Every family member will be receiving a quilted item this Christmas; quilts, table toppers, table runners, etc. I think they all know how much work and love was put into each piece.
This is well written and well thought out. I love the fantasy! And especially the reminder that, when you've given it away, it's gone. No longer my concern, out of my hands, not my business any more.
Hahaha loved the quilt fantasy! I give lap quilts, since lots of people would prefer to pick their own bedding and the expense is high. Completely agree about involving in colors or pattern.
Great points. I've had to learn these lessons over the years. Accepting the reality of quilt giving helped me become more discerning about who I gave one to and who just wasn't going to care about getting one.
Ha Ha...the fantasy of giving a quilt. That's EXACTLY what I expect of my recipients! Lol. By golly, you better be buried in that thing! 😂 I've learned to be more discerning who gets handmade gifts. Thankfully, my kids are the most appreciative & that's who I really want to make things for.
Not looking for sympathy..just wanted to share my lesson on this subject..45 years ago when my 3 boys were little and we were broke, I wanted to make something very special for my Aunt who I felt very close to at the time because I lost my mother when I was a teen. So I made her a queen sized quilt, two toned, pale pink and white of polished cotton in the shoo fly pattern and hand quilted it. It took many precious hours while having so many other things to do at that time, but it was a labor of love. I presented it at Christmas and instead of saying thank you with a smile, she looked at me with a straight face and said “you’ll get this back some day.” I was so shocked and hurt that something that I worked so diligently on to present so proudly was received with the back handed comment that the reason I was giving it was because I expected it to come back to me when she died. (She had no children) She later thanked me for it, but after the first comment it didn’t mean anything to me. She kept it for the rest of her life until right before she died when she gave it to the Goodwill. (I found the receipt) After that, I am VERY careful about who I give any quilts to and it took many years to get over the sting of that very undeserved encounter, but I have since come to realize that I was dealing with a *narcissist.* Also, I have come across some of the most beautiful quilts imaginable at thrift stores!! Whenever this happens my wound has healed to the point where it’s no longer painful, because I’ve been reminded that other’s who’ve put *their* heart and soul into something have also had their trust betrayed by those that they thought were quilt worthy, but weren’t. ❤
Marilyn, It’s baffling to me how people can be so obtuse. We can only chalk some actions up to pure ignorance and thoughtlessness. The first decent quilt I ever made was also when my children were small..I hand quilted it and quilted all of our names and birth dates and my wedding date. My stitches were so neat and tiny! My middle son took it over to his friends house and left it there and he used it to lay on it while he changed the oil in his car! Ruined the whole thing. I kept it anyway because I couldn’t bear to throw it away, but I’ll never understand how somebody with more than 2 brain cells to rub together could do that. 😮
I learned a hard lesson just this year. This quilt took me 6 months to make. I sent it to my friend in England. She never bothered to go pick it up at the parcel place. After a month they sent it back to me here in the states but it never arrived... gone 😢 I am EXTREMELY picky on who I will gift a quilt to going forward.
Great advice. I had seen another video who basically asked, “are they worthy?” I know I was very disappointed and hurt when I made my sister something I thought was really cool and what I thought was neutral and she looked at it and said” oh I wouldn’t use that.” it really hurt me that when I was telling the story to my other sister and her boyfriend and showed them the item, the boyfriend said I’ll take it. And he loves it. So, I do not pick anything for that sister, unless she asked for it because she is very picky and that’s OK for me not to waste my time and effort on something she wouldn’t appreciate. People just need to learn grace.
We were at the beach one summer and I saw a young couple spread out a nice quilt on the beach. It broke my heart! I know how much work went into it, and here it was lying in the sand.
Here's one for you....I have a pile of charity quilts (new) that I was was showing to a lady who was choosing one for each of her children. She asked me when we have picnics outside later in the spring, if they can come to that room and choose some to have picnics on. I said that I had some used ones thad we could use for that. Inwardly I was actually shocked that anyone would ask to use a brand new charity quilt, waiting to be distributed, as a picnic mat. However, if they want to use THEIR new ones as picnic blankets - that is their choice. But not my new ones waiting for a home.
My neighbour saw the first quilt I made and asked me to make an identical one for her daughter Sadly, I saw her daughter's face as she unwrapped it!!! A big lesson to me.
After finding quilts I gifted on the floors of closets, and never used, I stopped that nonsense. This year I have a pile of quilts on my bench. My loved ones will be invited to choose the one they want. And if they say, "No thanks mom, I do not need any more quilts," these will be donated to appreciative organizations like Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Great reminder as we go into Christmas
Every family member will be receiving a quilted item this Christmas; quilts, table toppers, table runners, etc. I think they all know how much work and love was put into each piece.
I think these are tips that most quilters learn the hard way.
Very good advice! Definitely don't surprise someone with a quilt - I love the idea of involving them in picking material and patterns.
This is well written and well thought out. I love the fantasy! And especially the reminder that, when you've given it away, it's gone. No longer my concern, out of my hands, not my business any more.
Hahaha loved the quilt fantasy! I give lap quilts, since lots of people would prefer to pick their own bedding and the expense is high. Completely agree about involving in colors or pattern.
Great points. I've had to learn these lessons over the years. Accepting the reality of quilt giving helped me become more discerning about who I gave one to and who just wasn't going to care about getting one.
Yes!
Ha Ha...the fantasy of giving a quilt. That's EXACTLY what I expect of my recipients! Lol. By golly, you better be buried in that thing! 😂 I've learned to be more discerning who gets handmade gifts. Thankfully, my kids are the most appreciative & that's who I really want to make things for.
Not looking for sympathy..just wanted to share my lesson on this subject..45 years ago when my 3 boys were little and we were broke, I wanted to make something very special for my Aunt who I felt very close to at the time because I lost my mother when I was a teen. So I made her a queen sized quilt, two toned, pale pink and white of polished cotton in the shoo fly pattern and hand quilted it. It took many precious hours while having so many other things to do at that time, but it was a labor of love. I presented it at Christmas and instead of saying thank you with a smile, she looked at me with a straight face and said “you’ll get this back some day.” I was so shocked and hurt that something that I worked so diligently on to present so proudly was received with the back handed comment that the reason I was giving it was because I expected it to come back to me when she died. (She had no children) She later thanked me for it, but after the first comment it didn’t mean anything to me. She kept it for the rest of her life until right before she died when she gave it to the Goodwill. (I found the receipt)
After that, I am VERY careful about who I give any quilts to and it took many years to get over the sting of that very undeserved encounter, but I have since come to realize that I was dealing with a *narcissist.* Also, I have come across some of the most beautiful quilts imaginable at thrift stores!! Whenever this happens my wound has healed to the point where it’s no longer painful, because I’ve been reminded that other’s who’ve put *their* heart and soul into something have also had their trust betrayed by those that they thought were quilt worthy, but weren’t. ❤
This happened to me. I made an intricate elizabeth hartman pattern quilt to my son. He gave it away
Marilyn, It’s baffling to me how people can be so obtuse. We can only chalk some actions up to pure ignorance and thoughtlessness. The first decent quilt I ever made was also when my children were small..I hand quilted it and quilted all of our names and birth dates and my wedding date. My stitches were so neat and tiny! My middle son took it over to his friends house and left it there and he used it to lay on it while he changed the oil in his car! Ruined the whole thing. I kept it anyway because I couldn’t bear to throw it away, but I’ll never understand how somebody with more than 2 brain cells to rub together could do that. 😮
I learned a hard lesson just this year. This quilt took me 6 months to make. I sent it to my friend in England. She never bothered to go pick it up at the parcel place. After a month they sent it back to me here in the states but it never arrived... gone 😢
I am EXTREMELY picky on who I will gift a quilt to going forward.
Great advice. I had seen another video who basically asked, “are they worthy?” I know I was very disappointed and hurt when I made my sister something I thought was really cool and what I thought was neutral and she looked at it and said” oh I wouldn’t use that.” it really hurt me that when I was telling the story to my other sister and her boyfriend and showed them the item, the boyfriend said I’ll take it. And he loves it. So, I do not pick anything for that sister, unless she asked for it because she is very picky and that’s OK for me not to waste my time and effort on something she wouldn’t appreciate. People just need to learn grace.
We were at the beach one summer and I saw a young couple spread out a nice quilt on the beach. It broke my heart! I know how much work went into it, and here it was lying in the sand.
Here's one for you....I have a pile of charity quilts (new) that I was was showing to a lady who was choosing one for each of her children. She asked me when we have picnics outside later in the spring, if they can come to that room and choose some to have picnics on. I said that I had some used ones thad we could use for that. Inwardly I was actually shocked that anyone would ask to use a brand new charity quilt, waiting to be distributed, as a picnic mat. However, if they want to use THEIR new ones as picnic blankets - that is their choice. But not my new ones waiting for a home.
Quilters should remember all these tips.
My neighbour saw the first quilt I made and asked me to make an identical one for her daughter Sadly, I saw her daughter's face as she unwrapped it!!! A big lesson to me.
After finding quilts I gifted on the floors of closets, and never used, I stopped that nonsense. This year I have a pile of quilts on my bench. My loved ones will be invited to choose the one they want. And if they say, "No thanks mom, I do not need any more quilts," these will be donated to appreciative organizations like Sleep in Heavenly Peace.