I have been asked to donate..
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,789
#52
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 180
This is just a question regarding making pillowcases for charity. I've asked this question at my guild meeting and received the answer that I hate to hear about sewing anything for charitable causes: "They'll appreciate the thought..." or "Anything you give will be appreciated....". But the thing that confuses me about making pillowcases is: if you make them from 100% cotton fabric, isn't it just about impossible to have them be laundered and dried in a dryer and have them come out smooth and unwrinkled without ironing, being 100% cotton? So if you give some of these pillowcases to a hospital or nursing home or other place where it's unlikely that the laundry is ironed by whoever is in charge of it, aren't these pillowcases always wrinkled and not very nice for the recipient? Just wondering.
Dana
Dana
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Horse Country, FL
Posts: 7,341
This is just a question regarding making pillowcases for charity. I've asked this question at my guild meeting and received the answer that I hate to hear about sewing anything for charitable causes: "They'll appreciate the thought..." or "Anything you give will be appreciated....". But the thing that confuses me about making pillowcases is: if you make them from 100% cotton fabric, isn't it just about impossible to have them be laundered and dried in a dryer and have them come out smooth and unwrinkled without ironing, being 100% cotton? So if you give some of these pillowcases to a hospital or nursing home or other place where it's unlikely that the laundry is ironed by whoever is in charge of it, aren't these pillowcases always wrinkled and not very nice for the recipient? Just wondering.
Dana
Dana
#54
I think this is a wonderful idea. I doubt you would donate to a benefit you know very little about. Benefits are usually advertised in different medias that give a reason behind it. If your morals don't agree with the benefit, generally your heart tells you not to give. Yes, there are scams out there.
I guess I think differently about making and giving things for benefits than others do. But, I bet I am in a huge group that will take the time and my expense to contribute towards a benefit. If I am giving, the labor and costs to me are minimal compared to what the benefactor may be facing. Doesn't matter if it is an individual, a family, a group, a cause, a community, etc. If I stand behind and believe I can do some good, my 'costs' matter very little.
Pillowcases are a great idea, as well as a nice basket of quilting supplies and/or a kit or two. Many would bid on those ideas. I have been to these silent auctions where there are minimum bids written on the first bid line, with a name of the giver as the bidder. You wouldn't need to apologize for not doing a quilt, simply offer another item and ask if they would accept it. If we can make a small difference in the lives of others, isn't that what it is all about?
I guess I think differently about making and giving things for benefits than others do. But, I bet I am in a huge group that will take the time and my expense to contribute towards a benefit. If I am giving, the labor and costs to me are minimal compared to what the benefactor may be facing. Doesn't matter if it is an individual, a family, a group, a cause, a community, etc. If I stand behind and believe I can do some good, my 'costs' matter very little.
Pillowcases are a great idea, as well as a nice basket of quilting supplies and/or a kit or two. Many would bid on those ideas. I have been to these silent auctions where there are minimum bids written on the first bid line, with a name of the giver as the bidder. You wouldn't need to apologize for not doing a quilt, simply offer another item and ask if they would accept it. If we can make a small difference in the lives of others, isn't that what it is all about?
I don't think there is any question about helping out. The problem as I see it is wasting my time and resources to let a $50 item go for $5. The benefit recipient and I would both be better off with a $20-30-40 cash donation.
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 5,896
What does it have to do with ego? It's a matter of spending $150, to make a quilt and have the charity gain $50 from it . . . or donating the $150, directly to the charity. Seems to me, the charity would be better off with the $150 . . . but maybe I'm doing the math wrong.
#56
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,512
What does it have to do with ego? It's a matter of spending $150, to make a quilt and have the charity gain $50 from it . . . or donating the $150, directly to the charity. Seems to me, the charity would be better off with the $150 . . . but maybe I'm doing the math wrong.
#57
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Well, I think I've come up with a way to handle all this--my church is having a regular auction and I'm donating a quilt--but I also plan to bid on it at least at the amount that I know it cost to make/quilt. I plan to claim the material and quilting amount on my taxes for charity and feel my labor is my "work of love" and I won't mind bringing home my own quilt if I actually win it! But with regular auctions, I know that sometimes that bigger bid prompts others to also go higher if they really want it--which is what I hope happens!
#58
How about a spicy spiral table runner. I think someone posted a link on here fro a free download of the pattern. It is fairly fast to make and very impressive looking. Sometimes donation quilts bring a lot sometimes not as others said. I do still donate quilts. I am just careful where they go.
#60
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,789
I'm usually working on something anyway and it is usually given away(my choice) so why not give it to a fundraiser? why is this any different than making something QFK or QOV? It's still given away
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