Jean Fry

My very first quilt I made and hand quilted, I gave to my son. He was married and I thought it would be a nice gift. The next time I saw the quilt, it was covering his John Deere lawn mower...in his garage.... He loves his John Deere so I guess he loved the quilt as well. Have not given him and his wife another quilt.

QuiltQtrs

I make quilts because I love to sew/quilt ... and want to sell them.
Most compliments are from unknown buyers, and that compensates for
unappreciative family.

krisgray

For Christmas I gave my 3 yr old niece a sampler - nothing fancy w/ sashing and cornerstones but it was a pretty little quilt. I knew she wouldn't be impressed but it would have been nice if my SIL or MIL had at least been interested enough to unfold it and look at it.

judykay

I have a nine year old grandson who is asking me to make him a quilt for when he gets married and has a baby. Now I think that is appreciation for quilts.

Queen Deb

I don't make quilts to give away very often any more. I really feel that just because it's a quilt doesn't make it appreciated or even liked. At one point my mother in law wanted to hand crochet throw rugs to put in front of all our sinks and all I could think of was what a burden that wouls be. I'd have to have those dang things out any time she came over, fuss over them all the time and I'd be stuck making her feel good about her work but not really liking what she produced.
I think quilts can be the same way. But, if I give one I give freely and don't expect to ever see it again.

grannypat7925

Mine are fully appreciated and I am so thankful!

EagarBeez

I love making quilts. I have only been doing this for about the last 3 years. The first 2 I sewed everything, and I do mean everything by hand. I made 2 puff/quillo quilts. One was for my granddaughter. I know she was young, but, the love I have in my heart did not stop me. When I saw her a year later it was on her bed, but, the german shepherd had torn some of the blocks. The fabric was shredded pretty good, and no way for me to fix it, as I did not have any more of the fabric in my stash. I was also afraid that it would only get torn again. I said when you get older grandma will make you another. She said, "grandma, next year is my birthday' will I be old enough then. So cute, I explained to her, but, she is on my list.
As I said, I enjoy quilt making tremendously, and when I spoke to my niece and we got on the subject of arts and crafts, she asked me what I was doing as she knew I dabble in just about anything, and anything I don't know, I teach myself. We spoke of quilts. She said Aunt Brenda, I know you do beautiful work, can you make one for me and I will pay. She does not have much money at all. At the time she was single and asked for one in single size. My hubby could't help overhearing. He said to me, go ahead and make her one, but, make it queen sized. When she gets married which she was engaged, she will most likely have a queen size bed. I told him, she can't afford that kind of money, he said you had custody of her for 6 mths at one time. She is very close to you even though you don't talk often to her. Make it for free. Well, I am making her a quilt now. Have 6 more rows.
My middle sister, which is mother to my niece asked if I could make her one too. I told her I would make her one but, I have to put her on the list as I have to do another quilt before I start hers. She asked me the other day if I was starting on hers yet. I told her no, that these quilts aren't just thrown together in one day. I explained all that goes into it, and told her she can research the internet too if she does not believe what I told her. Well, she did, and she called me very appologetic. She said Brenda I love you and I am so sorry that I doubted you. I'm just anxious, because I want to show my friends. You do beautiful work So there are some people you can educate.
I love making them, since there is no one here but, DH and I, and I have a very small family, making them comes from my heart. I sure hope they enjoy them as that is about all that I can make for them. With rising cost of fabric and starting to get arthritis in my hand. There may come a time where I won't be able to share my crafts with them

miholmes

What an interesting thread. I'm wondering how many of us have a fond memory of a quilt from when we were younger.

I remember getting several quilts through the years from my mother and grandmother. Some of them weren't the best looking. I remember a polyester Snoopy quilt my grandma made for me, I LOVED it. Now I think POLYESTER? But I guess that was the fabric of the time. I also have great memories of an appliqued circus quilt my mother made for me. I still have that one, and it evokes so many different memories for me.

But I grew up around quilts, and they were always on the sofa, there to cover you up when you watched a movie on TV with the family and a big bowl of popcorn. Cover your eyes when you watched Poltergeist on scary movie night, and were a great place to have a picnic in the summer.

So because I grew up seeing them put together, and my mom and grandmother around a large quilt frame hand quilting, I can appreciate it more. Many of my generation see a quilt in the Pottery Barn catalog and think, Ohh it’s a king size for $200 I’ll order it up with the matching shams and paint the room to match, etc. So I think quilts are like anything else. You have to be educated on them to be able to appreciate all of the time and effort that goes into putting one together.

jbj137

A guy who had seen several of my quilts said,
"I want the next king sized one".

I said,
"there is at leat $75.00 in materials alone
and with my time and handquilting is will
run approximately $500. for a king sized".

He said, "Forget it".

So I did.

I think people think fabric and time
grow on trees for FREE.

J J

momto4

Yes exactly. :)