And here's another thought.......
 

Have you ever told someone you're making them a quilt; a gift and you consult them on pattern and colours etc so they'll be happy with it.....and they've sounded so excited about it. You struggle for yonks making it and excitedly gift it to the recipient who is most happy and thanks you profusely. And then, whenever you visit them afterwards you never see the quilt being used, or indeed even out on a chair, or a quilt rail...or anywhere! Probly stuffed in a cupboard somewhere....sigh....:(

I always tell the recipients that I make them a quilt to be used. 5 years ago I made a quilt for a coworker who was expecting her first baby. She posts pictures of her son on Facebook all the time and that quilt is in almost all of them that she has taken in her home. She is now expecting a little girl any day and I just mailed her a quilt for the little lady. I got a huge thank you from mom and grandma both. If I gift a quilt and I see it used they will get more from me but if the quilt is never used they get no more!

a lot of people appreciate hand made quilts so much they are afraid to keep them out because they don't want them to get damaged.

go figure.

i agree! I made a baby quilt for a dear friend's son and I don't think it's ever been used. They are expecting a second child in April. No quilt. I'll go buy some baby clothes!

I made a quilt for my son to take to college. I noticed that it wasn't coming home with the laundry so I asked if there was something that he didn't like about it. Lol, he didn't want to wear it out. After I promised to make him a new one when that one is worn out it is in the laundry all of the time :-) .

Made a number of quilts for GD since her birth. She has a quilt made in China on your bed and haven't seen the other quilts anywhere in many years. She is now 8. No more quilts from GM

Patrice wrote: "a lot of people appreciate hand made quilts so much they are afraid to keep them out because they don't want them to get damaged." This has been my experience. The first quilts I made for my girl friends were displayed, but their husbands were told to look, not touch. The following Christmas I made all the guys quilts from recycled shirts. No worries about damaging precious fabrics. Those are being used!
And a note to Northerncreations. Just wait a few years. She's only 8. It might be her mom who has a hand in her decorating, knowing that kid's tastes change and an inexpensive quilt might be a better choice for when she has a new interest in 3 months.

My mother in law made numerous quilts for her 7 kids and 20+ grandkids. We probably have 5 or more in our house alone. She always told us to use them and my kids do! They love grandma's quilts! A couple have been damaged by the older kids, I take them back and just replace them with another one we have around the house. I always tell my recipients of my knitted baby blankets to USE the blankets too! That's what they're meant for. <script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/d213516c/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>

I made table runners for my friend this year. Made mug rugs last year. Here is a photo that one of my friends sent me. Wednesday, I saw another one of my gifts on a table at the entrance of their front door. You just can't think that they don't like it as Patricia mentioned above. It may be stored in a cupboard because it is so precious to them. Just be glad that it hasn't been given to their pet to use. Now what am I going to make for next Xmas???

I always say,I don't make heirlooms ,my quilts are utilitary quilts, so use them, I have to finish my sons quilt so he can throw away his quilt, it is literally in shreds, not savable, but he wont get rid of it, his other one he says just sew some more fabric on the top were its ripped and he can get another year out of it. lol