I think the most special giving of a quilt to someone for me was last Fall I made a baby quilt for a young Mother at my church. Her situation was not the best, but she is so sweet and something about her touched my heart when I first met her. When she opened the quilt, she began to cry and said that nobody had ever taken time to make her anything in her life. It was such a simple thing, but spoke many things to her. I'll never forget that and it reminded me that we never know when something small will mean the world to someone.

Dana in Olive Branch, MS enjoying my favorite time of the day.

I make my quilts for those I hold dear and each holds a special meaning for that person. For my DIL Heidi I made a quilt for her BD this year of teacups and teapots because she collects them and loves tea..... anyway.... when she opened it she started to cry and said "I didn't think I was going to get one..... u DO love me!" Made me feel so good that it meant so much to her.... that is a part of what quilting is about for me.

Carla
In temporarily sunny Oregon

Katzzz
I could not have said it better, only the deserving and for those who appreciate it. I love making quilts for the people I love, Puts a smile in my heart........Jean

I have made over 50 quilts. I really didn't keep count and I didn't take photos of them all, I only own two of them. It's so funny to hear the stories here.

Well out of no where really out of the clear blue sky,someone's DH told me they were having a quilt raffle at a camp ground party and says to me "why" were they having one because they don't need any more quilts. LOL! Guess I can mark you off my list! Thats how I feel. Tell me how someone like that could appreciate a quilt gift. They had already gotten theirs,never ever again! Too bad Too sad ""I've improved my workmenship in quilting since then"". HAHAHA................................

I just gave a quilt to a Uncle and Aunt and they sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. That was a nice surprise. They did appreciate the gift. They offered to pay me for making them one ((but It was a gift)).
I have found that "most" of my recipients appreciate their quilts.
Though I'm really really picky to whom I will give one to now as a gift.
If someone asked me for a quilt now its depending on who that person is.

I had another Uncle that told me that I could make good money selling my quilts "no duh ya think" then ayear later he added; So are you getting up there with the pros doing all the fancy stuff! He wasn't really interested by the way he spoke to me about it. He was Compare-ing my workmenship was all. Knowing I'm not a pro, I responded and said I could give them a run for their money!!!LOL! The look on his face was so worth it. Like he was in dis-belief. How ya like me now! No quilt for you unless you pay me my worth. To you that will be $500.00 bucks! That look would be worth it too.You may examine my quilts at the family re-union next year, No touching because I will have a guard watching over them. It's funny I gave My DB/DS one at the last family re-union and she told DH to go lock it up in the car so noone steals it! She's so Cute!

I could sell my quilts yes like many others but haven't yet. I'm really thinking about it. Who would better appreciate them. I have no problem saying no if anyone ask for a quilt. Too busy doing my own thing. I don't take hints very well either!! So unless I find I want to make someone special a quilt. Know you're not on my list because I have no list!!!

Quilting is a Labor of Love and it should be equally shared. ((I Love my Quilts))

I'm glad I read this thread. I, too, have a demanding job and a family and limited time to quilt. There are quilts that I make for myself because I like the pattern or a certain fabric. I'm not going to reproduce it for someone else. That's too much like work. Then there are quilts that I make knowing that it's intended for a certain person. I don't have a problem letting them go. I encourage recipients to use the quilt but, as others have said, a gift is a gift. My worst experience was when I started making a quilt for myself and my youngest stepdaughter commented that a close friend of ours would love it. I couldn't believe it when I said that I would give it to this friend. :shock: I loved that pattern and fabric so much that I had to buy more fabric to make another one for myself. My consolation was my friend's reaction. She loved it and appreciated all of the work that went into it. I don't feel guilty saying no when asked to make a quilt on commission. I'm glad I'm normal, as normal as a quilting addict can be.

Peachykeen

Mandy, I love your QA speech

When someone asks me to make them a quilt, I tell them that if they go to the fabric shop and buy the fabric and thread, pick the pattern, and pay my hourly wage, I'll be happy to do it. That usually backs them right off.
Otherwise, I'll tell them it'll cost them between $500 and $1000. You know that "deer in the headlights look"? hehe

Here's my welcome speech for Quilter's Annonymous

Hello, I'm Mandy and I am a quilter. It has been one week since I last sewed a stitch, but I will probably leave this and start sewing right away - I'm in withdrawl I am known to spend hours... ok days... ok really weeks at a time in front of my sewing machine. My family has threatened to report me missing sometimes because they won't see me for so long. I confess that I horde fabric in strange places so my husband doesn't know just how much I have at any one time. Worse, I include my young children by asking them to not tell him when we have been shopping I also confess that I have put the quilts I am making for family members in order from those who would appreciate them least to those who would appreciate them most - I don't feel as bad making learning mistakes on a quilt I know probably won't see much use And worst of all I spend way too much time reading stuff on this website

Ok, that was fun, now where is the nearest quilt shop???

Hey Ann, I like the gene pool saying. I'll have to remember that one. Yes, we may be addicted, however, some of us are less anonymous than others! But what better addiction than quilting? We can constantly learn new things, make new friends, share our talents with others, either by giving a quilted item or teaching, we're job security for lots of people from cotton farmers to cotton mills, to quilt/fabric shops, sewing machine factories! You know, when you really think about it, we're a pretty good bunch of people!!

Sharon in TN staying in the shallow end of my gene pool with my floaties on!

I love making quilts to give away, but they are my quilts. I chose the fabric, decided what I wanted to do for each recipient. I'm afraid it would take away the joy if I was given fabric and a pattern and asked to make a quilt. I have sewn things for others. I did a wedding dress one time and almost had a nervous breakdown. I made Madrigal costumes for several years while my daughter was in choir in high school. I know I could never do that kind of sewing for any lenth of time. Sooooo don't ask me to make you a quilt

quiltnlady you were not misunderstood in your last post I keep trying to think of what I would say if it truly were convergences anonymous maybe Hi, my name is Ann and one day I bought a book

---

Not quite as cute or creative as yours but oh well I deal with my own cards I guess or as my daughter often says when gdau does something like I do "well what can you expect, she swims in the wrong gene pool"

But you know what we may be addicted and anonymous and sometimes a little crazy but don't we have fun!!!!!!

Ann still in Minneapolis and needing to finish her fabric bowls by next week to save postage at Christmas

Hey Ann, I think a lot of quilters are misunderstood, as are most creative people!

Maybe we can start an MQA "Misunderstood Quilters Anonymous".

Hello, my name is Sharon, and I'm a misunderstood quilter. It all started before I was born. My mother was scared by a sewing machine........!

How's that for starters?!!!!

Ann, I'm not making fun of your message, really. I just thought of that as I read your post and usually what I think comes out my mouth, or in this case fingers!!!

Have a great day, stay cool. Sharon in NE TN where it's very hot and dry

snowplow3840 wrote:
thank you ann, my sentiments exactly.

lori, in REALLY hot, dead, dry, starting to get depressing w. ky.

my first quilt was a gift for a couple of friends who were getting married -- the quilt was appreciated I know because when they got divorced it was the only material possession they fought over. He won -pulling the I knew them longer-- I offered to remove the personalization embroidery to make it more generic -- he said no and married another woman with the same first name and now only the wedding date is wrong!!! how about that for irony!

then I started quilting in earnest and for the first two or three years each project I started and finished was for someone special in my life and for a special occasion for them.
Now I have made bed quilts for my daughter, a neice, a nephew, a grand nephew, two grand nieces and my brother. My brother got his last and his wife said oh my I didn't think we would ever get one. Well his was the first one I designed completely myself but I have never said that I just said I had to find the right fabric and design before I could make you one. (I painted twenty plus tractors that were in the fabric as red with fabric paints in John Deere yellow and green--- talk about dedication above and beyond) Now for what we call Keepsake Quilts I am down to the Grand daughter. In the meantime I have made jackets, wall hangings. table runners and hot pads for gifts for the family. This year I am working on fabric bowls and purses and bags.
I have also started making small wall hanging or table scape qults for friends that we visit each year as we travel in our motorhome.

I love to quilt and I love to design so each quilt I design for a friend or family member is a work of love and what is put into it is a lot of thought about what the person likes or what has been there history and try to incorporate that into the project. There have been times when I have realized that the recipient didn't have the same the same regard for made with love things that I have. At first my feelings were hurt and then I realized that I had given the item with love and I must accept that they are entitled to use it as they wish.

But having said all that I still quilt and will continue to do it because I must. and certain people will get my creations because I think they will love them like I do. so all in all I am selfish I do it for me but someday you might be the recipient you won't know when and may not know why just know I do it with love.

Ann the sometimes misunderstood quilter currently in Minnesota, Ann