Very good question! I have been thinking about this for several months now and selling off and downsizing because I will soon not have a workroom and be working out of my bedroom for family only. No one in my family that I know of would like any of the notions, supplies, fabrics, books or patterns. I think my son would just take them all to the Good Will. My goal is to have everything out to someone who can use it by July of this year.

It is in the will daughter gets all my toys son get all his dads toys.

Mine will go to anyone who is willing to take my cockatoo, Cookie, at the same time! Any takers???

Other than the fact I can't die until all my UFOs are completed.....

One son, no grandchildren. My quilting buddies are younger than I am and I have told them if I die in my current home, get here before my son does and take what they want and distribute the rest.

Please show us pics of the horn tables. I don't know what they are. Thanks.

uote=shequilts]I did my second favorite thing today, I went to yard sales. Perhaps I guess I should correct that and say yard sale. I passed a small freshly painted sign this morning in an older area where I don’t usually see many sales. Since I’m always looking for new places and new faces I followed the route and arrived at a tidy little house at the end of the street. There were cars everywhere. A sign on the garage said simply “Estate Sale.” I could hardly wait to rummage around for what I knew would be treasures.

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I entered the garage. It was a complete quilt studio. There were rows of fabrics on bolts, books and patterns in huge storage bins, an entire tub of thread . There was a Horn cutting table and a Horn sewing table to match. The cutting table had a 6 foot cutting mat to fit. Ott lights were at the machine, beside a rocker, and at every table. An entire wall was covered by peg board and hooks held rulers, new scissors in packages, new needles, smaller cutting mats and every imaginable notion sewing notion. Everything was for sale!

People were grabbing bolts of fabric and arms full of everything they could hold, while struggling to grab more. A large sign on a table said, “make us an offer.” A lady next to me said, “they’re giving this stuff away.”

I picked up some rulers and scissors and a few other small items. One of the sellers was nearby so I asked about the Horn tables, he said, “no one has asked about those. What do you think they’re worth?” I responded by saying, “I know what they’re worth and I probably can’t afford them.” He quickly said, “How about $75.00 for the both of them”. Two ladies nearby overheard and shouted, “I’ll take them.” He said to me, I offered them to you first, do you want them? Of course I did!

Not believing my good fortune, I had to ask the man why everything was being sold so cheaply.
He responded, “My Mother just passed away. She loved to fool with this stuff but I only have brothers and we have no use for any of it. She made a lot of things and gave them all away. All of her friends are gone now, so we just want to get rid of it.”

On the way home, I thought long about this lady. She and I had a lot in common, we both had a sanctuary for our treasures and like her I make and give away a lot of my work. I’ve collected and organized, sewn and gifted, just as she had, I can’t imagine my “things” being offered “just to get rid of it.”

Most of us (at least those of us with a few years on us) have already prepared a will to help dispose of our most treasured possessions. Somehow, I never gave much thought to the thousands of dollars I have tied up in my hobby. Multiple machines, fabrics and supplies, all the accoutrements of my sewing room that make it comfy, would account for a large sum of money. What a shame for it to be sold for pennies on the dollar.


I decided that I will add an addendum to my will stating who I want to have my bounty. If my DD doesn’t need or want it, I’ll have a long list to offer it to. Who do you want to have yours?[/quote]

My 6 yr old grandaughter. My daughter has no interest ecept to try to take every quilt I make. GD likes to try to sew and likes fabric colors. Have my grandmothers old Singer I plan to have restored for her.

Hopefully my kids will make some money off my stuff but knowing them they will burn it. lol
Judy

My youngest daughter gets it all. She's a quilter too! The only one to have taken it up so far.

No one in my family crafts except me. I do have two nephews who are 5 and 1 who may grow into artists but I don't know that now. I told my brother and my mother that if I die before them and they don't want anything, to give it to a local needle shop who will make sure it is redistributed (we have a local organization that provides many services for the elderly and they finance it partly by sales of craft items). It does slightly upset me to think that my family might sell my stuff for pennies on the dollar but if the money went to a good cause like my nephews education or to provide care for my pet then I would be okay with it. Also, there are many other charities where money is always appreciated. It is something to think about and I will have to make some decisions. We'll see:)

wow what an insightful post thanks so much. I don't have kids so I guess if any of my sisters are around they will get it esp my younger sister who likes and wants to do sewing and quilting but is busy with her kids right now or maybe some of my nieces - or nephew's - would like it. If none of them work out I'll give it to the Quilter's Message Board.