I'm suppose to donate a quilt but I'm having a hard time letting them go. I made the first one, decided I liked it too much so i made another one to give but I like that one too!!! and I'm starting a third... How can you say bye bye?? Its sad but I can't .. In hoping I'll make one after another after another, theres gotta be one in the bunch eventually that won't be hard to give away..right?!?

Geez, I make baby quilts for 'newborns in need' and I don't bat an eye on giving those away!! What gives?!?!?

I do find it hard giving away ones that I ended up falling in love with. I take as many pictures as I can before they are out the door, but other than that I try to only give them to people that would love them as much as I do. It helps a little. :D

I struggle with this too! LOL

When I make a quilt from fabrics that I LOVE..I never want to give it away. If I make a quilt from scraps or buy fabrics specifically to make a give away quilt..then it is easier for me to give it away.

I am no help.LOL

Usually when I make a quilt for someone, it's planned for that person so I don't feel like it's mine to begin with. For the first several years I quilted, I didn't have one of my own. My kids had quilts, I made them for gifts, but didn't keep one for me. Finally, everyone who I wanted to have a quilt had one, there was a lull in weddings and new babies and I started quilting for me.

The ones that I make with no recipient in mind are MUCH harder to give away as I made them because I loved the fabrics or the colors or the pattern.

I now have quite a few quilts here. I'm actually giving one away this weekend, my daughter's fiancé's sister is graduating from high school, and it's hard, BUT I know she will love it AND I thought I'd actually given that one away! LOL. I was looking through my quilts to see if there was one I could bear to part with (and trying to come up with a plan b if there wasn't) when I came across this one that I could let go.

When I'm making a new quilt, the first question everyone who sees it asks is "who is it for?"

I almost feel embarrassed saying they are ALL FOR ME :)

Simple, I make them in blues, greens, country colors, or pastels. I know that if I make them in bright purples and teals they won't leave, but others won't be hard for me to give away.

You just haven't reached your quilt saturation point yet. You've reached quilt saturation when: the bed in the spare room is starting to look like the "Princess and the Pea" bed, you can hardly turn over for the quilts on your bed, you've made a quilt for EVERYONE in your family and there is no more wall space for wallhangings. :-D

You just have to just tell yourself it's NOT for you this time *L* someone will be so pleased with it and will appreciate you for all the effort you put into it...crafty_linda_b

Once, when a friend (Navajo woman) gave me a silver and turquoise bracelet that her grandmother had made and given to her, I asked her if she was sure that she wanted to give up something that had to be ever so special to her. Her answer to me was this:
"The same grandmother once told me that a gift means nothing if it means nothing to you. I wanted my gift to you to mean something."

I think of that a lot when I'm giving up something that means a lot to me.

That is beautiful.

Neither am I any help. Now I know why I have a bed piled high with quilts of all shapes and sizes and quilts throughout the house - there's too much of me in them to part with them.

But I am sure it won't be a problem for DH or the kids to give them away sometime in the future - so if you want one of my quilts, just hang in there for a few more years yet :) one may come your way EVENTUALLY !

I'm glad to see I'm not alone when it comes to "hoarding" my quilts. Those close to me all quilt themselves & the others, I fear, wouldn't appreciate the gesture. So, the pile grows higher.

If you need one to give away and like it that much, just make a duplicate for yourself

If you like a giveaway quilt, make a duplicate for yourself.
Another suggestion, use up stash in the colors you seldom use - I'm more likely to want to keep a quilt if the colors are my favorites.

Sorry - duplicated message. Please delete this one.

[quote=Charlee]Once, when a friend (Navajo woman) gave me a silver and turquoise bracelet that her grandmother had made and given to her, I asked her if she was sure that she wanted to give up something that had to be ever so special to her. Her answer to me was this:
"The same grandmother once told me that a gift means nothing if it means nothing to you. I wanted my gift to you to mean something."

Very well put and very true.

You know, this ia a real problem! As said, make them in colors you personally don't really like for your own quilts, and make them with the idea they are not your quilts from the get go.

Think of makng a quilt like this as a learning project? If I amke a quilt, in my colors, it can ONLY go to family.
Julie :roll:

If I donate a quilt I just make a pretty strippy scrappy quilt, unless its to a auction or something that you want the people to get a lot of money for it. Those aren't aren't to hard to give away and they are fast and easy.

I guess its just so hard to let one go 'cause I really dont know who the recipient is going to be.. And will it be appreciated, will it get stuffed in a closet, will it be a moving blanket, or will it be loved..

I have started on the third quilt and I am telling myself this one is not mine but still..... Why does it feel like I'm going to give away my arm ?!?!?!

I have the same problem ~ I never want to get rid of them, so I have decided that the only way I can keep from being buried in an avalanche of quilts is to only keep what I can display. I have room for about 5, not counting what's on the bed, so each time I finish one I really like, I put them all side by side and pick the one that I like the least, then either put it on ebay or give it to someone. I take pictures too and keep them on my computer and in my quilt photo book. It's just like the one I have for my grandkids, so when people inquire I can just whip it out of my purse and show off! Good luck with your "quilters anxiety".

Just think -
If you give up one know you do not need to find a place for it in your house and you can go fabric shopping!!!!!!!

I give to the millitary. When you think they are willing to give their life then it is easy to let go. I also like it if I have a harder time letting the quilt go. I hope they will like it as much.

I also take pictures and sometimes make a twin to the one I give away. :-D

This is a tough one. I have no problem doing charity quilts and giving them away, but they are usually made from simple designs and "extra" fabric.

The hard ones are the original designs with "tons" of time involved...but if it was made for someone in mind, I can still give it.

However, I participated in an opportunity quilt that was heavily appliqued and all hand pieced and hand quilted. When it was time to give it up, one of our participants had passed away. The person who won the quilt paid a dollar for the chance. She only bought one ticket. So, I tried to buy it back from her so that we could keep our friend close.....

She refused at any price...

that was the hardest one.

I'm just the opposite. Every single quilt I've finished is GONE. I have pictures :) I'm currently working on two quilts - one is a gift, the other is for ME. Hopefully I'll get to do the ME quilt soon - at least that's the plan :)

It's hard to let go of my quilts, but it's personally easier for me if I buy the fabrics specifically for the quilts that are going to be sold or donated. That way I'm in the "it's not my quilt to keep" mindset from the start! And I take LOTS of photos!

I have to keep in mind that "this one is for a special military family" and hope that it brings them comfort.

I once heard someone say that a certain quilt was too nice to give away to charity. But...you stop to think about it and doesn't the person receiving the quilt deserve to have something nice as well. Just a thought. Give it away with love in your heart.

You're so right. When the bed just keeps getting higher and higher, and company wants to know which ones they can use, or not...
AND the dear kitty accidently puts a little hole in one so you just give it to him to sleep on day and night.

I have made over 40 cross stitch pieces - some were very tough to give away. However, I had to tell myself that I'm giving something I love and I would never give a person or organization something I wouldn't have for myself.
BTW, none of the 40 or so cross stitch pieces live in my home - all were gifts. I didn't even take pics when I started - I now do get photos of the quilted pieces.

Im cutting up pieces for the 'my third try to donate' quilt.. Wish me luck..