My Quilt Guild is having a Show soon and has asked members to donate things for a Silent Auction. I made a Lap Quilt and had my LAQ quilt it because I wanted it to look "good" if you know what I mean.

The rules state that all Silent Auction items will start at a minimum bid of $20. If the item doesn't sell; you may do one of two things. Donate it as a comfort quilt for some community group or "buy it back for $10".

I was shocked that after buying fabric and quilting that if my lap quilt doesn't sell, I actually had to "buy" it back. It is a basic quilt, just rail fence, and I'm afraid no one might bid on it. Am I being particularly sensitive to disagree with the policy of having to buy it back? (because if it didn't sell, I would want it back--had I known the "rules" I probably wouldn't have made it)

Hmmm , thinking they are thinking of it as a donation toward ?

Wow, I dont think you should have to buy it back, I would think they'd just give it toyou!

Our Guild is a "non profit" organization and besides paying for teachers, speakers and the like also contribute money to charitable causes in our community. Money generated at the show will be used for those purposes.

That is exactly my thinking,.....THANK YOU!

What will the money raised be used for? Perhaps it would be better to simply make a $10 donation and keep the quilt. But there is always a chance it will sell well. It would be a tough decision for me, too. I think $20 is way to low for a starting bid personally.

Either the money or your quilt would go to charity, right? Isn't that what you want?

It's seems like they are trying to force a donation and that's not right. I would probably keep the quilt and forget about the auction but then again it could sell. Sorry I'm no help.

I would think about making something else for the auction, as that is alot of work for you

could you make some small projects (table runners, potholders etc.)baby quilts

The last quilt I donated a few years back for an auction brought in a whopping $35! I was ticked. I had at least $50 in fabric alone, not to mention all the work piecing and paying $40+ to have it quilted professionally. Next time, I will just make a donation.

I would consider that once I gave a quilt to an organization to be auctioned, it was no longer mine. If it sells for a lot, wonderful. If not, then I'd decide if I wanted to donate another $10 and get the quilt back that I had already given away or donate it to another charity. The last quilt I made for a charity auction was a small throw that was hand quilted. It went for $225 and I was pleased with that. A large quit that was machine quilted went for $1400!! And a hand pieced, hand quilted scrap quilt went for $600. So, you never can tell what people will bid on, but they don't look at the work or the investment of fabric, they just bid on what they think is pretty.

They have every right to ask you to pay $10 if you want it back. Consider this: you donated the quilt to the organization and if it does not sell, you have first refusal to purchase it for half the opening bid price or pay nothing and donate it to another charity of your choice. Either way, you can claim the cost of making it as a charitable contribution. They could simply keep it for next years auction if they wanted to because once you donate it to them, it is theirs to do with as they wish. They are not being the least bit unfair in my opinion.

If you'd want the quilt back, why don't you just keep it and donate the minimum bid?

Don't be too sure that it won't sell. I made a double with 12" squares that had appliqued balloons on it, it was one of the first quilts that I had ever made and it was so bad, I never got around to quilting it. Then one day a lady at the guild said bring in the tops you don't want and we'll see what we can do. I brought in this balloon top and the ladies said if it were quilted it would probably bring 30 at our silent auction. Well, to make a long story short there was a bidding war for this silly quilt and it brought in 45. I couldn't believe it. But, I never heard of having to buy back your quilt. On the other hand, 10 isn't much, and it does go to help the guild.

I won't make a quilt for auction, and I think the $10 buy-back rule is ridiculous! My time is more valuable than the money that auctions tend to bring in. I *have* made quilts to be raffled off. At least with a raffle the charity gets an amount of money worthy of my time, materials, and effort.

Seems pretty normal to me. You're making a huge donation to make money for a NPO. If it doesn't sell, they don't make any money so they ask you to donate $10 to get your original donation back. That way they still make money. I've done several charity things like that so to me it seems okay. What they are asking for is a donation---if the quilt sells you've donated far more than $10 to their cause, if it doesn't you're only having to donate the $10. Don't look at it as "buying" your quilt back but as making a donation. That just makes it more fair for everyone involved. If it really bothers you then, next year, just donate the $10 right up front and don't worry about making a quilt for it.

Don't be so sure it won't sell...if I was at a silent auction, I would bid $20 on every quilt there! One time I was at a craft fair and there was a lady buying up every quilt and handmade item she could find. At first everyone was excited and pleased....but then the lady started "bragging" how she was gonna make a 'killing' on these items on eBay. Sad that for some people it's just all about the money.

Thanks for everyone's input. It was very helpful. Honestly, I still haven't decided what I will do.....

And, that's the part that hurts. People donating and doing a good thing, and then folks seizing the opportunity to make a buck.

I would *think* you'd never have to opt to pay the $10 to retrieve your quilt. They *DO* need policies in place for things that have zero bids, otherwise they'd be overrrun with donations, kwim? You don't HAVE TO pay the $10. You can OPT TO pay the $10. Or, you can donate it to a local agency. Because you did choose to donate it in the first place, kwim? You were willing to let it go from its inception, of free will, with no strings attatched.

It's really okay, a win-win situation. The charity is making money and so is the woman buying them. Perhaps she should have kept quiet about reselling them but . . . . . . .

I would hope they would return it to you for FREE!!

I agree. You don't give something away that you want to keep.

I heartily agree.

That doesn't seem right to have to buy back your quilt. You're sure there isn't any way you can ask for it back before the show? Our guild has a silent auction and what doesn't sell we either give back to the owner or donate it.

When I was just a young woman, I made a pink baby quilt that had needlepunched motifs, lots of eyelet trim and was IMHO quite well made. Donated it to a church sale with the suggested price of 25.00. The head of the sale came to me and told me that Mrs. Green( a VERY rich woman who was expecting two grandchildren) would give them 10.00 for it. I quite happily gave her the 25.00 for the quilt and made sure that Mrs. Green knew I had forked over the money for it! Her two grand daughters were born that next month BUT I got the last laugh! Erin Nicola Kathleen was born 8 months later AND she still has the quilt!!

Well since you are donating the quilt for the auction. If it did not sell, I would not buy it back, but I would pick it up and donate it to my choice, so that I could make sure it did go to a charitable organization. Just my opinion.

I am sure between the time,love and labor that was put into this quilt should account for something donated or not. The understanding was that it be made for a certain purpose. To be sold for auction to the public. Which means not having to be sold back to the maker. I bet the quilt will surprise you and sell quite easily.Should it not, then you should be able to take your project back and do with it as you please. Perhaps a fundraiser in the future for the guild will give you the opportunity to use your offering again.I don't think you should be penalized and that is what it is straight out if your quilt does not sell. Something bought cheaply at a store to donate is another story. Sewing a quilt is a whole different ballgame folks.

This has happened in the local quilt guild, and I for one, did not mind. I was making a quilt ( wall hanging) as a donation for the auction and considered it just that...a donation. During the course of making it, I became attached to it and thought that I would make another one for me personally. Making a cash donation would have been a lot less expensive than having to make a duplicate quilt.

Love it, love it, love it!!!

It's a strange request, by my immediate take on it is that even if it doesn't sell, they will still get a donation out of it.

I guess if you donate it then you should let it go.. but I wouldn't donate it if I wanted it and thought I'd have to buy it back to get it.. Just donate $10 to the guild and keep your quilt!

We also donate items for the benefit of our guild coffers, but if they don't sell at the show we get them back. Then we can donate them to whatever organization or tell them they can donate it to the one we've chosen.. but we get that choice. I like that better.

Wow, I wouldn't think they would make you "buy" it back either; unless they consider your work, fabric, etc was a "donation" to them. Are they going to give you a "receipt" for the value of your work/material or just the $10????

I've never heard of having a donation quilt given back. And they are donation quilts. One gives it to the guild and it's their way of raising money. I once donated a lap quilt to an organization and wrote on the information sheet there was $40 worth of material invested not counting labor, which was free (for them) & suggested a $25 starting bid. I found out later it went for $15 & if I'd paid attention I would have paid $20 to get it back! :-( (I just give money now.)

I have a friend who recently made a quilt for a charity auction. She got special permission from a renowned designer to use her pattern. She spent well over $100 on fabric. She made the quilt. She paid to have it professionally quilted. It was poorly displayed and no one at all bid on it. The beginning bid was $400. Here is the amazing thing. She bought it back for $400. I figure that was a donation between $800 and $1000 (remember she had to pay to attend the auction). I was in shock. All she said was, "Well, it's a worthwhile charity." (By the way, she has made a quilt each year for at least the past three years). I don't know what will occur next year.

I am not a fan of those types of groups. I was trying to help out the Symphmony Orchestra at their events. I had to pay to be a member, then one day I recieved a letter with 4 tickets that I would have to sell or purchase if I didn't sell them. I called them up and quit the organization because of this. I told them I was willing to take tickets, seat people, organize events but did not feel this tactic was fair (really underhanded) to take advantage of volunteers.

why couldn't you talk to whoever is in charge and explain that if it doesn't sell you would like it back but at no charge to you? If you weren't told the "rules" beforehand, it doesn't seem fair not to give you a choice. A forced donation by someone who pays for the fabric, works hard, and then has to sit through the agony of it maybe not selling, doesn't seem fair to me.

I would simply tell them that they will not be getting a quilt donated by me that I may have to pay for if it doesn't sell (or I don't get to choose the charity I want it to go to). Of all groups, guilds know what goes into the making of a quilt.
I would either keep the quilt or take it to one of my favorite charities where it will be more appreciated

I feel that if you donated it then they can sale it to anyone. I would pay the ten dollars to get it back if it did not sale, but don't worry it will sale. God bless. Penny

I don't think you should have to pay to get it back if it doesn't sell.