dojo36

thanks judith, my daughter enjoys all the stuff i make her, so i'll just keep making for her - of course i make stuff for in my house all the time. i have so many quilts i don't know what to do with them all. so i put a different one on the beds each week and a different one on the couch each week too and on my recliner to snuggle with. and i have a grown grandson 33 yrs old that wants me to make him one, so i'll try to get his done before cold weather.

Feathers

I have a SIL whom I will love til I die even tho she and DHs brother are no longer together. She bought a new house so I made a quilt for her and took another quilt with meto SHOW it to her. She wanted the quilt I wanted to show her. I didn't want to give up that one because SIL has never been too interested in artsy/crafty home sewn/homemade things and the one she wanted was 10 tons of work and hours to make and had a bazillion small pieces and I just didn't think she'd take care of it or appreciate it like my spare guest bedroom would. I was WRONG! I do believe that quilt is her most valued possession and I know this to be true because people who have been to her home have come up and commented on the quilt I made my SIL. Her bedroom is NOT on the way to anything in her home so I know for these folks to see the quilt, SIL had to have taken them up the stairs and down the mile long hall to show it to them. I'm glad I gave her to quilt she wanted. She loves it and thanks me for it everytime I see her.

bearisgray

What a nice story!

EagarBeez

I know I am a bit late about answering this. I have felt the same as you. Should I make a quilt for someone that I thought would not appriciate it? I had to mull this same question over and over. I believe if I give a gift, then it is just that a gift. It is up to the recipient if they take care of it. I am currently working on a quilt for my children. They asked me to make them one. I had previously made a puff quilt for my granddaughter. Full size for her bed. When I had visited last, there were a couple of squares that were torn, by the family dog that was allowed on her quilt. My granddaughter of course is only 5 and I must have had rocks in my head when I made this quilt. I brought it to their attention and asked about it and my daughter wanted to know if I could repair it. I told her I did not think so, and I also stated to her that I was weighing if I should make one for them if something like this would happen again, she assured me it wouldn't. I am going ahead with the quilt since I have the supplies, and hoping for the best.
My advice to you would be go with your heart.

jojo

Dear Rose,
Is it possible your daughter was trying to connect with you through quilting and just didn't realize you weren't interested in art quilts? Maybe trying to make up for past mistakes? I hope so. Some people don't know the differences in the types of quilting...to them quilting is quilting.

marks1009

Maybe the answer is to only give your quilting artwork to people who BEG you for it! :D

For Rose: I was thinking the same thing as JoJo...maybe to her 'quilting' is one genre, and you now have an opportunity for conversation to talk about techniques, traditions and innovations. Ask her what she likes about the 'art' quilt, just to break the ice...

Somebunny

I'm a new quilter, old hobbiest, but now that I am spending a lot of time, money and love on these beautiful, creations to give away, I make sure my recipient knows I am making it. I involve them by asking questions about color choices, theme, size, etc. If I don't get good feedback, I would drop it and move on to a gift cert. or something I suppose. I say suppose, because I have six quilts in the making, and not one person has rejected my efforts in the slightest, thank goodness. They actually get really excited, especially when they get a an e-mailed picture of the fabrics lined up on my table, right before the cutting starts. But then not another peek until completely done, that's the surprise.

I get such a high from quilting, if I couldn't give to those I know, I would give to those in need and keep that great feeling. Keep sewing, stay happy.

BlueChicken

So many interesting replies to such a difficult question.

I've made a quilt for someone I thought wouldn't appreciate it, but I did it anyway. I knew I'd made a really good job of it, I knew how much time and love I put into it, but I mentally prepared myself to let go once it passed hands, knowing that it wouldn't be appreciated or looked after and wouldn't last long.

For me, once it left my hands I no longer had "ownership", and if they wanted to store it in the back of the cupboard and never use it, then that was their perogative and I wouldn't let it upset me.

To my utter surprise it was recieved with tears and much joy, and it has been absolutely treasured since the day I handed it over.

I think while some people have some terribly sad stories, it says more about the gift recipient, than the gift giver. And that we should keep making quilts because it makes US happy. If people don't appreciate them, it's their loss, not ours.

:-)

hulahoop1

Exactly! Very well said! This is something I need to remember when making a gift quilt. My first one was was not as appreciated as "I" thought it should have been. Maybe I should have considered the her desires a little more carefully before deciding to make her a quilt as a wedding present. However, the second quilt I made was for someone else for no special reason other than "just because" and he was over the moon about the quilt and loved it.