I have only give away a few quilts and they were mostly for babies. I would love to know that the quilts I give are used and loved. But as an oil catcher, that would be the last one someone ever got from me.

I am making a couple quilts as a request from my DD for her inlaws. If they do or don't use them, I will be okay with it. I know I have been guilty of not using a handmade item for fear of messing it up. I am making a quilt for my sister but she requested one. I hope she will use it and let it have lots of tender loving wear, as I hope all my quilts would get.

My little grandson drags his quilts all over the house. He will get one when he is sleepy and drag it to you. He loves to be rocked to sleep with a quilt over him. Makes my heart swell up when he does that.

If I want to make a quilt for someone, I find out the colors they like. Other times, I just make a quilt because I like the pattern and want to do it. It will stay on my quilt rack until someone sees it and falls in love with it. Then I will give it to them. You can tell when someone really likes it or if they are just being kind. I don't want to make a quilt for someone to go with anything, like the bedroom or such. I just want them to use it to knock around with - take it on a picnic, or lay on the couch covered with it, that kind of thing. If I made it to go with something, they might feel obligated to use it in a place they really don't want to.

When I finish a quilt it's immediately claimed by one of my DDs or granddaughter. I keep thinking they'll have more then they need at some point.

I haven't given away too many, & am very careful who I give one to. I don't make huge bed quilts either. Mostly lap size, or smaller. That would hurt my feelings too, that, or knowing it was put away & never used. Like some have said, I would try to find out colors, likes & dislikes, or if they even like quilts. I also have said, if someone came to visit & feel in love with one of my quilts, I would probably give it to them, later as a gift,if not right then, or make them one like it. It makes me sick when people mistreat hand made treasures, no matter who made them....

Ditto, my two girls always claim the ones I'm working on!!

I keep much of what I make, but when I make a piece, I only do so with a lot of knowledge of the recipient's tastes. I also only do it if I know ahead of time that the recipient values quilts and has some understanding of the work they take to make. Of course, now that I made one for my MIL (who knows a lot about quilts but doesn't quilt herself) I have been guilted into making one for my DM, who doesn't care a hoot about quilts, but wants one because I made one for my MIL.

I would be careful who I make them for, or give them away knowing full well that the recipient may not be as grateful as we might like him or her to be. In short, give them away for you, not for the recipient's sake.

I've been pretty lucky. So far, my kids and 3 brothers have been recipients and all have been thrilled. But I have thought very hard on what I think they would like before I start. It also has to be something that appeals to me to put that much time and work into it.

I make quilts with then knowledge that the recipent may or may not like my quilt. I made one that I could not stand but my husband thought was amazing. The family that received it wrap themselves in it every night so they can feel like their son/brother is giving them a hug. I would say make a few quilts from scraps you get to make a "free" quilt that when you give it away you won't have that much of an attatchment to it. Not so say that I wont' buy new fabric but with the amount of quilts that I make and give away I have to choose to believe that the ones getting my quilts are is such a need that they cherish it more than someone who has everything they want/need and doesn't appreciate a homemade quilt.

I made my two grandchildren I Spy quilts and they loved them when I gave them to them. Later on we were visiting them and they were chilly. I said they should get out their quilts. I was told that their dad (my SIL) wouldn't let them use them. Go figure. Needless to say, he's not exactly my favorite person!!

Oh, I feel your pain! Though to a lesser degree, I am sure. I was visiting my brother and sister-in-law once and when I was using the "facilities" that were under construction I spied a handknitted flower face cloth I had gifted the previous Christmas wadded in a corner covered with dried on caulk! I'm sure it was my brother who grabbed the cloth as a "rag", but in my book they are not "worthy" of handmade items. I may reevaluate in a few years!