Rectifying an error in judgement
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 7:10AM Not too long ago, I was talking to Jim and expressing my dismay that so many of the charity quilts (I really hate that word!) I see are well… umm… stretching for some diplomacy here. Not my strong suit. People use up their stash, or buy cheap fabric, and slap something together because after all, it’s just charity right? Not all of them of course, but too many. And please, I’m not referring to those who do the best with what they have. If you hit the goodwill shop and pick up a paper bag full of old clothes, go home and spend the time sorting and cutting and create a quilt for someone with the scraps, my hat is off to you!
As quilters, we often make test blocks. And we often have dozens of them laying around, different fabrics and colors which when combined to make a donation quilt… yeah. Not so pretty. Functional yes, and it will keep someone warm!
Ugh. I vowed that none of my donated quilts would be like that. Just because someone is down on their luck, or sick, or abused, doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate a thing of beauty just like everyone else right? Right!
And then here I am, doing the same thing with my quilting. Sure, I put together quality materials, planned my designs, coordinated my colors… but when it came to quilting them, I didn’t give it my best. Of course I understand the concept of learning… we all have to practice our skills and then we have our imperfections glaring us in the face… great items to donate! And they are! But I think some of our best efforts need to be donated too!
So here’s my belated New Year’s goal:
I will put as much effort into quilting my donation quilts as I do piecing and designing them. I will design great quilts for my donation quilts, not just easy, quick to make quilts. If anything, those in need of extra attention deserve a nicer quilt, don’t you agree?
I also want to focus on doing a couple of quilts for the teenage group. It seems to me that they get left out. We focus our time on babies, and wounded soldiers for the most part, and the teens in need are lost in the shuffle.
;)
;)
So here’s my next project. Well more or less. I’m hoping for some feedback on which version you prefer? Left or right? It may yet undergo a few design changes, but I’m pretty pleased with it in either of these.
The greatest joy of all in quilting is giving the quilt away. We know the hours and hours, and often blood, sweat and tears, that go into creating a quilt. Rarely do the recipients have any idea of the time and effort involved. And that is perfectly okay with me, as long as their faces light up when I hand my creation over!
Reader Comments (38)
You are so right about Charity Quilts........ Now if we could come up with another name for them........
Since you asked, like the one on the right. It looks finished and the other one seems to me to need boundaries.......... Since it is for teenagers maybe the one without boundaries would be best after all.....
I like the version on the right.
I agree with you on donation quilts - I donate the same quality that I give as gifts - after all it is a gift - not to someone you know personally - but no one deserves an ugly quilt that you do not want yourself. :)
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
The quilt on the right just looks complete! The other is asking for more! I too agree with your statements about charity quilts. They should be our best efforts. Who knows, it could be us some day or someone we know. Thanks CJ
You are waaaay too hard on yourself. Your quilts are beautiful. You do have very high standards for everything you do.
I cringe every time I hear someone suggest to someone to use "charity" quilts for practice. I think the idea of giving someone something is to bring some joy and happiness, not to get rid of stuff you don't like or want. I absolutely agree with you on quilts for the older children.
And, I like the quilt on the right also.
Marsha M.
Thanks for your post CJ...I have been thinking the same and it can be uncomfortable when I hear someone not please with their craftsmanship say they will donate it to ______ because they will love it anyway; ok maybe for the animal shelter residents, but otherwise, well....no. In re to teenage recipients, that has been my area of focus for the ConKerr Cancer pillowcases I donate, trying to find fabrics appropriate for young men....not easy! My opinion on the two choices would be the one on the left. I guess I am in the modern quilt mode lately and that one seems to pop more for me. It draws the eye all the way across from left to right...shading with piecing different tones from dark to light would also emphasize this movement. Also wanted to let you know that an email to me regarding Mille. tension came to my attention just when I wanted to give up with frustration and was just the ticket. Tension back where it should be! Stay warm!
I like the one on the right also.....looks more polished. I agree on the charity thing. Most of the quilts that I donate go up for auction or raffle with the proceeds going to the charity or the needy person so I always put my best quilts out there as the better looking the quilt the more $$$ they bring in.
I love this post. I have thought about those same things and I love how you nailed it. Why not call those comfort quilts. Or Uplifting quilts. Something that is positive instead of negative. Thanks for the post! Also, your quilts are beautiful!
I like the one on the left because it is different, more modern looking and thus something teens would like.
My small guild has three projects under the "loving touch committee". Nowhere in the discussion is the term "charity" or "donation" mentioned, just a way to give a loving touch to members of the community.
We have three projects - preemie quilts, youth quilts and placemats for the mobile meals program. I think wheelchair quilts are also a good idea. Other guilds do quilts for the infant crisis center and a friend has started crocheting caps for preemies.
As always a very thoughtful post. I agree with you and I too have been trying to put more effort into both my piecing and quilting. Just finished is not enough. I like the quilt on the right. Can't wait to see the finished quilt.
Bravo, CJ! As for which quilt I prefer, I like the one on the left. I love the way the blocks seem to "melt" into the border without anything to contain/constrain them.
I like the quilt design on the right. Very pretty!
While I enjoyed reading your posting about donation quilts ---There is a flip side to this that we as donation quilt makers have experienced. It all depends on where the quilt is going and it's intended use.
I once belonged to a group of quilters who made donation quilts for a various local charities. We made some very pretty quilts, and one of our members was shopping an antique mall one day-- and and behold, there were some of our donation quilts for sale there. Evidently the recipients of some of our quilts thought it would be O.K. to take, but then sell them in exchange for money.
I guess it just didn't feel right that this was happening with our quilts. Maybe these individuals or organizations needed money more than the quilts---
We soon found several local businesses selling our donation quilts. We were so disheartened by this revelation. The business owners purchased the beautiful quilts for resale not knowing their origin or purpose so we couldn't fault them. After this negative experience we started making , dare I say "not so pretty" or "ugly" quilts, we also made labels with our group name and literally quilted/stitched them into the quilt so that they were not so easily removed for re-sale. Some lessons were learned from this experience about human nature as well. Who would have thought this could ever happen.
I completely agree! Someone actually had the gall to ask me why I used such nice fabric for a donation quilt. Just because someone is down on their luck or in need, why do they deserve less than my best?
I actually like both quilts. The one on the left has a more modern edge/vibe without the borders and I could see a kona solid being used. The one on the right is more finished and polished.
You make a good point, but all your quilts are beautiful and great quality.
My favorite is the one on the right also. I like the extra border.
Geri
Ok, so from a teenagers mouth....the one on the right would look great in my room mom! I really love both, but the one on the right just look complete. I would want to add some applique to the one on the left.
I agree that what we do for donation quilts should be the best we can do. That is different for each of us. I totally agree that teens are much overlooked. One year a group I belong to focused our donations on teens in foster care. It was really a chance to look at quilts with a different outlook and many possibilities. They do not have to be huge quilts, but big enough to snuggle under and feel like you have something of your own. I had a great time using bright colors and funky wonky designs that I never use otherwise.
Hi CJ,
This all reminds me of my mom trying so hard to find fabric, any kinds of fabric to make shorts for naked babies. Every year she would try so hard to get 200 pairs made.
The only thing we really tried to do was to make sure the fabric wasn't stiff.
I think it is really wonderful what you are doing with the giving of these quilts. What I am hearing you say is you want to put more of your heart into these gifts and that is really touching.
You might not like my answer, but I think teenagers really love the soft feel of flannel and something they can really wrap themselves up in. I would be curious how that quilts up on a longarm. Most of them are loving the flannel comforters that are tied with yarn. but that is a pain.
That doesn't mean they won't love a cotton quilt, I think they would love them. My perception of color choices would be to stay with a little bit of sedate colors with brightness added. Light blues, lavenders, stuff like that for your centers.
Alot of the teenagers that are going to need these quilts are depressed or have been through and they need light without trying to force happy on them. They need a balance.
I would stay away from too much black. Too much of the look right now is over the top black. I would never use red. Teenagers that struggle with cutting themselves or have been on the streets a lot don't need any more red or dark red I really personally like the design you put up I like the black but not for teenages who may be depressed.
All that said, I asked my teenagers. One is 18 (boy), he said it is a cool design but also said the black felt fathomless although he does like it personally he did feel the black hole thing.
My daughter is 16 and she felt the same and also said stay away from red if you can. My daughter said most of the girls love purple right now and alot of the guys, like the blues.
I hope this doesn't feel critical because it isn't meant to be. I've been around a lot of teenagers.
I really appreciate what you are doing for them.
As they would say:
"Peace out"
(they are liking the peace signs and tie die looks) batiks would probably be a hit for some of them
Tara
I like them both but if I had to choose I would go for the quilt on the right. The small inner border sets the piecing off. However, the one on the left has a more modern feel which a teenager might like better!
I believe there needs to be some balance in quilts to be donated. My local church group makes some that I can describe only as "functional". They are edged with a serger and made out of totally unrelated fabrics and blocks, generally with a polyester batting and polyester knit back. However, they are very helpful for a homeless person who needs warmth in damp conditions since the polyester doesn't pick up moisture from rain and ground like cotton. The problem comes when this is the only type of quilt they do. For example, they gave each of the graduating high school seniors a quilt like this, and I doubt any of them have been used except as something in the trunk of their car. The same group makes "diaper shirts" for babies that no one uses any more. When I mentioned that maybe we should spend our effort on something more popular, I was told "well, these are free and they (the recipients) shouldn't be so picky". Sigh.
The otherside of this argument is that if you make a gorgeous quilt but spend $100 and 40 hours on it, you could probably make 2 nice quilts for the same money and time, thereby giving two people the opportunity. Most of my donations are for church charities, and I believe I should do my best for God irregardless of who gets the product. I do try to balance for the greater good though, using as many discounted (but good) fabrics and functional quilting rather than art quilt quality. It's not always an easy balance though.
Pam
I prefer the one on the left--the blocks just sort of fade into the edges. The one of the right is nice, but the inside border just sort of stops everything (to me, anyway!).
What a thoughtful and thought-provoking post. Well said, CJ!
I could agree with you more about donation quilts. I made some baby quilts and donated them to the our local hospital Neonatal ICU specifically asked they be given to families who had lost their newborn...
As for your quilt design, the left is best. I think the line of the border in the right quilt detracts from the asymmetry of the design, The borderless quilt makes the design pop, imho.
Hi, CJ! Both quilts are lovely-each with a different 'feel' conveyed. As for the idea of 'gifted quilts', I am admonished "to do everything as unto the Lord" which, for me, is a very good "Golden Rule" to follow. One more thought: my recent Juki purchase is a joy to use. My supply of needles for the Bernina work equally well in this machine and the auto thread cutter feature is a treat to use. Thanks so much for all your input/advice/info.
I agree with your thoughts about donated quilts, but I do think any quilt is better than none on a cold or sad night. I like the quilt on the right...the black just frames it perfectly!
CJ, I agree we should do our best work when we can. For me, that means putting thought in the design and colors, no matter the source of the fabric. Make the end result pleasant. I also learned a long time ago that for me personally, once I gave something away it was no longer mine. This means I do not become upset with what the end user does with the item. It is theirs to do with as they please. The joy is in the giving, and in the case of handmade items, the making as well.
I love the quilt on the left!
I haven't read all your replies, so if I'm repeating it just means there are always more than one person with good idea. I belong to a group and when we started we called Quilters for Charity - we changed it to Quilters for Comfort - as that is our wish, that anyone receiving one of our quilts will get comfort from it.
Been thinking lately about this subject myself. My take is that some of the quilters in my group are of a limited budget and are using "old" fabrics from their stash and it shows. They take the same time and care as those who use "new" fabric but income limitations don't allow the money for fabric as well as batt and backing. The heart is still the same so for those quilters I'm okay with it.
I asked my 20 year old son and he voted for the one on the right. He said it had an end to the design and the other one didn't. So there is a younger person's view. I liked the one of the left better for the fact there was no border. Needless to say, me and my children never agree on anything. :)
C.J., you are right on about the donation quilts. No reason not to make them beautfiul as well. My resolution this year is to make more of them.
As for the 2 designs, my vote goes for the one on the right.
You are so right! My mom's church ladies make these quilts with the best intentions but they are poorly made out of the poorest fabric choices. They use cheap poly batting and tie them a foot apart. But they are proud of themselves because they turn out a hundred a year in their little group. Do less and do them better so they last and so that they do what quilts are supposed to do...provide warmth. It isn't as much the quality of the fabric but the quality of the work that I'm talking about. If it is just a gesture than it IS JUST a gesture. Thanks for letting me vent.
CJ, the majority of my quilts go somewhere else. I rarely keep one. I'm always trying to learn new processes, so I guess they are all less than perfection. My love, time and talent goes into them and that's all I can ask of myself. I did think of a new name for our "charity quilts". Why not let's all call them our "GOLDEN RULERS". I know when I'm deciding what I want to do, I always try to consider if it's something I'd like to receive. So, I think that name would be appropriate, w/a little tongue in cheek.
I have to wonder if it is as you suspect? Maybe when you put your heart and soul into your quilts, fabrics, time, organization. patterns, etc. you just can't give away the results. When you do a scrappy quilt it just isn't the same, you have no connection to it?? If all our quilts were beauties we would not give them away????
I hate the word charity, too. Maybe just "donation piece" would be better.
reeter
About 20 years ago the quilt group I belonged to collected fabric to make quilts for the "Poor Farm"( a home for indigent men & women in our town, no longer in existence). The collected fabric was very unattractive, but the quilts which we made were beautiful, & the looks on the faces of the recipients was wonderful. I can remember one elderly man saying "My mother made me a quilt when I was young". So sometimes the 'uglies' do become swans. It was the fact that total strangers wanted to make something for a person in need that made them "beautiful". I do agree that they deserve good things also. I like the quilt on the right because it looks "finished". Diane in CT
Sometimes we are our own worst spoiled enemies. We have made the quilt an art form, a hobby and a great expense. In our spoiled world we had to have it all match and be quite expensive. Long ago the oddball quilt was a necessity and cherished. Often hand made and quilted, without a machine in sight. This it the only kind of quilt most people know. Unless you are a quilter, a greater number people have no clue there are planned quilts out there in the world. Our worst fabrics and techniques are probably still better than what they remember. It all relative.
So right you are about the charitable quality of the things we give and make for those less fortunate than ourselves. Our local DJ here in Santa Rosa, CA often says that when there is a local food drive that we should donate food that we would eat, not the leftover crud laying around the cupboard. So true.
Because you seem very dedicated to the making and donating of quilts for those who need them (again, avoiding the "c" word), I would like to give you fat quarters that I purchased a while ago from Tuesday Morning. I won't say they are quilt shop quality, but they seem pretty nice to me. My best intentions was to do something in the making and donating realm of quilt making, but truth be told, I just don't have the time. Please email me and let me know how I can get this fabric to you. I can donate the whole wad of 12 FQ or any other quantity you need (there are 2 FQ of 6 fabrics). If you would like to see the fabric before deciding, please let me know and I will email a picture to you.
I have often thought about contacting social services to see if there is a need for quilts for teenagers pregnant outside of marriage here in my town. I feel that teens are so readily judged and feel strongly about trying to help them. I know they could probably use baby quilts.
Do you know of any teen groups to donate to?
My thoughts precisely on the charity quilts. They should be made with the same care and quality as all of the quilts one makes. My guild also dislikes the term "charity quilts". We now call our donated quilts "Comfort Quilts". It sounds so much better and isn't that what it is all about...they are comforting.
Oh, and by the way my eye likes the quilt on the right best.
This has been an interesting conversation on gifting quilts to others. I seem to be in the middle. I can appreciate lovely, well made quilts made with beautiful fabrics. I tend to labor excessively on my gift quilts - making sure everything is " just right", including sewing the last stage of the binding by hand. Needless to say, I do not get a lot of gift quilts made. I know other people much more prolific in my quilt groups who are less fortunate in having many quilt supplies who nevertheless jump in and make the best they can with what they have - and whose enthusiasm is wonderful. In our area, some of the quilts end up in the hospital in the neonatal unit. However, most of the quilts go to kids in other circumstances - local police carry supplies of the quilts in their cars to be given out to kids in crisis situations such as being removed from their homes in the middle of the night to be transferred to temporary care, often arriving there with nothing other than their gifted quilt. I am sure they are not concerned about the colors, fabric quality or seamstress skills. The children may be in such lousy situations that they don't even get to maintain posession of the quilt they received. Many other quilts go to kids who have been molested, and otherwise abused to comfort them in the medical and legal. processes. So I guess my main point is that we all need to stretch ourselves to donate even more than we have in the past - doing as well as we can with the resources we are fortunate to have. While I myself tend to burden myself with perfection tendencies, one of my favorite quilts is one made by a 90+ aunt who never had a piece of new fabric, and only sewed with usually well-worn clothing that was donated to her!!! Oh yes, and she wouldn't even have known what NEW batting was --old blankets were used as batting. So lets all try to make more quilts to give away!
I've never yet seen an ugly quilt made by CJ. Don't think she's capable. ;-)
We had a dear old neighbor lady, when I was a child, who made quilts for the needy. She put anything and everything together – fine silks with tent-quality canvas, stretchy single knits with boiled woolens… the pieces were all sizes and shapes, and the colors ranged from neon orange to lime green to pale blue to dark olive to light pink – you get the idea.
She’d wash those oddly shaped ‘quilts’ and hang them on the line for all the world to see (she was not a proud person), and one day when I was about six, I asked my mother, “Why do the poor people have to have such ugly quilts??”
My mother, a real lady, a preacher’s wife, and one who rarely let a bad remark about anyone cross her lips (they had to be really, really bad before she’d breathe a critical word), replied, “That’s why they blow out their candles when they go to bed.” :-D
>..< Sarah Lynn >..<
Just wanted to know that I think you are a super lady. I just finished a baby quilt tonight to give my ex-DH's niece who has always been down on her luck her whole life and I just wanted to make her something special for her little one. Put all my love into it and glad of it. I totally agree with you. No one wants to feel like they were just given whatever is left in the scrap pile.