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I made a quilt last year for a bride. Her thank you note said, and I quote, "Thank you for the nice blanket." I fumed for months!

My Mom made quilts for each of her grandkids - some of them ended up lining PICKUP beds - rust, fishing remains, hunting remains, etc. No respect.

I also don't give away very many. I don't make very many, as my health is pretty bad. I'm just stacking them up. When people ask what I do with them, I just shrug. When I die, my two daughters and one GD can sort them out. I hope most will go to the GD, and I hope she can appreciate them. But at that point, I won't know or care.

I grew up very poor, and giving away something (that I've put several hundred dollars plus many hours into) just doesn't come easily to me. Yet, it's hard to sell them, because most people want to pay so little for them.

There are lots of places to give the quilts to: Vet Hosp,children's hosp,abused homes,Hospice,etc.

I am relatively new to quilting so have only given away prayer quilts. But I have sewn for decades. Most un-crafty folks just don't recognize the love that is demonstrated in time, craft and patience to hand make an item. I gift carefully. If someone doesn't recognize hand art, they would probably prefer a purchased gift.
There are many organizations and hospitals/children's homes and so on that make very good use of hand made pillow cases, quilts, comforters, afghans. Think of the young lives that can be blessed with a handmade item of their own.

I started a quilt for my daughter and son-in-law when they got married 10 years ago. THEN, I found out that their 75 lb dog slept on their bed!! No way am I making a quilt (that was to be entirely hand appliqued) so a dog could rip pieces off the top and smell the quilt up (not the dog's fault, of course). That dog has since gone to doggie heaven and they now have a 115 lb dog that jumps on the bed. The dogs are wonderful, but putting a comforter from Target on their bed is the way to go. I never told them why I didn't finish it. The way they live is their business.

No, doesn't matter whether it's a hand-crafted quilt or something I went out and shopped for (and I do hate shopping), when I give it away I don't have any expectations
about the response. A quilt is a labor of love, you don't love someone and expect something back, you just love.

It sounds like your mother-in-law really appreciates your quilts. Just give her a clue now and then

Quote:

Originally Posted by pumpkinpatchquilter

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryStoaks

My family loves their quilts but they think I whip them up at the drop of a hat (and free!).

Ditto that here. I have made my Mother in Law two large lap quilts and a half dozen or more runners/hangings/decor and it's still not enough. While I know she doesn't mean to be rude, she is now pressing me for a photo quilt but doesn't realize how much time and expense goes into a quilt like that - I haven't even made a photo quilt for myself yet!

I would just love to make everyone what they want me to make them but I have two kiddos and one on the way...I barely have time to wipe my behind let alone make the long list of quilts everyone wants from me. I should get a tax break or something! LOL* We also live on one income!!!

Then there's my Mom who I have given elaborate paper pieced and hand quilted wallhangings and runners at her request and love her to death but just won't make a bed quilt for because she hasn't done a darn thing with the things I've already made her.

As it generally costs about $300 to make my quilts, I usually don't 'gift' them to anybody. A number of people have seen them and bought them - and that makes us both happy. The ones that I would definitely not gift are the ones who exclaim, "You want $xxx.xx for that!?"

I give a quilt or wallhanging with my hard work and love but very picky who I give them to.

Maybe because we give so many quilts away to charity, people think they are easy and inexpensive to make ?

For those of you who are making these gorgeous quilts, putting in your heart and soul, maybe a series of photos, documenting the many steps it takes, with dates on the photos, would help others to understand the time and work you have put into making "their" quilt ?

My SIL admires Hawaiian Quilts. I sent her a few web sites to look at prices and sizes. She emailed back "That's why I have to "dream" because I can't afford The Real Thing." She understands the work that goes into actually making those quilts.