Karamarie

I'm at a point in my life where I have many quilts I have made. I've gifted many to family members-they all have enough. I donate to various fundraisers, etc. and still have about 25 quilts. I decorate my house with quilts, etc. so what do I do with them? In our small community there are not a lot of places that want the donations. Donating to nursing homes is not a good idea as everything is washed in hot water and quilts don't like hot water. Now it seems that so many would rather have fleece blankets. Even our church is making fleece blankets for their graduates. Same with hospitals, etc.

I may have to find another hobby but I am "trying" to use up fabric. May just start donating fabric to thrift stores, seems to fly off the shelves there.

What do you think?

pocoellie

Although there may not be any in your community, how about other communities around you? Are they're any homeless shelters? Before we moved here, there was a women's shelter, the shelter had classes on how to survive in the world on their own, along with job training classes, and when they graduated they all got a quilt, made by our little group. I donate two quilts a year to our local Humane Society as fund raisers in December, which is raffled off, the one in February is auctioned off. I'm sure you'll get more suggestions.

tranum

Talk to Department of Child Protection & see if they need quilts. Foster children might like a quilt and a bag to call their own.

KalamaQuilts

Aside from what to do with quilts we have...making quilts being my passion, I make complicated quilts with lots of tiny pieces. I manage 2-4 a year, sometimes just one.
One quilt that came back to me because of a tragic and untimely death, I've cut up and used as shrouds for beloved pets. I have one piece left and am very comforted by my decision. I'd have never been able to see it on my bed without that grief being renewed.

juliasb

One place I know appreciates quilts are the nursing homes. You have older adults who appreciate the work that goes into a quilt and love the beauty. Depending on the quilts and the facility they have different ways of distributing them. Lap quits go out the fastest to residents. They are always in demand. Larger quilts are often used as birthday gifts for a resident or prizes for different activities. They are always appreciated and loved.

Tartan

I pile mine up on the spare bed like the princess and the pea story. I figure that will be someone else’s problem to deal with after I’m gone. As for fabric, I am in face mask mode so you go into production. I put one in a zip lock bag and went down my street putting them in mailboxes with instructions to wash with soap and water well before use to remove any of my germs.

Iceblossom

Most of my projects are donation projects now. Just because they are for donation doesn't mean anything really in terms of my approach or workmanship, more than once someone I know has fallen in love with something that I was just working on to have something to work on. So when ever the question comes up about what to do, the answer is you do whatever you would do for the person you most love in the world!

The guild my friends belong to have a preemie project for one of the local hospitals, and a "children's corner" which is household things of need/clothing for all ages, but my preferred design size is roughly queen.

The guild I used to belong to did Ronald McDonald House as their pet project. I don't know about now, but back then any other children in the family could also get a quilt of their own and I rather like that. I usually concentrated on "small twins" as we had plenty of lap blanket sized projects.

Currently I'm looking at a transitional housing shelter in my neighborhood, I haven't contacted them yet because right now I still have more tops than quilts. It's mostly for people leaving abusive (often substance fueled) households. Often they leave in the middle of the night at a very bad time in their lives with very little support, emotional or financial, and usually about zero possessions. The "shelter" is about a 1-2 year stay and is a secure apartment complex where basic life skills are taught along with a roof over their head and assistance in the various areas they may need help.

Foster kids have been mentioned, many needs and desires both with kids in the system and those aging out. Red Cross is another organization.

Different states have different rules for raffles, but another option is to make a fundraiser quilt for a group with a particular interest. I have fabric stored out for a cat quilt for the Humane Society for example. In my area (Washington State) raffles are harder than in others, and it would be sold at a black-tie auction.

Onebyone

Give one to your mailman, trash collector, meter reader, bank teller, lawn service, Dr. and dentist staff...........the list is almost endless.

slkquilter

Start making face masks!

cjsews

The police and fire departments can use them for kids removed from homes or families of tragedies. I have started donating to the hospice facility my husband was in. Until I have enough for a drop off they are on a spare bed. Same as Tartan’s