When you give a quilt away.
 

Do you ask if someone would like one or do you surprise people? To me it seems like great big thing to give someone and a risk to surprise someone with. How often to you give them away in either of these ways? As a new quilter I already can tell I am in danger of being over run with these because I love making them.

Special occasion gift for me too, and then I tend to ask the future recipient what they would like (in general terms). For example: if I am planning to give one to an expectant mum I ask her if she wants a baby quilt to hang on the wall, or one to be used, and what sort of general colors she would like. I take the designing from there. If I know a baby quilt will be used by the baby (!) I make it differently from the way I would do it otherwise - and I don't put a hanging pocket on it!

The one and only time I made a large quilt as a surprise for the recipient I think she was taken aback, and might have preferred something a little different. This is just a feeling...but you know how you can just tell, sometimes! And since it was my mother-in-law I think she may feel she needs to put it out every time we visit. I wish I had asked her beforehand...

Alison

If I want to give one to a special person, I always ask first if they like quilts because quilts aren't for everyone. If that person seems happy to have one, then I try to cater the pattern and colors to the person and their likes, where it will be used, etc. I've given quilts before to people who don't care for them...to later find them in car trunks, garage floors and dog beds. Yes, I am choosy about who gets one and I would way rather just give one, then to make one for pay.

I don't tell because I don't want to jinx it. Ha ha
You can also make charity quilts, they are well received and appreciated.

For the most part, you just kind of know your "audience". You know those who are sentimental and truly treasure the small joys in life. That being said, the only large bed sized quilts I've made to give away were to my parents and to my mother-in-law. To spend that kind of time and money, you really need to know if your gift will be used and welcomed and certainly I would "fish" a little without giving away the surprise.

I make quilts mostly for my family, my home, Quilts of Valor and a couple other charities. I am very blessed with my family because they always love what I make for them. Every other year I ask my two chilrdren, their spouses and my grandson what they would like me to make for them that year. Usually wall hangings and lap quilts. One year I made queen sized coverlets for my two children. My grandson calls my quilts "love quilts." :o This year is a little different...I asked them for their favorite colors and they do not know that I am making flannel quilts for them this year, smile.

i have given them as christmas gifts. every body in my family on both sides enjoy them. then i have them also
sitting around the house or on the back of chairs . if some of my nieces and nephews want them i let them have
them. i can always make more.

When I make a quilt to give away to a family member or friend, I involve them in the process. First, I ask if they would like a quilt, (and I have had folks say "Thanks, but not really...") then I email them a few pictures of quilts I have made...usually about six that I enjoyed making. I have them select the pattern and then the fabric. I have had a friend in Maryland who was able to tell me enough about the fabric she liked that we build her quilt out of my stash. I have had several friends who bought their own fabric, with a "quilt recipe" from me in their hand.

I wanted to make a quilt for a cousin who was diagnosed with breast cancer (33 years old!!!), and when she said yes and looked at my sample quilts, she wanted one just like I had already made. I simply sent it to her. She wanted cheerful, and that is what she got.

What I am saying is that I want input from anyone who is getting a quilt from me. It works really well for me.

Dina

I give for occasions and other times just because. Most of my quilt recipients , I have a good idea of their tastes. I do always offer that they return a gift quilt at any time in exchange for one I am making that they like better. In all years of quilting I only had one "come back". Very often a quilt gets spoken for/ or has a destination before I finish.

i only make quilts for those whom i know very well. thus, i know what they like, what they need, and if they'd want it. of course, this does not include charity quilts.

I am often overcome by bouts of inappropriate generosity and I have made baby quilts for people I barely know - like the woman I met at WalMart who definitely needed something for her baby's car seat. As we chatted about her newborn I told her I make car seat quilts and would love to make one for her for free. She gave me her address and a week later I mailed her the quilt.

When I give comfort quilts I don't ask but when making a bed quilt I ask if they want one and let them help pick out the pattern and colors.

I've only gifted to family members or donated to charity (mostly teenagers at children's hospital). I would rather ask someone if they would like them, than surprise them and see it at their garage sale in the summer.

Until you start making stuff and gifting it, you don't realize that a lot of people do not like handmade stuff or simply have a different life style that does not include quilts. Perhaps they simply have too much stuff. By asking them first, you avoid an awkward situation. That said, you KNOW people who love surprises and are appreciative. My former boss adored the wall quilt I gave him. He only brought it home to show his wife and then put it up in his office (no kidding!). I had not quilted all that long at the time, but you sure could tell he appreciated it! The quilt was similar to poster ArtsyOne's avatar.

I made a quilt for my in laws a couple of years ago and I have never seen it on their bed. I know my family appreciates hand made things but not many of my dh's relatives. My bil in Kansas would appreciate them and I am thinking about making one for my neice who is getting married in Sept. I am thinking about writing her and asking her for three colors that she would use in her decorating. I will then keep it pretty simple.

Ditto that!!!!!!

I absolutely love making quilt, crochet afghans, tie blankets. I make them and give them to family and then a lot to charity. Through my daughters work she finds me also anyone she feels needs a pick me up from cancer patents to whatever illness. It is fun and rewarding plus I have more blankets than my whole city. LOL but I love making them.!so if you ever get a abundance overload check out charity's or come join me to give to the homeless, battered women and foster children. Happy sewing!

I surprise the receiver.

I have only just started quilting, and wasn't sure what I was going to do with the chicken quilt, but then after thinking on it a bit, I realized that the perfect person to give this to would be my best friend growing up, who I haven't seen in almost a decade, and I recently found out that she moved to Alaska :( I know, my own fault for not keeping in touch, but as life sometimes turns out, we simply took different roads. But I think of her often, and want her to know that I remember doing her chores with her (feeding her chickens) after school, and it's just perfect for her. I'm glad it occurred to me to gift it to her.
#2 is for my son (his design) and is almost done...DH hasn't picked out a pattern/color yet, so I'll start working the Origins Watercolor that I bought on impulse...not sure what'll happen to that, but probably gift it to somebody...I like making things, but don't always have a use for them myself, so will gift it however it seems appropriate.
Have a doggie themed one on the back burner if I can get the pattern out of Blankquilting.com...will gift that to my coworker, and don't care how she uses it...cuz she has a little menagerie at home all with personalities...I love hearing her stories, so if it ends up "going to the dogs" I'm totally ok with that. It's a gift.

I sometimes have a recipient in mind when I make a quilt, other times as I see it going together I determine that it "just looks like it should be for . . ." And still other times I want one for a specific purpose and look through my UFO and WIP stack and decide that a particular top is just right for that recipient. For me it is a combination of factors based largely on knowing the person ( or situation) and intuition mixed with availability. Some people have to wait for their turn to get a quilt because "the right one " for them just hasn't happened yet.

Artsy one - generosity is never inappropriate ! You have a gift of love that "knows" who needs that special item at that particular time. Listen to your heart. It will not lead you wrongly.

I've given lots of comfort quilts...friends co=workers going thru hard time ie...divorce, serious illness and always a lap quilt. Only give bed size to my sons and they told me the colors. Dh doesn't care what color of quilt. He's just thrilled I got it done!

Your quilts are wonderful----the baby quilts you made for my grandchildren were well received and very much cherished too, as well as my wallhangings.

family/friends i (gift) quilts to---are surprises---sometimes a family member or friend may put in a request...then they know one is coming.
i donate quilts to charitable organizations- i always check their policies, wants, needs first to make sure they would be accepted, have use for, and that i made them to their specifications/rules.

Artsyone; what a wonderful charitable thing you've done. Wonder if she ever responded to you after she received the quilt you made. You are sweet!

Even a small wall hanging has hours and hours of dedicated and loving work involved. I only give quilts to people I know will want them. Usually I give them a "heads up" that I'm going to make a quilt for them and usually they enjoy having "input" into size, color, theme, etc. That in turn give them the gift of true "ownership" of the quilt in that they helped to plan it and were able to watch its progress during the making of the quilt. Made three king size quilts in this manner and the owners just love them!!

I do mine for mainly Birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, etc. They are mainly for family or VERY close friends & so far, they have been "blown away" & very appreciative of all the time & effort it takes to make a quilt. I have not gifted full size quilts - so far they are just a little bigger than lap size, so that they can be used on a couch, a rocking chair or at the bottom of the bed. I usually pick a size about 60 inches x 72 inches approximately. I also choose neutral colours so there is a greater chance it will not clash with their decor. To date, they have been a big hit.

I give what I want, to whom I want. And, once given, do not look back. The quilt belongs to the recipient, to treat how they wish.

That being said, my nieces and nephews "expect" to get a quilt when they have a baby. I went to a baby shower for one of my nieces several years ago and gave her a baby quilt...she cried with joy.

Another time, I didn't quite have the baby quilt done for another niece, so I gave her some cute Carter's outfits. When the baby was born, I gave her the quilt, and she said, "Oh, good! I was so worried I wasn't getting one!"

I was going to make a quilt for my SIL. We were out to lunch one day and I made an excuse to stop at the LQS for something I needed. She was drooling over a couple of fabrics so I bought them and made them in to a quilt. She had no idea she was picking out fabrics for her own quilt.

I make quilts for family and friends..so far everyone has been thrilled to receive them...With 14 grandbabies, I have a long way to go..9 are done. THen I will make them for my 9 children...(2 done already)...In between I love to make baby quilts for friends and other misc stuff!

I like to surprise with quilts.If I know the person's tastes, it's easy to decide what to give. Sometimes it takes a little digging on my part to figire out what they would like.

I quilt for my own enjoyment and since I make bed size quilts plus have a UFO habit I don't finish many. My grown son really fell in love with one of the quilts I was working on so I gave it to him. Now my two grown daughters are always talking about how he is the only one that has received a quilt and how he was always my favorite. (Not true.) The only reason I havn't given them quilts is that I don't want to burden them if they really don't care for quilts. Now the path is wide open to give mine to those I love. Life is good.

I am so blessed with a large family and they all seem to enjoy quilts so they get new ones when I decide it is their turn. I know that they are used in every home I have visited so that is such a blessing to me . Nothing else I could do would have been as useful or as long lasting a gift. I know quilts are not for everyone but have always felt that most of my family care very much for them. So I am still making quilts, and loving it.

I make them mostly for family and do not tell them ahead of time...most of the time. I love doing theme quilts and try to make them one that they have interest in. If I do not do a theme I do one in the colors of there home interior. So far they all seem well recieved. I figure if they do donate them its ok, figured many people donate quilts so if they decide in a few years its not for them someone else can enjoy and I will make them another..but so far that has not happened.

I like to surprise people, especially with baby quilts, as it's hard not to come up with fabrics and colors that are suitable for babies. However, when my son and his wife were expecting their first baby, I came up with what I thought would be a good fabric choice, but Jen had something different in mind, so I let them buy the fabric, then I took it from there. With the large floral fabric she chose, I opted to cut 10" squares, with sashing and cornerstones, then used the striped fabric for the first border. I also made a set of 2 curtains for the nursery and Jen was very excited. When my daughter's best friend was graduating from veterinary school, and was planning to be a large animal vet., I picked some cow fabric that my sister had given me and it was just enough to make a lap quilt and since Janna is very petite, it was almost like giving her a twin-size quilt. She was very excited when she got the quilt as it was unexpected and a surprise, which she loved and that made me happy to have made her happy.

For my DH quilt- I let him pick out the material.

I only give to people who appreciate quilts.

To my sister who does not like quilts and thinks they are a waste of time- SHE WILL NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE ONE OF MY QUILTS!!!!!

Some people ask me to make them. All depends on how close to them I am whether or not I'll do it. IF I make one in that instance, I'll make it clear that they pay for all materials. My time will not be compensated. That's MY gift to them as I cherish them as a friend. If it feels as though someone is taking advantage of that friendship, I'll have them make it with me. I don't do a stitch unless they're with me and assisting in some way. I make them take all the material home with them when we're finished for the night. I've got enough of my own stuff here. I don't need their's here too. They usually don't like this, as it's an inconvenience for them, but I don't care.

I do surprise people every once in a while, if they mean that much to me. They seem to like them and will occasionally tell me a story that involves the quilt in some way months and years after it was given. Which is nice.

I prefer to give quilts as gifts for newborn babies. I will not make them in baby designs though. I don't want it to become hidden as they age due to the fact that it looks baby-ish. I make them in mom and dad's fav colors or what the nursery colors will be, but with an adult design. Hopefully it will age with the child then. If anyone hasn't liked them, they haven't told me yet. So, I'll keep making them!

i started quilting a few year ago and have mostly made baby quilts for friends or shower gifts. the only other quiltsi have done are for people who have lost a loved one. i have made a good dozen of those. i don't usually ask. i just ake. unless i am making a bedi gg for a baby.

I am very picky about who gets my quilts. I know many on this Board disagree but as someone I knew used to say "Well, that's why they have horse racing !". Everyone has an opinion. Each person I have given a quilt to has loved them and I do try to pick the colors or design that will be perfect for them. I spend a great deal of time, money and thought on my quilts so I want the person who is receiving them to like them. I would be heartbroken to find my quilts used as a dog bed. I will not even give a charity quilt unless it is just as cute as can be. I have seen many ugly quilts in my life but they aren't mine. So, I do not generally surprise anyone with a quilt, I make sure they want one.

I make quilts for people I love just because I love to quilt and I love the person. Fabrics and/or patterns "speak" to me and tell me who they are for. Sometimes while I'm making the quilt a poem about that person writes itself in my head, and that poem becomes the label. My quilts are a personal connection between me and the recipient, and I've never had anyone reject the finished item. I made a couple of quickie quilts for a neighbor who asked for them, but I didn't enjoy the process so I won't do that again. Also, I give the quilt at a time when it is "just because", and that goes along with the whole "I love you" thing.

I never ask the person first because then it becomes an obligation, and that takes pleasure out of the giving.