Wow what a great post! As a beginner quilter, (who really cant figure out where to start), this post has given me sooo much insight of what to think about before picking out fabrics and who I am going to give them to, I am picky and havent completed my first because I can not decide how to quilt it, I found an easy tutorial for a very beginner quilt but the thought I am putting behind the fabrics for each inividual is very extreme and even after picking my fabrics the placement of them is also something that I am spending alot of time on, I was planning on trying to learn the stitch in the ditch technique but love the look of the hand quilting. I am just concerned about the time, especially as I am not into wall hangings, the quilts I want to make would only be given to very close family and friends. I have already selected in my mind who will appreciate and who will not, its not so much how they are used for me- I want them to be loved and used but would be sad to learn that they were stuck in a closet or under a car tire...but would not mind if ones animals who already slept with them were allowed to sleep on them, I want them to be used. They will end up being very expensive as I lean towards the organic, and designer fabrics, I just love them, so 7-13 dollars a yard- and I am terrible with wasting fabrics, I need to learn better rotary cutting skills, I guess I will have lots of scraps to make those scrappy strip quilts when I get more experience at least, just sad to waste!! Anyway thanks soooo much for all this insight, it has been a great read and given me even more to think about, when you do the picnic quilts do you ever think about using the wipable material for the bottoms, I dunno I would not want to make it look cheap but that sounds like a possible way that you could just wipe down?? I love my fabrics though- then they can take a nap with it too! but that would be good for making baby activity mats, using the soft plastic foam then covering it with the quilt top and batting for extra softness, I need to get my first quilt done before I think about all that ;) ;)

I did/would start in a LQS in a beginner class and also a color class.

are these online or an actual class, we do not have any classes in my area.

Ah, I was referring to local quilt shops. Fons & Porter have on line quilting videos as do several other web sites. I would have never started quilting without a class! Good luck!

I learned so much from taking a quilting class at the local quilt shop. As a matter of fact, that is where it all began for me. Then you can learn a lot from just asking question, quilting books, and quilting videos. Haven't we learned a lot here?!!

As far as I know, all the quilts I have given as gifts are in use. My Mother has hers folded on the couch and she shows it to everyone. I really need to make her a utility one she will use. Probably something with birds on it - she LOVES birds.

Two people have theirs in a chair and I absolutely love that my quilt doubles as a seat cover.

I was driving the other day and saw a man raking leaves into a quilt to haul them across the yard, I nearly wrecked my car. I honked my horn and shook my finger at him (not the bad finger of course) but I thought about it. I bet his wife didn't know what he was using. I felt so bad for that quilt. After all, I repair/restore quilts and believe me only a handful of people really understand the value of quilts. I love doing what I do it is a lot of work and not many people want to pay for it. It is so sad because most quilts are made for someone for a reason and from the heart. That is true value to me. I hope this makes sense.

your pineapple upside down cake is making me very hungry, did you make that? quilting and pineapple upside down cake definately go together.

wow! I'm curious on how you handled that. Did you make another quilt for them?

No not that particular cake. I did make one yesterday and ohh so good! Time to start baking?