs Their Grnd.Kids. Or My 2 SIL and their KIds. MY Friends it goes on and on :shock: :lol: :lol: I can never catch up and probably never will. But I don't care.
BillsBonBpm

I have already done close family and just finished wedding memories for both kids. I don't have grandkids yet, but I have already done one cot quilt, have fabric for 2 more and hubby has made some soft toys. I figure we need to be prepared. Both our kids became engaged at the same time, got married within 12 months of each other and are talking having babies around the same time. I figure the more I get done in advance between doing other things, the less rushed I will be at the time so I keep adding baby/kids fabric to my stash to do stuff.

Come to think about it I have yet to make myself a quilt! :lol: :lol: :lol:

That might have to be my next project!!

Billy

I think there are lots of us who haven't done that yet!! :lol: :lol:

You mean we are suppose to make one for ourselfs and keep it :shock: Now I have to add another one to my growing list :roll: LOL

Almost every quilt I have started I started for "me". But half way throught it I have another idea for a quilt I might like better. As I am making the quilts something in them seems to remind me of someone, so that is who will get it. For my MIL it was stars to go in her red, white and blue guest room. For my parents it was the begonia flower print that reminded me of our garden growing up.

I've had people, some more acquaintences than friends, ask me to make them quilts and I tell them I will add them to the bottom of my "list". I am never specific as to how long the "list" is or in what order. I quilt with my hands but give from my heart. As I hand off a quilt that I have spent many, many hours creating I make sure it is to a good home and will be cherished as much as I cherish the friendship of the recipient.

I have a good for you, every year I give away a quilt at our company Christmas party and as we were leaving this years party one of the wives of a man I work with came up to be and said "I'm really sick and need to rest a lot of the time, if I could have one of your quilts I would feel so warm and comfortable and get well so much faster." I was so shocked I didn't know what to say. I said well if your husband is still working with me next year you just might get that chance to win the quilt. lol Could not believe her boldness, guess it just hit me wrong. So I know what you are all feeling when it comes to everyone wanting one of your quilts, I'm still working on getting the family warm with one of my quilts.

Happy New Year Everyone!! Have a safe and blessed 2010!

When asked if I will sew or make something for someone,
I say in a joking way (but really mean it),
"I ONLY SEW FOR THOSE I LOVE AND I DON'T LOVE YOU
THAT MUCH". :)

Good one! :D

Our niece who was also the flowergirl at our wedding two years ago, was very sad when her brother got one of my quilts for Christmas this year... I whispered in her ear that she was next! That got me a smile!

As much as I love quilting I am not spending the rest of my life making quilts for people who may or may not appreciate them. My dh wants me to send his adopted daughter a quilt... in the five years I've known him she has NEVER even sent him a card or gift for his birthday, Father's Day or Christmas, but he wants me to make her a quilt? NO WAY!

This is a wonderful response! I love the "positiveity" of it..and the person who actually follows thru would be the type of person who would be "quilt-worthy"!

I have been quilting for just a little over a year and I did make three for Christmas this year. I would love to make them for my family, but it is time consuming and I just decided that I make what and whn I want to make a quilt or project and if it fits a family member when I am done tht is what they will get. i figure it is time to get back to giving from my heart and not necessarily what is on their list, and if someone doesn't like the gift I say give it to someone in need or someone else they think might like it.

It sounds as if you make beautiful quilts. Two suggestions if you want to share your quilting.
1. Make simple lap quilts (there are a lot of easy patterns online and these are smaller and can be a good way to use up scrap fabric and to practice your quilting. I have a couple of friends who do this routinely for charity quilting and also have a couple of hand for baby gifts or quick quilts for folk needing a bit of comfort (ie. hospitalized).

2. Try your hand at a few easy small wall quilts or placemats--or even quilted potholders or coasters. I love small quilted gifts. For some of my friends, I have even made postcard (4x6) or slightly larger gifts that I see displayed on mantels or bookcases when i visit.

I had a guy look at my Hot Rod one day and wanted to know if I painted cars for others and I told him I did. So later that week my wife and I went to his house (huge mansion) and looked at his '65 Mustang that he was building for a show car and gave him a quote.

He looked at me like I was the biggest dummy in the world and said that there was no way a paint job cost that much, and he had somebody already tell him that they would do it for $450 bodywork and all. I laughed and told him that if thats all he wanted to pay then go for it.

I saw the car at a show right after it was painted and it looked like the guy used a roller to paint it. I swear it looked like a relief map of the moon it was so rough looking. He asked me if my price was still good for painting his car and told him "You couldn't afford me then and you cant afford me now, just be happy with what you got"!

Billy

I agree! I'm very flattered that people appreciate my talent, I don't even acknowledge the requests after a friend of mine stated that I HAD to make a quit for her, but, she didn't want it to be 'quilty' looking! I only make quilts for other people when I get the urge, including my children... the last quilt I made for my daughter was so filthy the next time I saw it, it took 3 washingings to get the dirt & smell out! It was like someone was living outside with it. Very disapointing.

I guess I am the sucker. I did spend all year one year making quilts for my children and grandchildren. Everyone was thrilled, however, THIS Christmas they all came home and no one brought blankets and I didn't have enough quilts for everyone, LOL. There were 37 people here. Live and learn and be stingy!!!!

Of course! The first quilt I made for my mother was a double Irish Chain and I had no intention of continuing. But at her birthday party, everyone was begging for one for themselves. I relented and promised the whole family quilts. So far I have given 12. This year I hope to do my last 4 nephews and then I have one special wedding quilt to do..Whew! That's a lot of gifting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and your family and everyone you gift to will be thrilled.

I have been quilting several years, but I still feel I am learning. My very dear friend who is an artist has watched this process and every time I show her something I am working on or have finished she says quietly something about wanting a quilt, too.

In November she had a birthday and I decided that I would make her a quilt. She likes very contemporary things and I thought it would be good to have her show me fabrics and styles that she would like and I would take it from there. My plan was to take her to lunch and then we could go to the quilt shop and make it a fun day. When I told her I planned to make this for her I think she felt guilty and said that she had been joking.

So far we have set up two different days to do this and she has had to cancel both days. I am thinking I will just pick something, make it, and just move on. I thought it would be special and fun, but now I don't know.

Mostly when someone asks for a quilt I just consider it a compliment. They have no idea of the time and money it takes and I just figure it's my job to educate them. :-)

I would say to these "I WANT" people that I am too busy to
do it myself, but would be thrilled to teach THEM to do it.

They may surprise you and actually want to, but my bet is that
they won't want to bother with it.

Do only what YOU want to do, for whomever YOU want to do
it for. This hobby takes far too much time and money to do it
for everyone who simply "WANTS".

One time I made a small paper-pieced project for an old friend. It was a "stained glass cross"--a very clever pattern, and I had found the perfect fabrics for it. I made the mistake of showing it to my pushy neighbor who then demanded that I make one for her. I knew she wouldn't let up, so I made a different project for her--same size and technique. I hated every minute of it and it's the one project I've ever made that I don't have a picture of. My heart simply wasn't in it.

My immediate family is small, and I did manage to get a quilt made for each person this Christmas, in addition to making a wedding quilt for my son and my new daughter-in-law. I've been quilting for about a year and a half, and with the exception of the first quilt I made, every one was given away to someone else.

Now it's the new year, and I intend to work only on projects that I want to do. I am nearly finished with the first quilt I've made specifically for myself. If anyone asks me to make a quilt for them, I plan to tell them that I have a looooooong waiting list of projects and that I'll put them on my list. Who's to know that I don't have a list!

I don't mind making the quilts, but can't afford it and don't know how to tell them. They have no idea the cost of making a quilt!

WOW! Did this subject hit a nerve with all of us or what :?: :hunf: When I give a quilt for a special fundraiser, I do it annonomously for just this reason :thumbup: For those who know that I quilt and ask, I am very blunt about the cost and how much I would charge for my work. I learned my lesson a few years ago. I made a quilt and was showing it to a friend. She fell in love with it and asked how much I would charge for it. Being cought off guard, I told her to name the price. (BIG MISTAKE :!: :!: ) To say the least, I went in the hole with that one. Now, I quilt what I want when I want. Yes, I have quilts that I want to do for family and special events, but I no longer make promises. This is MY hobby for MY enjoyment :!: :!: I can be very generous, but only with those that I want to be.

I totally agree with you. Be stubborn. I don't mean to be insensitive. I don't mean to be stingy. I don't mean to be a "Scrooge." But lately, when someone says, "When will you make one for me?" I come back with this: "Quilts are so much fun to do. And anyone can do them. I will be happy for us to get together and I'll help you to make one for yourself." That usually nips it in the bud. I have come to the conclusion that we are enablers. The more we do for them, the more they won't do for themselves. (And the less they learn to do fun things.) And we get worn down to a frazzle, with guilt feelings about not ever being able to finish our projects. ...AND .. they don't have a clue as to the cost and time involved. My friend came along with me to buy fabric for my son's quilt. She was absolutely astonished that the fabric alone cost so much. I told her that I still had to get batting.

Now do I need an attitude adjustment or what? I just love doing things for others, but I think that the more we do, the more that is expected from us. OOH, I must really be having a bad day today.

A lot of people have asked me for quilts. Some just acquaintances. What I did was tell them that if they bought the fabric I would make the quilt. Most fabric at a fabric store runs $8.00 average. I only had 1 person that bought the fabric and I made a 45 x 60. People do not realize the cost until it is pointed out to them.

If someone would like to make quilted items for family, friends, or acquaintances there are many options. Placemats, potholders, coasters, wall hangings, kitchen towels, wallets, eye glass holders, totes, and purses are all lower cost options. We should only make quilts for those we choose to, not for those who has required us to. Quilting should be a labor of love not a requirement to show love.

You are all right in saying most people have no idea how much time and money goes into each quilt. Those same people who have asked for a quilt probably would not spend that amount of money on a quilt for themselves.

I wouldn't usally give gifts that cost more than $50 per person. A lap quilt could surpass that amount easily. I wouldn't be able to afford to quilt if I did that on a regular basis.

Happy New Year!

Lisa

I love quilting and I dont mind putting time into it for gifts, but we are not rich by any means. We have 4 kids and 3 are growing boys. It is hard enough to keep the pantry and fridge stocked some months!!!

I have a ton of patterns (I think we all do LOL) and I think that is a great idea to have them buy the fabric. I dont even mind figuring out the yardage for them. I just cant afford to buy enough fabric to make all the gifts!!

Someone also mentioned they only make quilts for those who appreciate them and they know will take care of them. I agree with that as well. These are not 20 dollar blankets from walmart. Time alone makes them super expensive.

I AM excited to start a quilt for my sister. She just had to throw hers away that my parents made us when we were about 5 (20+ years ago) It was just falling apart. It was made with scraps of this and that as we were very poor, but if she kept it alive that long I KNOW she is definitely worthy. :) This time it will be with quality stuff that will hopefully last her ages.

I would have turned to her and said, "Nope, I don't love you that much." Or else, go out to walmart and buy her a cheap one made in China. I HATE people who try emotional blackmail. It will always backfire on them.

Tell them that even if you stopped eating and sleeping and doing anything else, you wouldn't have the time or money to make a quilt for everyone who wants one from you, but that you will be glad to teach them how to make one for themselves. That ought to fix the problem.

I am constantly amazed at the people who think that they are "entitled" to someone's hard work etc. When I worked part-time for an airline, I would have complete strangers ask me for buddy passes, free trips, etc.

I decided to count how many quilts I have made in the last 20 years....44....and I own 4 quilts and 2 wall hangings....now I added up how many quilts each of my adult children and their children have....38!!!!!...I have 4 kids and 8 grands.....I finally had the nerve to tell them last month that it is my turn to enjoy some of the quilts I have been dying to try making...ahhhh...now which one to start with is my biggest problem....

I gave my DSIL a quilt for her 50th Birthday, well I am hosed, as everyone who turns 50 is going to want one! Well at least that is only one every other year for the next couple of years...not Eight in one year yeesh!

I agree unless you sew,quilt or do some other type of crafts no one has a clue on the time and money it takes.
I did 2 baby quilts which I did large so they wouldn't out grow instantly. So both were half of a twin size.
I figured since I did them very special with applique etc I had over 50 hours on each. The people loved them but didn't have a clue in the amount of work that went into them.
I finished a circle quilt for our doctor and it took forever and 30 yards of fabric. I have decided not to figure the time and money.
I have decided it's good I love to do it so it doesn't seem so over whelming . Happy New year to all kjym Kathy
Also I'm almost over the "crude" after 5 weeks.

All three of my kids and 6 Grandkids have at least one and a couple have four and all have a comforter also. Two Step-Grandkids have a comforter. I have given to lots of people I thought were deserving of a quilt and not minded a bit, even paid U.P.S. charge to send seven to them. I have been quilting for about 44 years and since I machine quilt only I am able to make them faster and now I don't have any one else to give them to. It is very expensive and I usually use Wal Mart Fabrics which is cheaper to give away and I make Baby sized or bed size. I use pattern and colors I have or like. I am generous and love to pick and choose. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wow, this topic really did hit a nerve! I have used the same approach as some of you. I'll let them know that if they want a quilt, I'll be happy to go shopping with them, then they can come over on Wednesday nights (I have two sewing machines set up in my sewing room...) and I will help them make it, meaning, I will show them what to do, maybe help pin and press, while I am working on my own project. One or two of my sisters have taken me up on the offer, even a niece. Ü For acquaintances, I suggest that they join our local quilt guild.

How well we quilters know this story. I love the fact that the quilts are loved but now they are even asking for certain types and most of my family has at least 3 quilts and I have told them I am only making wall hangings or baby quilts now as they are getting too bullky for me. They want to know how I can do that!

This year I made a quilt for a family member, who has not been the kindest to me in the years gone by, and they returned such appreciation and thankfulness!! I had a feeling it would bring this kind of response and I have no regrets for bringing out the long needed ***** I'm lost for words but I think you know what I mean.

Thanks for sharing this. It expresses something I would like to say and don't have words for either! :-)

Wow, this has been a very interesting thread. I feel very lucky that all my quilts are appreciated. I've made each of my siblings a quilt, some more than one. Each baby in our family, of course my DM, children, GC and some of my nieces and nephews. I have 18 queen plus size and several lap quilts for myself. Not to mention all my wall hangings. Every year I made a Navitity wall hanging as a door prize for my church. I don't think I've given one away that I hasn't been appreciated. I've even done alot for friends. I made a quilt for auction one year and it sold very well. My BFF wanted it and offered a $100 to the woman that had bought it and she would not sell it even to make a profit. BOY oh BOY, I sure hope after my quilts get to their new home I would not be disappointed to visit.

Another approach is to tell them you'll be glad to trade them a quilt for "X", with X being something they own that is particularly dear to them, like the grandfather clock they inherited from their parents, or that beautiful sapphire & diamond ring. That ought to shut them up.

Ignore manipulators like your SIL. I say she deserves to be put at the BOTTOM of your list. Pardon me if I sound mean, but if you bend to her hot wind, you'll hate yourself while you're making a quilt for her.