Yes, I've thrown away a quilt I had in the back of the closet for years. At the same time I gave away a complete set of Dear Jane Blocks of the Month. I gave these to a quilt guild. The gal said they would do the blocks and auction the quilt for charity. I can't tell you how good I felt after shedding these two quilts. A weight off my sholders. As I get older I find that decluttering makes life so much easier.

I haven't tossed any but the dogs like them!

When you hate what you have done, someone else might not! When in doubt, give it to charity. I know it is a lot of work, but someone needs it.

I have a quilt that I am told should be thrown away as there is no help for it. Well, I don't believe it. It was my grandma's quilt made by her mother!. It is ragged and faded and stained. But, I love it! It hangs on my wall in my sewing room and reminds me why I am making quilts now. For posterity! If anyone know how to help, please let me know.

I have thrown a couple of quilts away. The first was a paper pieced quilt that looked great until I started sewing the rows together, then it looked awful. I didn't have enough contrast, and it wasn't worth saving.
The second one was a redwork quilt (red and white) that was really a lot of work. It had over 300 half square triangles and a lot of embroidered squares. I finished it up by putting red rick rack all around the outer edge prior to binding. I really liked the way it looked. I washed it to get it ready to send my sister. The whole thing came out pink and red. It was awful. Someone told me about a product that would remove the excess die. I can't remember the name but I had to wash it again in the hottest water available. It did remove most of the excess die. In fact, it worked so good I decided to wash it in that stuff again. I figured one more wash would get out all of the pink. If I had read the directions properly I would have realized that you can only wash it once with this stuff. The whole thing came out sort of a brown/light tan. I immediately threw it away. Some of my friends were upset with me. They said I should have given it to some charity. It was way too ugly to give to anybody. I then proceeded to make another one, just like it, for my sister. This time I also pre washed the rick rack, and it turned out fine. Thank goodness!

I have not thrown out a quilt, but I have thrown out pieces that were to small to fix. I know that is not the same thing, but now that it is out of the house and it is not threatening you, you can start on something that you know it will make you happy.

yes, been disappointed but gave it to the homeless shelter. Just can't throw one away.

Who wants somthing around to remind us of our shortcomings? Not me. I have thrown away a couple. Others that I didn't care for so much, I gave away. There is always somebody who wants a handmade quilt, no matter what it looks like.

I did a mystery quilt as a scrappy I was very happy with it and gave it to mom for Christmas a lot of the material was from her and my childhood. She was tickled.

I am also in the process of doing another on on line from Quilters World. This one will also be a scrappy.

I will only use leftovers for a mystery quilt.

I am so sorry that your experience was not a good one.

I did the opposite. After taking a beginners class that the teacher up and left town in the middle of the 13 weeks and a second teacher giving entirely different instructions, I had a mess of a quilt top with $125 in fabric purchased. Put it in back of closet for couple of years.

One day a quilt shop advertised - "BYOQ" Friday nite sew in LIVE. So I took my quilt top in its very sad way and showed the teacher (and remember now I am paying for this class too). Teacher showed the quilt shop owner and they talked quietly between themselves - then announced "this is not worth spending more time on - I would recommend you justs start over".

But that just made me dig my heals in more - NO WAY was I going to throw away this much time, first experiences and money - so I put it away again for a couple more years.

Then one day found it and determined to finish that first quilt (now the colors are way old fashioned and ugly). I ripped most of it apart, kept the best blocks and my husband helped me with the math to create enough blocks to fill in the bad spots and I finished that stinkin' top!!!

P.S. The blocks were all various sampler blocks - finished size of every block was 11 3/4 inches. What a nightmare, but I am very proud of it. Colors: Forest Green and Mauves/pinks - so ugly now days, but it is my very first quilt. Done in 1986 - since then I've pieced many many tops and now quilt on my Gammill Vision for the public as well as myself.

DETERMINATION and so glad I didn't give up even if it took be 13 years.

I do have one quilt top that I haven't had the courage to toss. The pattern looked so fun so I decided to try it. My top was horrible. It went in the extra block box and one of these days will go in the garbage or to the thrift store. Someone else may like it enough to finish it. I still can't figure out why I liked the colors I picked.

Please do not throw away... charities - homeless people.. there is always a home for an ugly quilt.

What a good idea! I had thought of cutting it up and securing it for animal shelters.

I have a scrappy qulit top that I should just throw away. It's been in the pile of UFO's for years. But my mom just loves it. If I could afford to send it out to get quilted I'd give it to her. But I really don't want to do it myself cause I don't like it at all. Not one bit.

So sorry to hear about your story......but I understand. I have yet to do a mystery quilt......I just can't. I want to have my vision of the quilt before I start. We have a couple mystery quilts going on at our shop, but I just can't do it.
Happy Quilting.

Don't have it quilted tie it. and give it to your mom she will love it... Just a thought.

Hey! It would have made wonderful pet beds for your animal shelter. All of you out there, if you really want to get rid of something like that, give it to the local animal shelter. It may eventually get to the landfill, but at least it will have been used up. froggyintexas

Here is one I just quilted. I loved the fabric but now that it is together I hate it. I have to bind it in black. The picture doesn't show the metallic in the fabric but this pattern did not due it justice. I belong to a class that makes a quilt from their stash or you can buy fabric. Loved this so I did the pattern of the month. The squares are supposed to be together but it is too busy so I put narrow strips in between and it makes it look better. I won't throw it away but maybe someone I know will like it.

While taking a sampler class I got quite zealous and made many blocks. I pieced 2 that I wasn't fond of. One I gave to the instructor as she stated that she could use it in future classes as an example (she liked it). The other, a dresden plate, didn't seem to lay flat so I didn't use it in my quilt. I made a lap quilt with all my extra blocks (I did mention that I got zealous...I pieced ~40 blocks during that class). When I made that lap quilt, I decided to use the dresden plate and when sewn into a quilt, it was perfect!

I can understand the need to be rid of a thorn in your side.

I guess I'd never throw a quilt away - too much time and cost put into it - at least, I'd have given it away to someone who needed a quilt - they probably would not know what color you wanted to show off - and appreciated the warmth of a nice quilt. Or in keeping it - just turn it over so you didn't have to look at the side you meant to see - use it put a cover over the entire quilt - anything, but never never throw a quilt away!

I have one like that right now. And the group will be disappointed if I dont do something with them. IT is ringing charity, if I ever get the blocks together.

You could send it to me - I'm open for all quilts no one else likes!! :)

I did a mystery quilt ONCE! I was heart sick when it was finished, I liked everyone's but mine. I put the quilt under a pile and didn't see it again for several years. Now I look at it and am absolutely shocked.........it's beautiful.

What happened? I think I had looked at the fabric too long, and compaired my end results to everyone elses which were very bold. Mine was done in more subtle asian prints and solids. "The quilts on the other side of the fence looked greener!!!"

I have thrown more than one. Just would not go together. An one of my grand daughters has taken a few off my hands. She just says if you made it I want it.

Have to agree with the statement, " Don't use your best fabric in a mystery till you know how it will turn out".

See, this is what I love about this board...y'all give me the courage to do things like toss projects that are clogging up my life, and even get rid of those boxes of fabric I talked about several weeks ago. Now if my daughter will just come to the house and go through them, I can unload the rest of what she doesn't want. Thanks folks for giving me permission, to give myself permission, to unclog my life!!!!

I have stopped doing MQ's even thought my sewing teacher did tell us the main color I really did it for learning a new pattern BUT!! if throwing it away made you feel better then it was allright.

Instead of throwing it away you could have used it for a scrap quilt...that way you would still have your favorite fabric in a quilt that you probably would have liked...but I know exactly what youre saying...I don't like mystery quilts...

YES!

The secret to a successful mystery quilt is good contrast. Here are a few links to some of mine. The last 2 links are the same quilt, using different fabrics.
Sharon W.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...45965719KoLRNb

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...45965719KBiLqC

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...45965719YfbiwA

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...45965719DisykU

You can use quilt tops that you hate to back a quilt.

Saw a segment on one of the quilt shows on PBS where folks send in quilts that they're unhappy with and two experts give suggestions on what can be done with it. I was impressed with the ideas, such as:
-Putting borders around the squares or sets of squares
-Changing the border (add, remove, change sizes, use more than one to pull the focal color out)
-Adding applique over the top to pull out the focal fabric
-Covering an applique that was in the center of a quilt that detracted from the diagonal design flow (art quilt)

It surprised me what a difference these ideas made. You might consider posting a picture and see what ideas the board members can give you.

I have gotten so disgusted with a quilt that I have tossed them before finishing. I don't even remember them now but I do know I've thrown more then several away. I know if I kept them I would feel frustrated every time I saw one in a forgotten bag hid in on shelf. It's very therapeutic to just stuff it in a bag and toss in the dumpster. If you feel guilty about throwing it away, remember it's yours you can do what you want with it and not one soul will suffer if you tear it to shreds.

I don't do mystery quilts anymore either. What really upsets me is when the person leading the group, has the most beautiful quilt, because she knew which fabrics go where.

Despite it being a mystery quilt, the instructor could and probably should have informed you that your favorite fabric would not be the dominant color/fabric design. It's too bad because, as someone once said, it left a bad taste in my mouth, and so did that quilt. No guilt, if you don't like it you don't like it. I have made some "Ugly" quilts for David's House, my guild's number one charity, it's like a Ronald McDonald house where family stays while children are in the hospital right next door. I had been given some ugly fabric, but decided to make a quilt anyway. I finally said enough, it was only a small baby quilt, but I figured someone might like it. A month or so later, a picture appears with a baby holding the blanket, so someone loved it. Finish it or not, it's your quilt to do with as you please. Keep on quilting.

Thanks for sharing those links. Until I read your comments again, I didnt' realize the last two blocks were the same pattern, what a difference different fabric makes.

Please donate it to a group called Quilts for Valour - Someone I"m sure will finish it and it will be loved.

Please don't throw it.

Because of everyones nice suggestions, look what I posted too.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-148255-1.htm

Thanks for being so thoughtful!

I was disappointed in one quilt I made this year. The beautiful flower print was only 4.5 inches and got lost in the patterning. If not lost, then lost emphasis. So I had some fabric left and bought some more and made another smaller quilt using a very large piece of the flower print in the center. It satisfied my desire to show it off.

Been there, done that!!

I think it is GREAT that you threw it away! Yes, it could have been used elsewhere, but the thought of it being out there would drive you nuts!