When working on a group project . . .
 

If your group is working on a project like Linus Blankets or Quilts for Kids or other "giveaway project" -

Do you prefer to . . .

Make the whole quilt/blanket by yourself? (play beside)

or

Do one part of the project? (play with)

or

Have everyone do some of everything and work with whatever someone else has started? (play with)

or

Donate materials (supplies or cash)? (detached)

I'm working on one right now that we did a block exchange on. I'm not enjoying it, as the fabrics do not go together. Therefore I vote for Make the whole thing by myself, or at least coordinate fabrics beforehand.

I have not done a group project yet, but if I did, I would want to do the piecing and have someone else do the quilting as that is what I'm not very good at so far.
So put me down as "do one part of the project - play with".
Actually I would participate however the group wanted to do it if I were in a group, but don't think they'd ask me to do the quilting if they saw how mine looks. LOL!

Every year our guild has a sew in pot luck 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. we all bring machines, irons and boards. strips, squares, lg pieces for backing guild supplies more backing and batting these quilts are tied. we work in teams 2-3 sewing untill the top is done teams that do nothing but iron, some do nothing but sandwich and tie and of course a team to just add binding (all machine done)as the day goes by we will switch teams several times so we don't get burned out. These quilts all go to our general charity quilt program and are given out as needed to hospitals, Paladin care, needy children ect. Last year we finished 8 tops that were donated, 21 new quilts from start to finish, and several tops that had to be sandwitched and tied later. Lots of fun and laughter is had by all, we stop to eat or take a break as needed. any fabric left over by the end of the day is collected and given to several ladies that enjoy making charty quilts for our guild on a regular bases. they will show up in a couple of months with a few more quilt tops done and ready to finish. We all do a little bit of everything, and boy can you learn a lot just by working on a team with some of our members! They are all great ladies and will always share there knowledge.

I prefer to make the whole top by myself. I have found that when blocks are made by many people they do not all turn out the same size or have the same quality (sorry but it's true). I admit that I am not perfect with my seams, etc., but as long as I am consistent they usually match up.

I'd probably fall into the second category (play with), if it involved a quilt. I love to piece (would want to piece the entire top, by myself) but just do the rest, because it has to be done. If it was crocheting, I'd "play beside."

I would love to do this..I would play anyway they wanted!! Hoping to find a group to join when health permits

I volunteered once to put a quilt top together that 20 different quilters contributed to. The blocks were suppose to be 12 1/2 inches (unfinished). They were anywhere from 11 1/4" square to about 15 " square (kinda of square). On the ones that were too large I just put my 12 1/2 inch square up ruler in the center and trimmed. The ones that were too small I wound up "framing" them with a neutral fabric. It was a pain. If one person works on the top, another on the backing and another binding and another quilting it would be more consistent. Also would move a whole lot faster.

A few years ago, my guild did a block of the month and everyone who participated had to donate a 12 1/2" block for each block they made. I pieced 15 tops with 16 blocks per quilt -- and the first thing I discovered was that no one knows how to make a 12" block. We have some awesome quilters in our group and I love them all but I had to develop a bunch of coping tricks to make the blocks work together. I had ruffled blocks, blocks that were anywhere from 6.75 - 18" blocks, paper pieced blocks that came apart when I picked them up, and non-square blocks. It was a challenge to make the various blocks work, but in some ways it was fun -- and I learned a lot about coping with problem blocks.

It was a relief to hand off the tops to other folks who would do the quilting and binding. If I had made the tops myself and handed them off it may have gone faster but the quilts would not have been as interesting.

I did a project once where everyone contributed a block, and I wasn't thrilled with it -- the blocks weren't all the same shape and some of the fabric choices were questionable. Another time three of us got together, and I cut, one pinned, and one sewed. We finished three or four blankets and enjoyed chatting all the while. I'd do that again.

So I guess I like to play beside...