I will use fabric from pretty much any source, depending on the quality and feel of the particular fabric. Good stuff can come from many places. I look for quality, and won't use anything that I wouldn't use for my personal sewing. My charity group has a very large stash of donated fabric, which we are free to use. Some of the prints are very, shall we say, interesting, but my taste is not the same as someone elses, and they may find something beautiful that I don't care for.

I use scraps from quilts I have made which are all 100% cotton.

I am so gratified to see all generous souls in our quilt community. My guild makes many quilts for LeBonheur and St Jude childrens hospitals in town. We use fabric from our own stash's and usually put fleece on the back. (I have been lurking in the back for quite a while but felt that I had to compliment everyone on this issue) Thanks for all the great information you all generously share.

I can see what you mean, but I think the question, for me at least, is why should a 'charity quilt' be synonymous with 'shoddy and thrown together from whatever'? From the discussions we've had on this topic here on the board, it is great to see that the vast majority of us make quilts to give to strangers, using the best of our knowledge, skills and resources.

I don't have much personal knowledge of Walmart's or Joann fabrics since I don't live in the US. I just feel that I want any quilt that leaves my home to be as good as it can be - not necessarily complicated, but warm, sturdy, cheerful, full of love and as pretty as possible.

Sorry for the rant, but I kind of cringe when I read an article that suggests I experiment with some new method and that if I don't like the result I can just give it to charity... No, I make winter beds for my felines with my 'experiments' and only give to others what I would want to receive!

The beautiful thing about charity quilting is that it is very individualistic. I could spend 200 hours and $200 on a charity quilt and make only 2 per year. Or I can take a simple design and decent fabrics from my stash, donations, or garage sales and make several per month.

In either case I want to make them attractive and lasting. I do not use loose weave fabric, and for children's quilts, I use 1/2 inch seams with small stitches.

I am a former coordinator for Project Linus, the biggest "downer" of the job for me was handling (and sometimes mending) the bad blankets when they came in. There weren't many, but the few that we had were demoralizing -- quilts made from old faded curtains, fabric with stains and holes, open seams, etc. Most recipients don't notice or care if the points are cut off on stars in piecing, but they do notice if the quilt comes out of the washing machine in rags.

Come on now.........we made quilts out of poly/cotton for years. As long as it makes a good quilt, use what you have. I would not use see thru fabric but if it is the same weight. I would not hesitate using the 80/20 available if it all was that fabric. They last forever
One time I sent a box of fabric to a group in Florida and in the box was some blended fabric. All the same weight and fabric I would have used. They would pay postage only for the amount that was not 100% cotton. Now you tell me what kind of chairity recepients do you find in South Florida.

Lets not be snobs about this issue. It has been disussed time after time. I appreciate the Alabama group as they will take any fabric that is suitable for chairity qulilts.

I assume those grandmothers always buy certified 100 ctton PJ's for their grandkids. Or 100% cotton in their pretty little dresses from The Gap or some other fancy shop.

It is time to rethink what we use in Chairity quilts. Use good fabric whatever the blend and do the best job you can. They are lovelingly abused and coer durmg cold nights and wrapped in during nap time and even put on the floor at school during gym.

I agree with you most of us would not give away something that we do not like ourselves. I just don't dig the notion that it must all be top of the line fabric.
Oh and by the way my granddaughter 's name is Maggie

I use what's in my stash for the most part. It may not be all quilt store fabric but if it's not, it is still good quality cotton and not the see-through stuff.

I use what I have. I, too, purchase fabric from JoAnn's that is on sale especially for charity kids' quilts or any other I'm working on.

Same here...

I used to do that but now Joanne's quality is so poor I wouldn't consider using it any more. Thank God that I have a large stash of fabric purchased back in the days when their quality was good.

I use fabric from my stash and occasionally buy fabric to go with it.

I have made many charity quilts and I only use good fabric. I use the fabric from my stash and one book that I especially like for children and can be used for any ages is by Karin Renaud titled Quilts from the Heart and now she has Quilts from the Heart II. I love her quilts.

I try to make every quilt one that I would use. Therefore, even for charity quits, I use quality fabric. I would hate to think that a quilt I made went to someone and then fell apart. That would be be an insult to that person and to me.

When making charity quilts, I use fabric from my stash, that I would use for making quilts for family and friends, or raffle quilts for my church fair. Sometimes I used fabric that had been given to me by friends to be used for charity quilts. I once made a quilt using a mustard gold and red calico print, probably from the 60's or before. I could have used sunglasses it was so bright, but a month or two later the guild received a picture of a baby and that "bright gold" quilt. It wasn't fabric I would have normally used to make a quilt, but it was quality fabric, just from a previous era.

My guild makes charity quilts, and I was tempted to use "not so nice" patterns. Then at a meeting we read the letters sent to the guild from the people who received our blankets. Mine was given to a woman whose home burned down right after her diagnosis of cancer. Red Cross gave her a quilt and put her and her husband in a motel. She wrote to thank us for the beautiful blanket of pink and purple flowers that reminded her of the garden she used to tend. She passed away two weeks after sending off the letter. That was my quilt. Now nothing is too nice to give to someone in need.

I use fabric from my stash, sometimes I am not ashamed to admit I donate quilts that did not turn out the way I wanted or patterns that I try but don't like the end result! and other times I use fabric that I had forever and don't like anymore

I use the same quality material that I would use for myself, most of the time, it is material left over from other projects, ( I always have plenty of that). I use a block that uses 5- 4'' squares and 2- 7 1/2 '' x 4 '' rectangles. Easy large blocks and I have fun using my scraps.

I love making quilts for kids. I buy fabric from a quilt store that frequently has sales, and I also buy from Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's, and Walmart--I just "feel" it for quality. Here are a couple of pictures of unfinished Project Linus quilts--the first is from Bonnie Hunter's quiltville site:http://quiltville.com/streakofsunshine.shtml
The novelty sport quilt is from a pattern from a blog called Freda's Hive: http://fredashive.blogspot.com/2011/...or-family.html
We are so fortunate to have these generous bloggers share their quilt patterns with us! There are a lot out there!The last quilt I did not make but want to; it is from http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransso...ice-quilt.html

I USE MY STASH. FOR CHILDREN I USE FABRIC PATTERNS APPROPRIATE --BEARS. DOGS. CARTOONS. ETC. FOR MILITARY RED, WHITE & BLUE OR MASCULINE FABRICS LIKE PLAID. THESE ARE THE ONES I TRY NEW PATTERNS TO SEE IF THEY ARE EASY TO PUT TOGETHER.

I use what's in my stash, buy new if I need to, use donated. But I don't ever use any fabric that isn't brand new. Any quilts I donate are the same quality as that which I make for family or special friends.

I wouldn't use anything for someone else I wouldn't use. I have bought fabric for two rag quilts for Japan because I didn't have enough at home. I would use the pieces I have at home or do the same as when I crochet to give away I make sure I have enough to complete the project. Sue

I do several (about 6 to 8) charity quilts for kids a month. I use fabrics that I love! I don't have a reason to make so many kids quilts but I LOVE to make them so I get to make something I love and have the satisfaction of know some child loves it. I like to use simple patterns so that I can finish a quilt in a day!

The thing about giving to charity here is that folks give what they don't want. I give what I WOULD WANT!!!!~
I go in my stash and use something I have and I ONLY buy 100% cotton and use cotton, or silk or bamboo batting. So, hope that answers your question.

Hi Roxie, I also live in AZ and make charity quilts, almost exclusivrly. I use the same quality fabrics I would use for my personal quilts becasue I think children going through illness and hard times deserve a quilt that will up life there situation. I accept remnants and scrap donations to help defray the cost, since I'm a retired widow and cash is tight. The group I donate quilts to requires we machine quilt them because of the nedd for frequent laundering.I buy my fabrics online when the reputable QS have their sales and also from our QB members when they have their destash sales. I'm made life long friends buying from our members who find themselves over flowing with beautiful fabrics by their own doing or inheriting from loved ones. :-D

EXACTLY!

One of the reasons I don't quilt with my church's quilting group is that they make dreadful quilts! Not all of them, but many. The woman in charge says "they can't complain about what they get for free" and doesn't care if the are tied 8-10" apart (the batting will never withstand washing) and with a mixture of cotton, polyblends, and polyester knit in the same quilt! Then they serge the quilt instead of binding it.

I do think that the end use of the quilt matters. The homeless shelter really likes quilts made from polyester knit and with a backing of fleece, but for children or most other charities I use tightly woven 100% cotton fabric because it withstands washing and "loving" better. I can find good fabric at lots of places (though it's easier at some stores than others!). I always use a double-fold binding because it lasts better than others, but everything is machine quilted and the binding attached by machine.

Pam

I always cut extra strips for my projects, and use that - so it's always good quality. As many have mentioned, these quilts often need extra washings, so I'm careful that they are strongly quilted with double bindings. For quilts needed by the visually impaired, I mix bright fabrics and interesting textures (like Minkee or corduroy), and sometimes will add extra dimension (like triangle 'flags' inserted).

I use whatever I'd want for myself. Once, many years back I was homeless due to the loss of my husband and with 3 small children. I was so embarassed for some of the things people gave to me and my children. I felt I had lost my husband, my home, but not my taste. That first Christmas I found myself and two children in a homeless shelder, I asked for a doll, for my then 4 year old daugher, a doll she could cuddle and comfort her and a dress she could wear for Chrstmas day, more for me than her I think, anyway, she received a Barbie doll, with one arm missing. and a torn dress. I cryed. Since then God has blessed me, and I make as many fancy dresses and Raggedy Ann dolls dressed to match, as I can each year and take them to homeless shelders. Unfortunately, lately, the shelders tell me that little girls no longer wear "fufu" dresses and send me away. Go Figure?

I use alot of scraps and some from my stash. As far as quick quilts to make, check out the "potato chip" quilt (named that because you can't make just one!!), also the 1600 (see "http://blog.heirloomcreations.net/?p=1897) and you can make either one beginning to end in less than a day. Have fun with it.

I think you should use and make what comes from your heart.

May God continue to bless you and your family. Your story of courage and dignity brought tears to my eyes. You're a wonderful person.

I check out what Fabric.com has on sale. They have a catagory "Always under $1.95" All are quality fabrics. Have gotten some very nice pieces on short bolt or pieces of collection that were left over. Also, free shipping on orders over $35.00. Best deal I have found.