LadyAg

Hello everyone!

I am recently retired, but brand new to quilting. As I looked at easy first quilt patterns, I saw that they come in all different shapes and sizes, not just the traditional measurements for a bed!

That rather obvious observation got me thinking about what experienced quilters actually do with their finished quilts, so I thought I would try and get your comments:

Do you usually try to make your quilt for a bed (functional use)? For wall art? For competition? For charity?

Do you often change the size of the pattern based on what size you want for the finished quilt?

There's probably as many answers as there are quilters, but it got me wondering. Thanks for any and all answers!

pchp

I've made more wallhangings than anything else; what I really like about those is being able to finish them more quickly than I can finish a bed-sized quilt. A couple were for gifts, but most I've kept. Most of the bed-sized quilts I've made have been gifts. Several throw sized quilts have been donations. The two most recent quilts I've finished have been challenges in one of my small groups; one of those will be the first quilt I'll enter in a quilt show (next month). I have changed the size of the quilt on several occasions.

TheMerkleFamily

Welcome from Virginia And welcome to the wonderful craft of quilting! I'm only a year quilting myself and I promise you'll get lots of wonderful replies from very experienced and talented folks on here. But for the most part, to answer your questions, yes, yes, yes, yes & yes! Whatever function, use, modification, competition, charity that makes you happy is a good thing - we have no hard & fast rules in this craft. Please do share pictures so we can all enjoy your projects

I will say I've learned so very much from all of the folks on here - there's a wealth of information freely shared! Feel free to ask and share!

Christine

quiltingshe

I think that most quilters do a variety of quilt types. I have made a lot of baby quilts that have been gifted. I've made table runners, some gifted, some I have kept. I have made a lot of throw quilts, many donated to care centers, I've made a few wall hangings that I made for me. I only have one bed quilt that I kept, but I've made many as wedding gifts for children and grandchildren. However I am working on two bed quilts right now that I will keep so that I can change out the quilt on my own bed. I've made throw pillows that are pieced, and I covered my piano bench with a crazy quilt type cover. For me the fun of quilting is that there are so many things I can make. I love to sew, doesn't matter what. I even make Barbie doll clothes for DDG. Enjoy you new hobby (obsession for me), you'll find lots of fun things to do.

joe'smom

Welcome to the Quilting Board and to the world of quilting! The kind of quilt I used most often before I started quilting myself, was a smaller quilt for supplemental warmth, and this is the size I like to make. A bed size quilt is a pretty heavy affair, and can be more difficult for older folks to handle, but a smaller quilt can be used at night over the regular bed clothes, and can be carried to a couch or chair for a nap. I'll usually reduce the size of a large quilt by changing the number of blocks.

cjsews

I have them all over the house. Layered on beds, quilt racks, wall hangings and table toppers. All my family members have received multiple quilts. I like to make the bed sized quilts to be used but find the lap quilts are easier to donate. There is always a need somewhere. And yes I do alter patterns if I don't like the original size. Some bigger and some smaller. Depends also on how much yardage I have in my stash

Jordan

Welcome to this wonderful board. I have 5 grandchildren so I am usually making quilts for them as they grow and have different interests. I mainly make larger quilts and if I see a pattern I want to make then that quilt just goes in a pillow case and up on a shelf. As soon as my daughter and 3 granddaughters move out I have quilts for all of the beds in our house and I plan on layering them on the beds so they will get to lay flat. Yes, I change sizes of quilts to meet the need. Sometimes I had more blocks or do less blocks. It really depends on what I will make it for.
Just be careful---this hobby is very addictive but so enjoyable.

Tartan

Welcome from Ontario, Canada. I make every new arrival in our family a baby quilt. I do a few for gifts and I work on charity quilts. For myself I do more wall hangings, table runners, placemats etc.

toverly

Welcome to the Board. I rarely make bed size quilts. Most of my "quilts" are 52-54 inches wide and 72-79 inches long depending on how the pattern works out. I despise square quilts and square quilt patterns. I like them to be usable as quilts where you can tuck your feet under. I have made wallhangings, placemats and table runners. I give almost everything away.

Dolphyngyrl

Use them but haven't made many