leatheflea

Thats it you said it, its from the heart. We all quilt for that reason. Shes a lucky lady to have a friend like you. Even though some of us don't want to admit it we all "size up" the reciever. Otherwise we'd be making quilts for the child molester across town. Not gonna happen.
Believe it or not I've got one I've been working on for years for my ex-husband. Don't know if I'll have the nerve to give it to him. Its the Carrie Nation pattern, cant decide if my hearts in the right place on this one. Evrytime I work on this quilt my machine acts up, threads break, bad mojo.

sumcoop

I have been quilting a little while...and love to quilt best when I am making something for someone else. But I too will not make it for someone I think will not appreciate the quilt or its maker. I want my quilts to be used and loved but not abused...treated with respect.
I feel as if I am giving part of myself when I give a quilt or something I made. I am giving my time and my creativity. Something only God made and can't be bought.
I did not appreciate my quilts fully until I started making them. I now honor the quilts my grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt made and wish I had taken the time to learn from them.

SherrieDLux

You sound like such a sweet lady and I too want to know that the gifts I give others come from the heart.

sumcoop

Thank you Sherrie. Are you close to TN...come on up and we will visit, sip coffee or tea and play as I call my sewing.
I try to be sweet but not always successful.
God's still working on me.

SherrieDLux

I live in N.E. Georgia near the SC border, wouldn't it be nice to have an email buddy to talk to, my email address is easy, [email protected], being new to quilting is always a struggle for me, and I too feel Gods finger shaking at me to stop it sometimes. Ha. But thanks for the invite, I am sure it would be a hoot.

sandpat

Ah, what a great term- "quilt worthy"...I learned the hard way about this. I made not 1...but 2 quilts for one of my friend's DD when she had her 2 kids. You would have thought that I would have learned after she NEVER thanked me for the 1st one....but no...I did it again. This girl barely looked up at me when we happened to stop by my friend's when she was over...why oh why does her mother think that that is ok????

deema

When I make something for someone (I've been making blankets for every baby I know since...gosh, since my oldest was still baking!), I make it to be used. I know every baby blanket I've made has been puked/pooped/peed/slobbered on, destroyed and repaired and *loved* right down to the last thread. I just recently started making anything bigger than a baby blanket, and will be gifting a large-ish quilt to my IL's. I know they will love it. And I know my mother in law will care for it gently and cherish it, because she is just that kind of person. But I don't expect my quilts to be preserved...I expect them to be loved. Even if it's by my IL's dog. I make and give things with love...all I hope for is that the recipient will love it too, even if it's "loved to death".

That said, I won't be making quilts for anyone outside of family and friends until they're paying for materials and time. This is an expensive and time consuming hobby.

llong0233

I love the "quilt worthiness" idea as that episode of Seinfeld is among my favorites. Here's how I look at it: We can't have our cake and eat it too. When we give something to someone it is no longer ours. I belongs to them. What they do with it (or how they spend it if it's money)is irrelevant. I make and give quilts more for my pleasure and entertainment than for the recipient.

mhansen6

I have only made quilts for my family. They have all really appreciated them.

My mother crossed stitched a quilt top with squares of beautiful iris. When she passed away I took the quilt top, cut the blocks apart, they were 18 inch white blocks with iris in the middle, pieced around each so it looked like a picture frame then sewed them together to make the most beautiful quilt I have ever made. I gave it to my nephew for his wedding present. When he opened he cried. He told he can remember his grandmother sitting and working on the cross stitching. He was definitely quilt worthy.

SherrieDLux

do you have a picture of it that you can share with us, would love to see it. Amazing story.