When You Name Your Quilts...
 

I know that we sometimes go with something that eludes to the pattern. I once named a Log Cabin “Lincoln’s Legacy”, and recently made a quilt using all batiks and gave it the name “Tropical Nights”. But there are other times I’ve used the recipient’s name in there as well.

What is it that leads you to certain titles? The fabric line? The colors you used?
Have you ever gone way out in left field with a name? What is the wildest name you’ve ever given to one of your creations?

I give them all sorts of weird names. Most of them are pretty dull, come to think of it.

A purple & turquoise bargello ended up named "Turple and Purpquoise", just because that's how my mumbly mouth kept saying those words.
The quilt I was making for my husband as a gift ended up with the name "<redacted>", because I keep a list of quilts-in-progress and I didn't want him to see his name on the list.
A black, white & red D9P quilt ended up named "D9P150" - the "150" because my husband has synesthesia (he strongly associates colors with numbers) and this was a quilt he picked the colors for. 1 is black, 5 is red, zero is white.
A quilt with 72 kitty-cat blocks got named...."72 Kitties" (told you, dull!)

Most of them don't really get names, they're just listed in my journal as "rag quilt 1" or "crazy quilt 3". Super dull.

I don't name my quilts. Just seems like I should talk to them and treat them like family then. :D

Whew! I was wondering if I was the only one who didn't give my quilts names.

I don't name mine either. Just refer to them as the pattern or patch name and/or the predominant color. Don't name my sewing machines either.

I don't name my quilts, just call them by color and pattern name, unless it is one of my own designs.

I do think of my quilts as family when I make them, then, when they're done.....bye bye!

If I use a particular pattern or kit, I use that name on the label. Otherwise I say something boring like "Blue Sampler" or "Quilt for R" (that one was for a little boy named Roan and I didn't know how to spell his name at the time. In fact I didn't know him personally.)

I guess the oddest name was "Don't Drink the Koolaid" which was a very purple/lime green creation. All I could think of while working on it was "I sure could go for some grape koolaid"!

My names come from the pattern I'm using and then usually something about the process. Recent ones were a road to bali pattern I now call sunset strip same blocks turned made in yellows reds oranges, Then another one i made using the same block I made in blues but made so many errors and redesined it so many times its now called boulevard of broken dreams.

I have named every quilt I have made, for the very fact that I spend so much time working on them that they are like family LOL. Some are plain names, some are out there lol, my latest is called Sugar coated honey oats LOL

I name my quilts. I give them the names that "they whisper to me". Before you think I'm nuts, what I am saying is that each quilt has a certain vibe - sometimes a name that is perfect pops into my head immediately. Other times I struggle to find a name. I end up working on my quilts for so long, they do feel like part of my family. My two latest quilts are: Nipon Noir and A Taste of Honey. The first one is an oriental scrap quilt that has a black background in each block and the other is a challenge quilt that uses the color "honey" as the main color.

Anita

The quilt in my avatar is "Summer Romance". Color and design usually blend together to make a name. Usually as I'm sewing it together I name will come to me. Some times I use the name of the line of fabric in the name. Example....I made a quilt using Marmalade fabric line, the quilt was called Cherry Blossom Marmalade. I design most of my quilts so I like to give them a name. I can see why others find it really silly. If your using someone elses design, might as well use their name also...I do when I make a quilt designers pattern, gives credit where credit is due. I think if our quilts out live us its nice to have a name and information about the quilt. How many times have you seen an old quilt and would love to konw a little about the quilter? Not sure that you'll ever see my quilt in a muesum but quilts get handed down and out of a family, its nice to be able to trace them back.

If it won't come when I call it, then it doesn't get a name.

I name my quilts. The name usually comes to me while I'm working on them.

Same for me. I am thinking the most unusual name for a quilt was "Dan's Tats" because the quilt was based on the tattoos of Dan. "Go Fish" was another one. The quilt was made for my brother, had a fish theme and I recall us spending hours as children playing the card game "Go Fish".
Sometime the fabric plays a role in naming, sometimes the pattern sometimes both.
Not all my quilts get unique names. Usually if they are being gifted or shown they get named and that gets put on the label. I have had some very uninspired names like "Batik Block swap" or just used the pattern name.
The spiderweb I am working on now is named "African Queen" because the fabrics are mostly African themed and the quilt is queen size.

I usually am making them for a family member. Then it is called Sues quilt or Bobs quilt. Other than that I call them by the pattern name.

I name most of mine. I hand quilt in sections, on one of them, i put it tog on the diagonal. I did it crooked and my corners were uneven, so I called it crooked corners. my son loved it and wanted one for himself, but said to use blacks and make it even. well, wouldn't you know, I screwed it up again, so it's called, crooked corners 2, a lesson in creativity, learning from our mistakes. I evened out the corners with prairie points. everyone asked me how did you think of such a great idea. yeah right. if they only knew.
one of sea life, under da sea, it depends on the colors, the design if I screw up or not

I'm with you on this one Dunster. Joyce in DE

I typically give my quilts "titles" - sometimes random or off the wall - as I always label my quilts. They are usually based on some feeling, emotion, or memory generated by the quilt at some stage in making it. Most unusual name for me - was probably "Oh My Gawdy" (yes in my opinion it was Gawdy! And the gal that got that one loves it!

That's the way I do, something usually comes to mind when I'm working on them too.

What a fun thread! I love coming up with fun names for my quilts. It's a different kind of creativity. My favorite is Aino Kisuna which means bonds of love or ties of love in Japanese according to a co-worker who helped me name it. The quilt was made for my husband who fell in love with a black background Asian print that had ribbons in the print.

I never have named any of my quilts in over 25 years of quilting. But then there are a lot of things with quilting I have never done! White glue is the first thing that pops in my mind!! :)

I don't 'name' my quilts, but I do give them titles as many artists do with their work. Inspiration for the title usually comes as part of the design process for me, and they often have some hidden meaning or double entendre.

Some wonderful and interesting answers! I too like to give a bit of information abut myself just in case someone in future years wants to know about me. That is why my labels are 6 x 9 inches! I practically tell my life story on them.