What about bartering? There are lots of folks who do not quilt, but would love to own one. Maybe they have a hobby, talent or skill that you could use, like decorating, painting, wallpapering, furniture refinishing, alterations, party planning, etc.

Becky, thanks for bringing this topic back to the top. I just read what I wrote back in "07 and realized that I have accomplished a lot of what I wished for. I still give a lot of my quilts away and have made special quilts for some family members who already had quilts. But I have done a lot of quick challenges and "experiments" with new techniques. Even finished a Rhapsody!!!!!! Now I am working on my second quillow and two block of the month projects as well as an art quilt of my own design. Not all of these projects have a "purpose" yet but I am enjoying the process and the freedom that I have allowed myself to do what I WANT TO DO!!!!!!!

Ann (now in Minnesota enjoying warm weather!!!!)

i give quillows for a lot of people that helped me on difficult moments, pan holders, under mags,

I'm in a slump right now, so nobody has the nerve to ask me what I'm doing with my quilts. I'm surrounded by UFOs, etc and not doing a thing with them!
On the subject though-one quilter I know changes her bedroom quilts monthly. She has a couple of bed quilts, one or two toppers and some wall quilts. That's another way to use them.

Hi Sharon, with me, you never know what will come next!! I just thought that Ann needed some support and a little nudge to do what she wants. She is such a prolific quilter, I don't see how she has time to be on this message board and do all the quilting that she does. She certainly has more energy that me.

You can use the permission slip, too. Anybody who needs a nudge, read this and get going!!

I can't quilt right now, so I'm living vicariously through all of you who post your wonderful creations. Keep them coming.

Sharon in NE TN

Sharon,
First of all, your "permission slip" is just about the neatest thing I've read in a long time. I want to engrave it on my sewing machine cabinet or tatoo it to my forearm.

Second, I grew up in the Kansas City area, so of course we have Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Some of it is divided by the Missouri River and some of it is divided by State Line Road. St. Louis has a similar divide.

You know what? This is about the coolest place ever. You never know what you're going to read about! But I love it all.
Sharon in Colorado

Hi Ann, I hereby give you permission to do anything you want with any amount of fabric. You can put awful colors together, just because they are there. You can make a potholder or a bedsized quilt, just to learn a new technique, and then give the quilt to a dog shelter. You can make a quilt just to look at, or just to run your fingers across because you like the feel of fabric. Every day, read this 'permission slip' and GO FOR IT!!! You've earned the right to do anything you want to with fabric. It's your money and your time, right?!

Now about Texarkana. We have a city about 20 miles away that is in two states. The main street is in both TN and VA. I wonder how many other cities are in two states?

Go for it Ann, and have a wonderful time!!!

Sharon in TN

Has anyone ever seen someone ask a coin collector what they're going to do with all those coins, or ask a stamp collector what they're going to do with all those stamps? I think not. We are fabric collectors, sewing machine collectors, and quilt collectors, and need apologise to nobody.

Pat in Rockport, TX, still sharing DH's computer while DD builds me a new one.

A cause near and dear to my heart is quilts for foster children. When they are removed (through no fault of thier own) they have NOTHING with them. a quilt to cuddle can be so important!

ms ann.. here is the usefulness for making beautiful things.

it makes your soul happy. my joyful noise may whisper thru my fingertips, but it is joyful all the same.

you have my permission.

I think I am losing my mind but I was sure that there was a question here asking what I meant by my previous entry. (honestly I started to read it got interupted by a message on the computer about a virus and came back to nothing there) Oh well never one to miss a chance, I will explain anyway.

I didn't word my 'prayer' very well and rather than edit it and confuse everyone more I will just say this. What I meant to convey was that in my quilting life right now I want and need to have permission from somewhere to do something only because I WANT TO. I may want to try a technique, a color combination, a different kind of fabric or just a "what if?" and not have the responsibility to make it into something of use to someone. I was raised by frugal grandparents and I learned many things of value from them but they taught me one thing that has impeded my artistic life since when someone first said stay inside the lines. and that one thing is "IF SOMETHING IS WORTH DOING IT IS WORTH DOING WELL-- AND BEYOND THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE NOT JUST WELL BUT PERFECTLY." Along with that lesson were others such as waste not, want not

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everything should have a place and everything should be in its place---- everything under the sun has a purpose and should be used for that purpose and that purpose only

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and even things that are beautiful are worthless unless they have a utilitarian purpose and you plan to use it for that purpose. They had no time for people who wanted to have ten teapots but never served tea. So you maybe can see why I need the wisdom to know when something has no other purpose than that I want it or want to make it (and the serenity to accept that IT IS) Just for me and for no specific reason outside the process of doing it. But I would also like to be able to see the usefulness in something especially if that usefulness is to someone who is not as fortunate as I have been and may need what I have to give.

I am not sure this clarifies anything to anyone else but me but maybe that is why the question disappeared so fast and only I was to know it had been asked.

So once again I ask for the serenity and the wisdom to do my own thing without apology and if there are ufo's that have served their learning purpose at my house, may they be allowed to rest in peace or find a home where they will be appreciated or needed as the case may be.

Ann sitting barely in Texas (at Texarkana the only city whose main street is in two states and postoffice uses two states in its postmark) on my way home to the Rio Grande Valley and then to Houson for INternational Quilt Festival and lots of inspiration.

gone

what a wonderful way to honor one so special I wish we would have thought of that when my Mom died. she did not do quilts but did beautiful crochet aphgans that we could have used as well as many other art and craft things. Oh well maybe at my funeral someone will remember.

But isn't it interesting that no one ever asks a painter or a potter what they will do with the next work of art. but I guess quilts are still utilitarian in many people's minds I suffer from that syndrome a lot because I still think I have to have a purpose or a person for every project so here is my new prayer.
Lord give me the serenity to know that a quilt does not have a purpose, the will to believe that someone still needs them and the WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE (sorry AA it is a bad adaptation but seems to fit whwere I am at these days) Ann who always wants the best of both art and utilitarian someday I will learn

gone