I love all the answers that everyone is saying. I am glad that I posted this question. I would love to receive a quilt from anyone, anycolor. I have never gotten one as a gift. In fact, I have rarely gotten any hand crafted item from anyone. It seems that I am the only hand crafter and I know that is not true. I do have a niece that quilts and so does her mom and her sister. I know that even if it was the most hideous quilt in the world that I would feel so blessed and so honored that they thought of me to gift it. I would never get rid of it. Although, some of you here have given me good suggestions of how to use it.......like under the bedspread.
I love the response about the Uncle who made the very eclectic quilt out of any material he could find. Bless his heart. That is a quilt that I would keep and cherish.

Be gracious, of course, thanking the maker, etc., BUT gotta be careful to not rave about it so much that it prompts the giver to knock themselves out to produce another one for you! :D

I don't know that I would dislike a quilt so much that I would not use it. I appreciate all the time and effort that goes into each item and can admire the beauty in that.

What that being said, if I truely did not think I could use the quilt, I would still sincerely thank the maker for the thought and effort. I would then tell the maker that I would love for the quilt to go to an individual that will provide it a "home" it truely deserves and ask if they would be okay with me providing it to a charity to be auctioned off as a fundraiser or if they would like to returned to them and for them to find it the proper "home".

But I think I can find a "home" for all kinds of quilts with me!

I was given several lap quilts that I didn't know what to do with. The woman had put bible quotations on the back of the quilts with magic marker (MY DH is a vociferous agnostic and he HATED them and would not even move them when they were in his way. He thought she was pushy giving them to me knowing how he felt about such things.) Some time later, missionary friend of mine asked me if I would make some charity quilts for her class. I told her about my quilts and she saw them and loved them. I gave them to her. To this date, she thanks me for the quilts. My dear friend that gave them to me was elated that I had found them a home even though it wasn't mine. She often will relate to others how her quilts are now in South America warming children.
Happy ending to a sorrowful situation.

I would say thank you! Wow you certainly did put in a lot of time and love into making this for me. I would use it when the grandchidren come to cuddle in,car for emergency, for a picnic...there is always some use for a quilt.

lol, some folks just dont get it....the expense, the time, and the thought processes that go into making someone something as a gift...if someone gave me a "butt ugly" quilt, the least i could do is hide that sucker under a bedspread and put it to some use...or make a duvet cover to disquise it...but, in todays economy and for the sake of peace and politeness it would be put to use somehow, someway. and yes, i have some really "butt ugly" quilts and they are in fact on the beds between the sheets and bedspread(or other quilt that might be prettier).

I really enjoyed reading this thread. Since I am so much older and wiser lol, I have this in my mind. My quilts will never be a problem to anyone, because if you want one of my quilts, you will have to purchase it and if you do, that means you are crazy about it and you will love it lol.

I don't give my quilts or painted items away. I spend hours on some of my quits, hours that are very joyful to me. I only really know what my husband or son would like and my sister. If any of my relatives, like a certain something and say it at the time and I want to part with that item, I will give it to them. Last year my niece was here from England and she flipped over my Christmas tree skirt and I gave it to her and I think I posted it on here at the time.

Another one of my nieces was crazy about my, "California Burning" painted large canvas that I had posted on facebook, so I sent that to her. This is the only way one of my treasures leave my house. I don't always give away, what they want tho lol.

It would hurt me deeply if my work wasn't appreciated, therefore I make sure it doesn't happen. We can't always guess what someone will like and we can't blame a person for their taste. One year an Aunt gave me some craft she made out of those plastic canvases. I wouldn't dream of hurting her feelings as those aren't my cup of tea but I know how she enjoyed making them, so I just put them away for a while and later donated them, after they were long forgotten.

Let me touch on the expense of making a quilt. We all know how much money is involved in a quilt, not considering the time spent making it. Why would I embark on such an expensive project, hoping that a certain person will like my taste? It's not fair to you or the person really.

underappreciated gift--
 

While those who believe in brutal honesty at all times may not agree, I'm a big believer in the little white lie to keep the peace. I became an expert in writing flowery thank you notes to my stepmother for the atrocities she sent me (not quilts, but other things, mostly crafts). There was always something to praise, be it the colors (or one of the colors), the time she spent, her thoughtfulness in sending me a gift, etc.

It takes so little effort and means so much to the recipient. The strategically applied little white lie can avoid friction and please the sender who, after all, had generous thoughts in mind when they chose to send the gift to you.

quilts, like so many other forms of art, find their correct homes. i'm sitting here right now, smiling at my hubby, who is under somebody else's quilt. it wasn't especially gorgeous, but made of white dotted flannel on one side (cotton), and royal blue poly flannel on the other. (my middle daughter calls it the "wonder bread" quilt, because it looks like the old bread wrapper, with the multi colored dots!)it's one i found at a local thrift store, brand new. it was probably rejected by the recipient, and sent off as a donation--but the moment my hubby saw it, he claimed it as his own. he has parkinson's, and spends a lot of "chair time" on his off days. this remarkably cheerful quilt that some unknown person made is keeping him warm, and makes him smile every time i shake it out and cover him up.

i say, quilt on, folks. it matters not whether or not they are expert, beautiful, appreciated, loved, or just plain rejected--eventually, that quilt will find it's home, and it will be loved. the wonder bread quilt did, and i'll bet most of the other ones we make and give do, as well!