dcamarote

My guild does a lot of charity quilts. We don't worry so much about the seams being even, etc. These are quilts for people who are mostly living in shelters so they are more concerned about size (overall) and warmth than the other things you mention. Keep in mind, these people are not looking at a quilt with a discerning eye. They are just looking for something warm to cover up with. Some of our squares are cut really small and some too large. We just work it out. Good luck to you.

JoyceHoopes

I can handle not liking the fabrics put into any quilt. What I cannot abide is shoddy workmanship. No,, these quilts that go to the homeless will probably never be washed. Even so insufficient seam allowance means the quilt will start to come apart, probably very soon after they are received. If person or group knowingly hand out substandard units (quilts or anything else) they are wasting their time and insulting the person to whom it is given. As you can probably tell, I'm known for being blunt in my comments. If the group has someone who can diplomatically point out the poor areas maybe it can be made a learning experience for everyone. As for the person who "didn't care" about the quality of her work" either find something else for her to do or as a last resort ask her to leave.

Iraxy

I agree 100%! If you are going to give something to someone, make it the best you can. I have heard people say that if it is too pretty, it will be stolen to be sold. Well, doggone it, until that time as it is stolen, have the loveliest quilt I can make. I cannot control people, but I can use some control on what I donate to charity.
Our quilt group in Hugo, OR strives to use the best available supplies and never to give something that is subpar. Charity giving does not mean trash dumping.

IBQUILTIN

The best that you can do, or that I can do, may not be equal to the best that someone else can do. In a group (or guild) quilt that is to be donated, those of us that actually put the blocks together for the quilt, try to make those obvious corrections, but beyond that all you can do is ask for the best that one can do. Perhaps if you know who is having trouble with 1/4" seams, etc. you could offer a tip or two to help them out. Hopefully you have a very tactful diplomat that can accomplish this without hurting feelings. Good luck to you, but I think you will have to live with it

sewingmemories

What do you do even after taking someone aside and telling them tension is off, sashing is way off, and they tell you they knew but said it was okay to them and you tell them it is not okay with you and they continue to do the same thing. What should you do with the quilt then besides hand it back to them. Some people just don't take kindly to hearing their work doesn't meet basic standards.

1rottendog

We donate these quilts to 2 hospices, a cancer support center and a cancer treatment center. Most of these people are fighting for their lives and when the quilts are passed out, patients usually get to pick ones they like. These quilts become their personal property and are brought back daily, weekly or monthly depending on treatment schedules. They are heavily used and one member in our group has a husband fighting cancer. She said it felt so good to go into the treatment center and see patients wrapped in our quilts. So we want to make sure our quilts are pretty, well-made and will last the duration.

rainbowzebra

I sew dresses for Little Dresses for Africa and also help out sizing and repacking for shipment and you would not believe the poor workmanship that comes in and the maker called a dress. We are thankful for every donation we get. A small group of us does repair work to make the dresses wearable, but there are some dresses we can do nothing but pitch. It is truly sad to think someone would think that the dress we had to pitch was fit for someone to wear. Our motto now is if you wouldn't put it on your daughter or granddaughter it doesn't go to Africa. And keeping in mind that we are thankful for every donation we get we send the dresses that are well made but down right ugly because of color combinations or decorations on the dress, and once in a while a just down right ugly piece of fabric.
Directions for making the dresses and some quality suggestions are available, but sometimes not followed. And by far there are way more useable dresses than not, just have to be thankful for the donations and move on.

maviskw

It's making me cranky, too. I take all my left over fabrics and try to make something as nice as I can, but the result is probably not something I would give to my children, unless they asked for an extra for the den or picnics.

I think the more important thing to think about is stitch length. A few years back, I was putting binding on a quilt made by others, and noticed a long thread hanging. I pulled on the thread and the entire seam pulled out with almost no effort. It was sewn with about 6 stitches to the inch. Luckily that seam was close enough to the edge that I could resew it without taking out too many ties.

If you don't have time to do it right, don't do it.

ArchaicArcane

I have been doing charity quilts for about 9 months now. I keep hearing "it's just a charity quilt" and it makes me nuts. I see that mindset in the quality of the piecing as well. The fact is that yes, some of these quilts will be left on the bank of the river or suffer all sorts of "abuses". They may not be washed, they may be used in ways fabric was never meant to be used. Or they may be used somewhere they get washed all the time and passed from person to person. Either way, they should hold together.

I don't do the piecing, only the longarming, so I don't choose the colors. Yes, some of them are not to my taste and take me some time to come to grips with enough to quilt. That's my personal failing at this point. I will say this though: I have had a couple of quilts that I've had to restitch so they'd survive the quilting process. To me, that shows a complete lack of pride in one's workmanship. I also know a lady who needs her machine retimed for the 3rd time because she managed to get her longarm caught in a poorly stitched seam. She hasn't quilted for anyone in almost a year. The workmanship is important. LA Quilters will stop taking quilts to be quilted if their machines are damaged as a result of poor workmanship.

It's "just a charity quilt". It's "just" a quilt being given to someone who may have absolutely nothing else. It's "just" a quilt that may be the only thing this person has to show them that someone cares.

This is why I quilt the way I do.

Childrens quilts usually have some fun sort of quilting on them - geckos, teddy bears, etc. Adult style quilts will be quilted as tastefully as I'm capable of. Only 9 months in, I have definite limitations, but I always try to make the quilting appropriate and tasteful with one exception:

There's always a heart quilted somewhere in the quilt to show them someone loves them and thought about them when creating this for them.

NONE of my quilts are "just" charity quilts.

roserips

Our quilt guild has done pre cut kits. We have done a lot of bricks and blocks quilts. They are very easy and no seams to match. Another suggestion is to have a quilting class to teach the quilt pattern that you have chosen. In the class show how to set 1/4" guide on the machine sticky back velcro works really great. One activity I used to do was quilt till you drop. The leader chose a quilt pattern and each person signed up in a group. We would have 2 sewers (they would have to set their 1/4" and check to see it was the same and then coordinate it) one cutter and one presser. It was so much fun and we did quilts for the children's hospital and family shelters. Those quilts we tied so they were all completed that night! Machine quilting them is wonderful just make sure that you don't burn out your machine quilters. Good luck and yes we have had a couple that we just quietly unsew and re sew.