I have to agree that some people think that a Walmart quilt for $30 is a great deal. I used to. Very naive I was back then.

So back about 15 years ago Mervyn's was having a sale on quilts for $30. I thought what a great deal - I always wanted a quilt. So off I went! Bought a quilt and sheets. Brang them home and set the quilt and shams on the bed. Then I noticed the pretty floral pattern was actually painted on not appliqued as I had thought. The stitching was something that could have been done by a child - very large stitches.

Well flash forward 10 years and that quilt that I bought for $30 is now my dogs bed! It's definetely not something that I would be proud to put on my bed!

I have sold some of my quilts that Ihave put many hours into on ebay - only to cry when they sold for about $30. I have even had some at small craft fairs - everyone raved about them, but no one bought them.

We should display a sign next time we are thinking of selling one our quilts: "These are NOT Walmart Quilts - that is why they are not $30. Walmart quilts are cheaply made of inferior products that won't stand the test of TIME. If you think that you could make this quality quilt for less - then by all means don't waste my time. The quilts that you see here cost $$$ me to put together and are made of the best materials that I could find. I spend many weeks or months depending on the size of quilt to make a piece of art that you would be PROUD to display in your home, to be PROUD to give as a gift for someone special, or be PROUD to hand down to your grandchildren. My quilts will be TREASURED for decades to come."

aside from the tax benefits...i forgot to say something important for those us who seriously quilt and spend lots of money on things like thread.

having a tax #allows you to buy WHOLESALE IN BULK. a friend of mine who has a # (from a business) buys tan thread , king tut, for her quilting and you can't believe the price difference. she also buys bolts for backings at whole sale. sometimes we get together and share a bolt or a case of thread. sometimes we buy needles together. if two or three people do this, it really works.