I guess I've been fortunate with my quilt donations. I only donate quilts to volunteer fire departments for raffles and auctions. My quilts have made as high as $1200.00 and as low at $350, but most average around $800.00.

I definitely would feel like only giving money if I wanted to and not a quilt if the organization didn't make a substantial amount on them.

I am sorry you have gotten burned more than once and I agree it might be better to just donate $20 or whatever the spirit moves. Unfortunately, sometimes people think that because it is donated it isn't worth much. I've had similar situations when chairing craft fairs for our church. I think I fairly priced the items that I had made, but I didn't let the price go below a certain amount, unless it was the end of the day and sales had been very slow. I itemized what I had put into the items and asked for it to be shown as a charitable donation. In the end, do what you feel is right, but don't sell yourself short either.

I have learned to keep an eye out for bargains at the thrift store such as place mats etc that would make a great central panal for a crib or throw size quilt so that I can put one or two together for little investment of cost and time. A nice panel with some good coordinating borders from my scraps and stash works up fast. Add a fleece back in no time.

I try to keep a couple of these on hand to donate to those types of groups where I feel I want to donate but don't expect they will see a big return on my quilt. They have something nice to show, and if they only get $15 or so, I won't feel like I wasted my time and efforts.

My feelings are hurt for you. I made a Karen Stone wallhanging quilt for a fundraiser but put a starting bid on it of $200 - which I thought was a fair price - also considering it was a fundraiser. My husband and I were attendees at this dinner and only one person bid. I wanted to climb under my chair! I would not do that again.... for sure.

makes me SO darn mad...but people who are not in the craft/leisure industry have NO clue...I had the same thing happen to me...and it was an auction for the Officer's spouses major fundraiser for scholarships...quilt was a twin, worth easily $75, they took in $18.00 for it...next time, I will outbid the person and just make a check out to them...

I hear what your saying but have to say as hard as it is, if you donate your quilts then you give them knowing that they either may not receive the money you had invested into them if sold or raffled or may not be cherished as you would like to think they would be.

I have been making and donating quilts for awhile now, and the other day I received a call about the latest 2 quilts that were donated asking me where I would like them to go. I usually donate them to the children's hospital. During the conversation it came out that the last quilts I had donated were sold in the hospital shop for $20. Well I was horrified and sat there thinking - but the materials alone cost $100 not including the cost of having them quilted. This woman told me they were so beautiful that they are snapped up when the shop sells them. So I told this person that I have no objection to the hospital selling them to raise funds for what ever but the least they could do was put a reasonbale price on them to reflect their value. As a donation it didn't need to be a really high price just reasonable, $20 I did not think was reasonable .

At the end of the day though I accept that what I gave was a donation, once it has left my hands it is gone and the reality is I do what I do because I love to do it.


Maybe1day

There's no doubt what-so-ever that they were "snapped up" when they were being sold for a mere $20...I wonder who priced them? You cannot even go to Walmart and buy a blanket for $20...(shaking my head)...I am sorry that happened to you or to anyone in the same boat...Naomi

This is interesting. My husband has recently become a Shriner and they will be having an auction in August and he would like for me to donate a quilt. I told him that many people do not understand how expensive it is to make a quilt. He said I could set a starting price.

However, I am not sure how to set a price. Should I just base it on materials since it is going to a charity?

I'm not sure my feelings/ego could take it only selling for 15-20 dollars.

and do you know WHY they were "snapped" up....because for $20 it was a great investment to SELL ON EBAY!

Here are a couple of real horror stories about donated quilts!
#1- quilts given to a children of low income homes. Parents sold the quilts for supplies to make a Meth lab instead!
#2- quilts donated to local YWCA, parents in line bragged about how they line every year to get a quilt for EACH child. Then they sell them on ebay!
and most recently: WE had one church group here get burned. THe ladies worked hard for hours every day to make 100 quilts to go to Alabama after the Tornado. The group took the quilts, foods, etc and trucked it down to AL from OK....they met with a group there and when they gave them quilts, there were told...."oh my, these are so lovely...they will bring great money on ebay auctions!"

If they wanted only CASH donations, then why didn't they say so??
I found that disgusting...and will no longer donate anything, until I know for sure what will be done with it..or I won't donate at all!

It is sort of like giving the corner BUM holding a sign saying Need food, a $5.00 bill instead of taking him to the restaurant...you know he is NOT going to use the $5.00 for anything more than booze/drugs/smokes, but when you give it to him, you are in a sense giving him permission to do that!

From now on, I take them to the restaurant....

I absolutely don't blame you for feeling ripped off. For some reason, people forget that silent auctions are for raising funds and suddenly go on the cheap. Years ago, a friend of mine made a dozen dog bandanas as a fund raiser for rescue. They were reversible and really well made. At the silent auction someone had the nerve to but down $1. I put in a bid for $20 and took them back to her. No way I was letting her hard work go for a dollar. I think minimum bids for silent auctions especially for things like quilts. I really think raffles usually bring more money. People who don't quilt don't always have an appreciation of the time (and money!) that can go into a quilt.