Monday, January 25, 2010

January 25th


Another day, another quilt! This was an interesting class for me. I learned about iron on applique. What I learned is that it doesn't work well on unwashed fabric!! And I never prewash my fabric, except for unknown reds and flannel which I put on the back. So all those little cherries that were supposedly "fused" onto the quilt top all began falling off almost immediately!! So I stitched around each and every one of them. And the leaves. This one is about 9 years old and gets to come out each spring, which I'm kind of jumping the gun on, but then so is Mother Nature!!
Cindy left me a nice comment about being surprised about how many quilts I still have around. It made me realize that I have indeed made A LOT of quilts in the last 10 years!!!! My goodness! And I have at least a dozen quilt tops DONE waiting to be quilted as my checkbook allows. And another 12-15 works in progress.
Here on the back on my studio door are 6 tops waiting. And also hanging on my closet door are even more. So when is enough, enough?
And then considering the number of quilts that have gone to good homes via gifting or for charity auctions, it is a pretty high number. People ask me why not just give them away? I think for a couple of reasons.......who would want them?







I mean, my quilting friends all make lots of their own quilts. They really are nothing special I don't think to anyone other than me. I am a bit selfish and some I just can't part with. Every so often a quilt will sing out to me that they would be a great gift for someone, and sure enough, off I send them. But in the meantime, I guess I'll just keep creating and waiting to hear the song.......How many quilts have YOU made????

2 comments:

Teaquilts said...

I have made quite a few quilts (well over 400) since 1995. I too keep a lot of my quilts because I teach and give lectures and sometimes just because I love them too much to give away. I have made over 140 quilts for friends/family and even more to charities. Some quilts I just will not give away (unless to my daughter or husband) because the recipients do not understand the value they receive (I've had some appraised at $2,400 dollars) and I am not going to let them have dogs/pets on my "good" quilts. They have no concept of the time and money it takes to make a quilt.

Just last evening I gave my nephew 7 quilts for him and his family and as he was putting the quilts into the back of his car (I'm at the front door to my home, he yelled out "thanks" as an after thought. I worked for a year and a half (off and on) on those quilts. I partially blame his behavior on the fact that you can purchase quilts from local stores (you know what stores) for $60 with a sham. So our quilts to certain people are treated as such. I make utilitarian or practice quilts to donate (for the most part.) Sometimes I make a quilt for special ocassions, knowing the person receiving will treat it gently. I understand your "selfishness" and think you should stay that way. Just my opinion...

Sharon T in Napa said...

Well said!!! Thank you....seven quilts to one family, how amazing!
I do keep a lot of mine for the lectures I do on using scraps so that is another good excuse!