I only make quilts for people who want them, that I am willng to make one for. I let them pick out their focus fabric and from there, I tell them I will get the quilt done within a year. The surprise is getting the finished quilt designed by me. This has worked wonderfully . My son, my nephews, and a few friends who have had babies, have all shown deep appreciation for the work and emotional value of each quilt, and I'm happy to say they treasure them.
If I make a quilt for someone getting married or going off to college, then I either use a nice cheater cloth or a simple design (like irish chain) wth classic colors like white/blue, and I don't worry about it.
When I joined this board, there were a lot of posts about gifted quilts not being appreciated, and I realized that people's tastes are so diverse and my idea of beauty could make someone else cringe, so I do what I can to avoid being hurt by a recipient who would not appreciate the work and costs of making a quilt.
On that note, the oriental quilt I made for myself gets lots of wonderful comments, but a few have said they would have no use for a quilt like that. Those are the people who will NEVER get a quilt from me!
My favorite thing to happen is when someone asks me to make a quilt for them, and it is someone I wouldn't consider giving a quilt to, I always tell them prices start at $600, and it's great if someone I have made a quilt for, is present!
Diane