I think quilts are meant to be used. I really do. Nothing makes me sadder than when I give a gift of a quilt and the recipient says, “this is so pretty – I’ll put it away so it doesn’t get dirty.” No darn it, please use it! 🙂
I love it when my family uses their quilts!
Now before I get under anyone’s skin during this joyous time of year, I totally understand that some quilts are meant as heirlooms and others are made so as not to be touched. But those are not my quilts. My quilts are made to be used.
Watching a play on the grass atop soft comfy quilts!
I love spending lots of time piecing and stitching my quilts and I enter them into judged shows quite often. However, once they’ve finished the show circuit, and have been seen wherever they need to be “seen,” they come back home to be used.
My sister’s kids and their quilts. I love that they get used!
Because I machine quilt my quilts quite heavily, they really do withstand lots of wear and tear and hold up well wash after wash. I’m so glad my sister uses the quilts I made for her 3 children.
My niece’s quilt, Roses for Katelyn has received a lot of recognition on my blog, and a ribbon at a local quilt show. But I would rather have the baby spit-up on it or stain it rather than keep it pristine under glass. After all, I can always make more quilts, right?
Christa Quilts 
I like that my grandkids use the quilts I have made them also……and I keep making more for them…..Have a great holiday with gour family……
I totally agree, Christa! I made a quilt for my boss a few years ago. He cried when he opened it – called me and said it was the nicest thing anybody ever gave him (I doubt it, but he was sincere and I get where he was coming from). He refuses to use it – declaring it Art! He’s hung it on the wall. I keep telling him, it’s made for curling up in and if it gets “used up”, I’d make him another one, to no avail. He is horrified that I put my wallhangings up in my office with pushpins. I tell him “what do you think I sew the fabric with – a needle, it’ll be okay” LOL! Merry Christmas!
Amen. I actually make more than enough to replace ones that wear out!
I agree! Quilts are meant to be used!! I’m not good enough to make “heirloom quality” quilts anyway, I think when quilts are used & washed a lot they just get softer & have more “charm”
Well said! I absolutely agree with you. Why make it if the love can’t be shared?
Amen to that! Two of my quilts don’t get used–one is a lap I gave my grandmother, I think she has it folded up somewhere
and one is a large, very detailed, very special prayer quilt I gave to a dear friend that passed last year. Her mom somehow ended up with the quilt…not sure what she does with it. Thankfully everyone else uses their quilts daily!
Yep! I made my first quilt a couple months ago and the moment it was done I washed it and used it.
This has nothing to do with the quilts. (I do love your quilts and that you share with us so freely, but…) Your family makes me smile! You are all so adorable! And your sister’s kids…Oh My Goodness, Lots of Adorableness there as well!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I am in 100% agreement with you. 🙂
You nailed this one! I totally agree! Merry Christmas, Christa! We missed you at LVMQG in December but we are looking forward to lots of new stuff in 2014.
I agree! I do have my girls’ baby quilts hung in their room, but mostly because we lack enough art to fill the walls and they both own a few other quilts that get used regularly. I wouldn’t pull out a hundred year old heirloom from one of my great greats per se, but I’m sure those were well used in their time and I love mine being used now! : )
I hate to admit this, but I have been given several quilts over the years and feel like they are just too pretty to use. Well, now that I have become a quilter my opinion has changed on the matter. I actually got out our wedding quilt that has been in a box for seven years and decided that it was made to be used! From a non-quilter perspective I just had this preconceived notion that these types of quilts were not meant to be used….well now I know that I was wrong about that and am actually giving some quilts to people for christmas…I really hope they get used and appreciated!
Amen! I always tell those who get my quilts to please use them! One exception was the baby quilt I just made for our youngest grand-daughter. It was made to be a wall quilt and has yarn lettering which probably won’t wash very well. But I told her she could still turn it over and let Miss G play on the back of it :*)
Absolutely! Quilts should be used! Even those quilts that are appliqued beyond any skill I’ll ever have should be out and enjoyed (maybe not on grass but you get the idea…on a bed or something to be enjoyed). I’d hate to know my quilts were tucked away somewhere never to be used!
I totally agree. I always give a quilt with a lifetime guarantee of repairs so that folks won’t hesitate to use it and wash it and love it.
Yes—use it. I just gave my adult granddaughter a quilt that I spent a lot of time on and she immediately put it over the back of the couch. Hooray!!!! I would like to know the best way to wash a quilt. I know it should be line dried. Thank you.
I absolutely agree! I made one as a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law, and we’re currently ‘breaking it in’ for her! 🙂 My son was cuddling under it this morning reading a book on the couch. He has 3 more days before we need to box it and wrap it up for Grandma’s gift. She’ll be tickled that the kids gave it lots of love before we gave it to her.
Absolutely!!!! If everyone just put them away and saved them WHAT reason would there be to have a stash, go shopping, make more quilts, give more quilts………that is a terrible thought!!!!!! Hugs………
I’m with you Christa! Unless its heavily embellished (as in wall hanging or art quilt) ‘wrap ‘n roll’ in it & on it!
Yep. I dont make them with any other intention than to be used. I try to make sure they can handle many washings and get folded, tossed in the corner, thrown over the couch, etc. If the dog can’t lay on it too, then it isn’t mine.
I can imagine making one for show though. More “art” than quilt. I don’t imagine it would be bed size though. 🙂
I totally agree with you. I write a letter to the recipient and let them know the quilt is meant to be used along with why I was inspired to make it for them and how I thought about them while I made it. I also let most of them know that I am available to make repairs or entirely new quilts when needed. The letters have been almost as big a hit as the quilts.
I completely agree with you!!!
Yes! I expect my quilts to be loved to death! After all, that is what a quilt is for. What is better than having a pile of quilts to choose from? A couple for the bed, a few for the couch? They are strong enough to withstand the wash…over and over again!
I quite agree. I hope that everything I make for other people as gifts gets used otherwise it is a bit pointless.
Another vote of agreement here! Even the heirloom feedsack top that I quilted is on my daughters bed and washed regularly. And when I make dresses for my daughter I let her wear them to school and for everyday, there’s no point having her outgrow them while they are hanging in the closet. Quilting and sewing for me is about enjoying the exercise of my skills and the process.
Ah — so perfect — the gift of giving our quilts. I am meeting my goal with lots of quilting today and tomorrow to have everyone in my immediate family growing up, my children and grandchildren all to get a quilt this year. Finishing up with a modern tree quilt for my husband who picked out the fabric and quilt designs and finishing the binding on one that his mother and I did by hand to give him as a surprise as she passed away. Lots of love in these quilts — I say to all, please, please use them! Merry Christmas and Happy Holydays to all! God Bless Christa!
Right there with you on this one Christa 🙂 I am fairly certain that my Flower Fairies will be tucked up in a closet. That makes me sad. But i often see my houndstooth quilt on the floor when I visit my friend Lisa. That thrills me. When I gift my quilts I see them as hugs. Wrap yourself in them when I can’t be there to hug you.
Yep. I can think of nothing better than a bit of baby drool, or cat hair on my quilts. Made a Scrappy Trip for elder DD, and her cats promptly adopted it. It’s such fun.
I agree with you completely. My sister saved the baby quilts I made her children and never used them. My brothers children wore out their baby quilts. Can you guess which group grew up loving quilts?
After stressing over a quilt not being exactly perfect I wrote this for the young couple the quilt was for.
I’m a utility quilt
Made with love and care
I’m meant for cuddling
And always to share
Don’t worry about the cocoa
That spilt on a cold, cold morn
Or even in a moment of play
Where I’m slightly ripped or torn
Don’t worry about the mustard
Or the ketchup from a picnic
Don’t worry about the butter
From the popcorn during a chic flic
All these signs of use and time
Lets me know that I am loved
So cuddle, spill, and rough house
I know that You are loved
by Nancy Matheson
2013
contentncm at yahoo dot com
I agree with you. I am now in the process of repairing quilts that I have given my sons which were hand quilted. They will definitely be machine quilted this time for longer wear. When they were younger, they were really bad about putting the quilts under their feet and then pulling it over their head. They didn’t realize they were breaking all my hand quilting threads by stretching the quilt! I don’t know if I will ever hand quilt again. I want my quilts to stand up under their use!
Absolutely! I would be upset to find that one of my quilts that I have gifted was being kept safe and not used and loved.
My quilts are meant to be used too, I know what you mean. I”m making an eye spy quilt for my nephew and my niece referred to it as an heirloom. I explained that it is meant to be used, dragged around, and happily worn to bits by a little one. That’s the purpose of the quilt. I can always make another quilt. Roses for Katelyn is a beautiful and sweet quilt for Katelyn.
I agree, I make my quilt to be used.
Bravo, I so agree. I make quilts for the people I love and there is a lot of love in them.
I have to agree. I love it when I see my granddaughter and grandson use their quilts. I know that everyone else either has it on the back of the sofa for quick use in the evening or on a bed. Not too many cold winter days in Austin but I do have my quilts out ready for use.
EXACTLY! You said it perfectly! When I make a quilt for someone I always tell them that it has been made to use…put it on the floor, use it on the couch when you don’t feel good, let the kids make a tent with it in the living room…makes me very happy to see my quilts being used…they get better and better with use! Merry Christmas!
I agree! Quilts are meant to give it’s users hugs.
I’m with you there Christa !!! I to make my quilts to be used I figure they are so full of love and warmth you need to use them to feel the love.
I totally agree! I’d much rather see it faded and worn from washing due to lots of use, than sitting pristine in a cupboard! Like you said – we can always make more quilts!
I totally agree!! It does my heart good to see my quilts being used and loved. IMHO, the more they are washed and used, the better they get!
Preach it, sister!!! I make every quilt to be a hug of love from me…hugs need to be shared daily, not protected in a cedar chest, drawer or closet.
I totally agree with you 100%. Hopefully all the quilts I have given will be used with pleasure.
I love that the quilts I make are used, that’s what they’re for! They are all loved & appreciated. I always give washing instructions too, so that the recipient knows I expect them to use the quilt not just pack it away!
I’m with you! I make a quilt because I want someone to use it and enjoy it, and yes, there are so many quilts in the world to be made. If one wears out, it gives me an excuse to make another!
I agree! Quilts made for gifts are made to be used and luckily they are!! Now the award winning quilts I’ve made for competition which are original designs I keep not only for my enjoyment but also programs I have given for quilt guilds-schools-scouts-retirement homes and more over the years.
When making a gift quilt now that I am trying my hand at machine quilting and I am stressing that the stitches are not perfect (drives me insane) I always think “It’s okay because the quilt is just going to be dragged in the mud” multiple times throughout the process!! Only then can I move on forcing myself not to rip it all out!! Anyone else feel this way?
I’m certainly going to try the wavy lines on the next Heartwarmers charitable quilt I made for my guild. Such a cool look which I’m sure the kids love…thanks.
You betcha!! I want mine to be used and loved also. How special that you have these talents to share.
I totally agree! My quilts are made for using. Katelyn’s is super-lovely! 🙂
http://www.sewcraftychick.blogspot.com
Thank you, I so agree with you.
Hear, hear! Yes, that’s what I tell all the recipients of my quilts : Please use it. If it gets worn out I’ll happily replace it. And luckily they are being used. I love that!