This is an ongoing pet peeve for me--the idea that because a quilt is "for charity" makes it OK to donate something that's not the best we can do, or at least something that we'd be happy owning ourselves or giving to someone we know as a gift. For myself, I think how I would feel if my child was sick, if I were in a homeless shelter, or any of the other sad circumstances that make folks recipients of "charity quilts". I'd like to feel that the person who made the quilt took the time and trouble to make it nicely and with care, not just something that was "good enough for charity".

Someone here on the board once posted something to the effect "that if the mistake can't be seen from on horse back galloping by, it's fine". Or something like that. If the quilt is done with love, that's what it's all about.

We are our own worst critics!

Never apologize for any quilt you make with love, especially a quilt

Donate it with pride, someone will love it ...

Now go practice on another one, you will improve faster than you realize.

I won a quilt from my local quilt guild several years ago, the piecing is wonderful the quilting ... not so much but I love that quilt, warts and all.

Quilts generate love.

You shouldn't be to hard on yourself. Practicing on charity quilts and quilts for my kids is how I got all my practice in. :) I still have to look at the ones my kids still have but, we all have to learn somehow. I do have to say that NOBODY has ever said anything about the quilting that has seen my quilts in person. I think most people don't even look at the quilting, just the fabric itself. Quilters train themselves to look more into detail of what they are doing and we see things that everyone else don't.

Here's the difference....those who are in a homeless shelter, for the most part don't know the difference between good quilting and practicing with mistakes or less than perfect ones. Honestly. They care about being warm far more than they care about the aesthetics.

But I try to give away pretty ones. However, pretty to one isn't necessarily pretty to another.

I don't think anyone here is advocating doing sloppy work and giving it to charity, BUT charity receivers tend to be less sophisticated and less picky than those who aren't getting things for free due to not having any money or bad circumstances. It's really just that simple. Going through true hardships tends to adjust some of a person's priorities in life. Perfect quilting just doesn't "cut it" in the big picture of "what's important" to a person in a homeless shelter.

I am a beginner quilter but I am very familiar with handmade quilts because my grandmother made hundreds of them. A lady who was my DGD's babysitter from the time DGD was a baby until she went to preschool made my DGD a beautiful quilt made in pink fabrics. She quilted it from outside in and had a couple of big "bubbles" in it where the pieced side was larger than the backing. When she gave it, she said "Oh, that's why they say to quilt from the inside out!" My DGD loves that quilt because of who made it and the pretty colors. Who is ever going to know it has bubbles in it when it is wadded up on DGD's bed. I really admire and love the lady because she took the time and effort to make the quilt. Who cares if there are those bubbles. It was made with love for my DGD and we are all blessed that she made the quilt. We love her more because we can all laugh and watch my DGD enjoy the warmth, pretty colors and love when covered with that quilt.

Nice story! As they say, " A blanket covers you with warmth, but a quilt covers you with LOVE."

Does that mean that we should quit giving quilts until we can make them perfectly? I don't think anyone here is advocating doing sloppy work, we are doing our best, but if we are beginners, our best is not going to be professional quality. A child that has only had some old ratty blanket (if they even had that) and is given a cute quilt with bright colorful puppys on it, but is made with a few crooked stitches...I think they would feel like they had won the lottery.