You could consider just selling your flimsies on ebay or etsy. If someone asks for a quilt, tell them that you don't make quilts, just the tops.

As am I.

"Gifting" implies voluntarily making an item you intend to gift. I would not "gift" a quilt top and expect the receiver to figure out how to get the batting/backing/quilting done.

OP describes being asked by someone to make a quilt. That doesn't fall under "gifting". It's completely acceptable to say "no, sorry, I don't make complete quilts - just tops that someone else has to finish."

I've tried that Toverly, no go, even with people who could well afford the finish work. Not being in the 'loop of knowledge' it just overwhelms them so they don't. Years ago I just started making complicated long term projects for the most part. Satisifies my need need to sew. something that takes a year to make doesn't fill the closet very fast.

When someone says that they" want one", I reply, "Yea, I know. Everybody wants one. You'd have to get in line." Lets them know how easy requests are, and how long they take to fulfill.
If they still insist, I quote them the full price for a quilt. I'm expensive. I've sold 1....
I do make t-shirt quilts for my cousins and such, for love, not money. When others ask if I could make one for their (whoever) after seeing them, I tell them that they can find inexpensive places online. I charge $17.50 per shirt to make one. Not many takers.

I think you have solved my problem Kalama. Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I have pretty much given everyone in my family quilts and quilts. A long-term quilt is a great solution. I can easily say, I'm working on a complicated quilt, I can't stop now. and leave it at that. Thank you!

I'm glad we helped, if a woodworker gave me all the pieces to put a table together, I'd say thank you for the offer, no thanks :)
This was one of my long term quilts. the little houses are 3" and were themselves a long term paper piecing thing. Using them as the base, I then designed the rest of the quilt as I went along. I took me 3 days of using paper cutting practice blocks to get the sizes right for the surrounds on the houses :) Life is good, why rush it? I called it Warm Windows as the tiny windows used the last bits of my self dyed fabric. finished March 2020 All stash, as fitting for a scrappy quilter!

So mucb to notice in that quilt!

Love the little houses Kalama. That's beautiful.

Really love this Thread. Thank you all! I have taken to gifting lap quilts, or envelope backed blankets with pieced tops... They are great any time of year especially 7 months out of the year where I live...sometimes I sew flannel or muslin to the top as 'batting' to secure the top piecing, especially if it is complex or I doubt my seams. Mostly though, I just make wall hangings and textile art, and items like bags and home decor. I can sew, cut, piece, create, maybe sell or give. If folks dont like the art I make, they can keep it to themselves.

I make quilts because I like to. I never have anyone in mind to give them to. My kids and grands know they can choose any one of them they like and they have a lot. I make a lot of donation quits for my guild because I have the fabric to use up. I have never thought about recouping cost of a quilt I made because I wanted to make it. We have lots of long armers in the guild that bring big batting scraps to give away. they are usually big enough for crib size and easy to piece for larger quilts. I rarely make any size bigger than a throw size now. The big bed quilts are seldom used. The answer I give now if anyone that asks for me to make them a quilt is I don't do that but I can give you a quilter's name that does that for a living. I don't hem haw around, I say it with finality.