When my girls baby blankets became ragety, I made them into teddy bears.
After the girls grew up, they still have their bears and their girlfriends want teddy bears too.

I inherited a VERY worn out quilt from my grandmother that was so threadbare I knew we could never use it at all--so I made a "thread-bear" from it!! (see pic below)

I am of the "love it to death" state of mind. I am lucky enough to have 5 quilts that my grandmother made and I put them on the beds for my granddaughters to sleep under--what memories we are making!!!

I have made quilts for each of my children and my grandchildren. They LOVE them and they USE them. I love to see my granddaughters snuggling on the sofa under their quilts watching TV, or having a picnic on it in the living room on a rainy day. The only quilts I have made that ever get tucked away are seasonal ones that come out for the holidays.

What a wonderful idea. They can still cuddle the bears and remember the quilts they loved.

that is so sweet.

Marcia,
how do you import pictures?

I have 5 or 6 WIPs, but have only completed 6 quilts and given them all to my adult children. As far as I know, my daughters use theirs regularly, but my son has stored his away ... to keep it "new"; I would much prefer that he use it. I like my quilts to be loved and used. If not used, at least displayed. Packed away out of sight is a waste, in my opinion.

exactly. I have probably given away 60 quilts as gifts. Nothing makes me fell better than to walk into someone's home and see one of my quilts, wheather on the bed the sofa or on a rack.

We have always put this poem on a card with quilts donated to shelters, orphanages, etc -

It's OK if you sit on your quilt.
It's OK if your bottle gets spilt.
If you swallow some air
and you burp, don't despair;
It's OK if you spit on your quilt.

There are scraps old and new on your quilt.
Put together for you on your quilt.
If your gums feel numb
'Cause your teeth haven't come,
it's OK if you chew on your quilt.
We expect you to lie on your quilt.
If you hurt, you may cry on your quilt.
On a cold rainy night,
Don't you fret; you're all right.
You'll be snug, warm and dry on your quilt.

I DO NOT plan to make any wall hangings or fold any quilts up in acid free boxes and paper. We sleep under quilts. Quilts are used to snuggle up under to watch a movie in the winter. They are taken to the beach for the baby to crawl around on. Recently on a very wonderful spring day, I threw one on the grass in the back yard and kept our grandson outside most of the day where he had a wonderful day watching for birds, pulling grass and putting it in his mouth, pulling up to a chair or toy and falling down without having to hit a hard tile floor.

that's nice cathe.
I have a little poem i put on most of mine, it goes;

The best sleep neath heaven above,
Is under a quilt, handmade with love.

I would love to have my quilts loved to death, but knowing my sister she'll put them away for what reason I don't know. I've told her and told her use the stuff I make for you. She got 5 or 6 afghans I crocheted for her put away not sure why, she says so her children will remember me if they can't remember me without my work who cares.

When folks hide/store an item I give them, it makes me wonder (sometimes) if they even like the item, which is one more reason I prefer to see it put to good use.

this seems to be the closest to my feelings. There will be things, wall hangings for example, that I would like to have for a good while, but I'd have to have slipped a cog, to think, when my grandbabies get hold of their quilts, that they won't do all the things normal kids do.
Anna will be the roughtest on hers, but she will love it. Mary will want it at bedtime, and maybe drag it around some.
Alexia,...a little early to tell, but she will probably be like Mary. Crystal will probably have hers the longest, but she will use it, cause nana is going to make these toddler size and the next ones, twin size for big girl beds.
Out of my 3 daughters, the oldest will try to cherish hers, but her hubby wads up everything, so I'll let them duke it out.
Middle daughter will do some of both. She appreciates art, but is very practical, and has four in house fur babies that sleep with them.
Youngest daughter? I've already got some money in her fabrics, but they, umm, she'll definitely appreciate it, but will she have it in ten or fifteen years? I think not.
The ones i will make for me and hubby, I will fold every night and set to the side, like I do right now, with our store bought comforter.
Why? bc if I don't, hubby gets hot, pushes on it, till it ends up on floor on my side of bed, and I have an impairment in left knee and have almost killed myself getting up, even with night lights. So there you have it. Some of all of the above. No matter what...I will keep making more. :P

Most of my quilts I give away and I tell them to use them. My daughter put her kids baby quilts away and didn't want to use them but my other grandkids quilts are worn and I love it. My sons have used theirs on their first
bed in their own apartments and I patched one of them the other day. It's put away now but they get it out when their kids want to sleep on the floor and watch movies in the winter. I don't make fancy quilts for babies anymore because I think that is why my daughter didn't use theirs. They had lots of work in them. I have quilts that are over 70 years old and they look great buy they are so cozy. I use them from time to time.

Well about 40 odd years ago, my grandmother gave her youngest son and his wife a quilt as a wedding present. macine sewn, but hand quilted.
I never paid attention to the quilts that have come into my possession over the years till I started quilting (I say that loosely) about a year ago.
Needless to say, I have quite a few quilts and this spring went to a reception for an uncle and brought quilts for my aunts to see.
Well, the 40 year old quilt appeared. It was frayed, hardly any batting left and very very thread bare.
My aunt asked me to "repair" it. I actually restored this quilt, although it isn't the size it was once, but it's a remembrance of my grandmother.
when I posted it on my blog, I got quite a few emails regarding it's restoration and repair.
Some quilts just need a bit more loving I think and the old quilt I repaired looks absolutely amazing, even if I do say so myself, in amazement of myself!
http://quiltingforfunandmorefun.blogspot.com sometime in Feb/March

Well--after all the work on some that go on my bed--we're careful to not have it on top of us without a sheet of another blanket--but they're out- I'd never hide them. My daughter has all her quilts out--to college or still home, but she's careful too and folds the tops back so she doesn't drool on them in her sleep. :lol: Now my son--he sprawls on his bed with his quilt on top of him without a care. I've washed his a few times. :wink:

Whatever they decide is fine with me...and when grands come--I hope they drag them around everywhere--I'll make them a new one every few months anyway. :lol: I plan on making a ragged denim for outside play.

I've given so many away--and the wall hangings fade--but it seems only I notice.

May I offer a "contrarian" opinion?

My quilts (if I ever get them finished) are intended to be used. Nothing in this world is intended to last forever. If they are used and enjoyed, then they have fulfilled their purpose.

By the same token, I do not intend to label my quilts. My enjoyment has come in making them. They are providing greater entertainment than movies, TV, or most anything else I could do; and a whole lot cheaper if you consider the time it takes to make one. I am not making monuments to me. If a quilt can be enjoyed and used, then it has done about all anyone could expect.

I recently found that one batik fabric in the quilt I use on my bed had disintegrated. Every patch made from that fabric has a hole (or two). I first decided to never use a batik again, then I thought about the years I enjoyed that quilt, and decided not to ever worry about it again. Heck, just make another quilt, self!!! :wink:

I thought I was the only person who felt that way. I sometimes sign, but generally just hand them over. The person who receives the quilt knows me and that's all that matters. :roll:

Thank you for sharing that, Abacus.

I make at least 50 quilts (including tablerunner, wall quilts, etc) a year, and only a couple of them (maybe 3) are special enough to label. Those are generally commemorative group projects, and the label has the date and occasion and other pertinent information. 99% of my quilts are not intended to become heirlooms.