I went and helped at a Church of Christ in a small community in SD. They quilt for The World Mission and the quilts are not anything I usually make even as a local guild donation. They explained to me the quilts are used for many different reasons and will probably never be washed. Also I heard if really nice looking quilts are donated they sometimes never make it to the intended recipients. I will try to post a photo, but for some reason I have no longer been able to.[ATTACH=CONFIG]304304[/ATTACH]

I believe charity quilts are like garage sale items, one person trash may be another treasure, as long as they are done with love and good intentions.

First of all, anyone should only give their best. On the otherhand, who would ever make an ugly quilt?

Thank you for saying this. My sentiments exactly.

I can see "quick" and "simple" for charity quilting, but not ugly... People don't deserve ugly just because they are needy.

How "needy" are the recipients? My church circle gets donations of fabric that we cannot use in the quilts we make so we give it to another church that makes quilts for homeless. Whether or not the quilts are ugly is of no concern, rather will they keep someone warm. And if some one barfs on the quilt, it can be tossed. On the other hand if the quilts are for children being placed in foster homes then by all means, the quilts should be very nice.

I am of the opinion that there is no reason NOT to use the knits/double knits/polyesters. In fact in some ways they are actually to be preferred because of ease of care and durability factors. Just use them in separate quilts. That is make ones that are all double knit, ones that are all polyester prints/solids, ones that are all home decor fabric and ones that are all cottons.
If I were doing it, I would also try to come up with aesthetically pleasing combinations of fabrics in each quilt and of course be sure they are well made and will hold up to hard usage.
Good luck and I hope everyone in your group will get on board with this project.

That is true. I made my first jelly roll and when I got done I had to ? the person who put the colors together. Every color in the box. My son thought it was nice and thought I should make a table runner out of it??? My grandson thought it was neat. So I set it aside not knowing what to do with it. Then one day I came across NBA material, well that had every color in a bigger box so I put the to together brodered it in purple and now binding it in dark blue. Some child in cancer unit in hospital will enjoy my work . That's all that matters. Keeping my eyes open for another jelly roll like that. Maybe my son would like his own table runner.

Sometimes we discuss donating quilts. We, as group, do not have a stash. We are sometimes gifted fabric. Some use this occasionally questionable fabric for charity quilts. I always use fabric from my own stash. Granted I have some fabrics I am just not as crazy about having as perhaps I once was; and, I have some fabric I just cannot bear to cut even for the quilt pattern I purchased it to make. But, I have some very nice fabrics that would make great quilts -- those are the ones I use for my charity quilts. If I would not want to sleep under a quilt made from a fabric, why should I expect someone else to like it just because they need it.

We made quilts last year for the Tsunami victims, I donated blocks from my Underground Railroad UFO. Some said they were too nice. I wasn't going to use them, so why shouldn't someone else use them. In our group we get into discussions, then someone makes a motion, it is seconded, and we vote. There are usually a couple who are not happy about the outcome and they never hesitate to make it known frequently. But the majority rules. Sometimes it only take one voice of reason to speak up to clear the air.

I really get the thrifty part, but there becomes and point in time were trash is trash. I know alot of people that think that all fabric can make a quilt. Fabric is like,chicken,beef and pork. It's all good, but not in the same pot at the same time. Maybe your group should toss the lesser fabric and then be some what selective. You could be missing great donations because the word is out that you have a large stash.