Bueniebabe

My grandparents used to recover furniture for hobby when they retired. The would take the whole couch or chair apart and lay all the pieces out in their basement. Then they measured everything to see how much fabric they needed. They used their old peddle singer to sew this. It was quite the undertaking. I don't remember how much they charged. Back then you could buy the fabric at Flexsteel Furniture Factory in Dubuque Iowa. My sister in law used to sew there and her husband stuffed arms. It is a very hard job lugging the heavy fabric around.

Ellen

I just tell anyone who wrongly thinks they're on my A-list:
I'm trying to think of a reason why I would ever do that".

schuffle

I too quilt for charity and do it thru my guild usually. We would all feel terrible to sell something that was given to us for charity---that is just the same as stealing it.

My friends and family know about the charity quilting and they have asked for quilts to be donated. I love to do that for them. It makes all of us feel good and I know the quilt goes to a worthy cause.

Here is a picture of the latest quilt I donated to the Kyle Price Memorial Ride. Kyle gave his life in Iraq at 19 saving several civilians (2 months before his only child was born).

Good Luck, Kathy

pasovasz

Ladies,

Now you know why Education is so expensive- no matter how many times we try to be a good Role Model and try to explain the JOY of doing something for others, there are always people who think we are "suckers" for giving and why can't we give to THEM?

That is why we have so many answers to the question that initiated this thread.

I LOVE the response of "buy the materials and I will show you how to make your own quilt". Put the WORK back where it belongs- on the freeloader who wanted something for nothing. Allows that person to lean about the world of quiltmaking. They can then decide for themselves if they want to join Our World, or not. Education at its BEST !

Keep sewing and talking about your giving. Let others in on the secret to being a happy person.

Susan
NJ

BarbaraSue

It isn't really that hard to understand comments like that are out there and sometimes from those you'd think were better than that. But TV, movies, even commercials show such selfish, rude behaviors in adults, what will the kids be like after hearing all that. This gotta buy, gotta have, attitude. gotta get mine, what's in it for me attitude.
Stand by your own standards and let the rest of the world roll off your back. You're doing good. They aren't and they know it, so they try to make what you do wrong. shame on them.

LindaaJR

Next time, tell the person to buy the fabric they want their quilt made from and the cost for your time to make it. I think once they see the cost of fabric they will see why a quilt costs so much. Make a business card that says "I do quilts for charity, ask for prices if you want me to make one for you." I agree with that if the fabric is given to you it should be used for charity and your time is your way of giving back. I applaud you in your endever. Take care.
Linda

lalaland

I do a lot of charity sewing too but I've always gotten good responses from people when I've mentioned it. The gals at work always want to see my projects and often want buy them, but when I say it's for charity, they understand.

I make a lot of blankets for a teen shelter. When I first started they told me not to make quilts, just simple blankets, 2 pieces of material sewed together, nothing fancy, the reason being they found that when the teens returned home often family members would take the quilts and sell them! They were turning up in ads or in garage sales! Yikes!

hawaiilove

Some people just don't understand !!! I would tell them how much the fabric costs and then there is your time spent "building" the perfect quilt - keep on doing the charity quilts - we have a Children's Quilt group here and just recently donated 92 quilts to the military at Camp Shelby. They were ecstatic and in shock .....

Iamquilter

I make a lot of quilts for charity and get the same response as Annie68.

Momsmurf

I have had a neighbor ask me if the quilt I'm making if for them.... NOPE.

After that comment was repeated numerous times their "name" has since been moved from my "mental list" of future recepients.

I make and give quilts to those who least expect it, and let me say that whether they like it or not is not important to me. It makes ME feel good to have given it to them. Once in their hands it's for them to do with as they wish.

Side note: I have yet to find that I have chosen someone who doesn't appreciate it...maybe it's not the quilt, but the fact that someone did something that indicated they were being thought of in a positive light.