Jakers1

My brother loved wolves, so I made him a DPN 9 patch quilt, queen size, with wolves and trees for Christmas last year. He passed away Sept. 1 and I went 2000 miles to clean out his apartment. There was the quilt, wraped in plastic. He had a twin bed, as well. I took the quilt home. There is a wolf preservation society in my town, and I am going to see if I can donate it to them for a raffle to generate donations. Hopefully they will accept. Can't think of a better place for it, than to help the society and give pleasure to someone who loves wolves as well.

Iraxy

During a brutally cold winter I made a quilt for a child at the school where I was the nurse. I made it to his specifications with regard to pattern, color, etc. He professed to love it. A few weeks later, he told me he was cold but he had given the quilt away. I was so upset and I must admit I was a little rude. I explained to him that I was sad that he did not like my gift. However, in all his patience, he explained to me that he is not always cold, but his grandmother always has cold feet. So he gave her the quilt to keep her warm. After I hugged him with tears in my eyes, I told him how much of a wonderful lesson I had just learned.

He was a much better person than I and I will appreciate his lesson in giving forever. To this day, I remember him and wish him the best always.

nnwalton2

Whenever I donate things from the house - I try to give to one of the childrens homes here - because they let the children pick first and then turn everything over to their resale store. Now if they do or not I dont know but it makes me feel good that maybe some child might get something that they wouldn't have otherwise. We always try to give to the kids first. Our daughter is a school teacher and one year we paid for lunches for one of her students that the dad would not feed. Kids are the first to suffer and my husband was a very badly abused child so we know what just a little kindness will do for a child. Just a thought on donations.

Jeannette51

I agree with you totally. Love making quilts with a special person in mind, kind of motivates me. But after getting so many quilts, yes they should donate their lesser favorites. Your a wonderful person to give them the permission to do so and it gives you a good reason to keep making those quilts.

ccthomas

That is a wonderful gift. I always feel so guilty to part with anything someone gave me.

Jeanette Frantz

I would hope the quilts I give will be well used. I don't make that many -- I still work full-time and have not been in a position to do much with quilts in the past several months -- back surgery. When my mother passed away in '98, my youngest brother emailed me an article about "using" things -- it's very emotional and it made me cry -- it's too long to post. Quilts are meant to be used and to be loved!

Jeanette Frantz

maviskw

I would love to read such an article. Is it possible to find a link for it. I'm all for "using" things.

NanaCsews2

I personally would encourage family or friends to donate/gift to other family or friends or benefits. I cringed last night when I walked into a local thrift store and hanging on the rack was a beautiful quilt that certainly was many many years old. All hand-sewn with cottons and wools and silks. It was a log cabin pattern. There were many rips and tears and seams undone. And surely looked used and loved. It looks like someone had washed it as the undone seams showed raveling, knotting and bunching of the fabrics and threads. The price was $90, so someone did know the value of the quilt should not have been $9.99 or less. I would think only a quilter would pick it up for that price, but this store does do sales and clearance and it may end up as a dog bed or in a dumpster. I felt sad it was hanging there, but I couldn't afford to buy it and rescue it. I know families donate items from deceased or loved ones going to homes, and the quilt looked like it was loved, but I would hope my gifts are given to someone who can use them and appreciates it if it doesn't fit their lives.
How thoughtful of you to let your sons know it is okay to donate what they cannot use. Sounds like you are in the right place when it comes to your craft. You enjoy what you do and prefer to spread around your gifts than to store them away without being cherished and loved by others.