Answering Those Probing Questions...

After my last blog post about "acquiring" two more quilts, my dear niece, Kristin, who is not a quilter, but still has a great blog of her own, left a comment with several questions in it.  I thought I'd take the opportunity to answer her questions in the form of a blog post.

Here is her comment:

Looks like you had a great weekend!I have some questions: 

1.) How many quilts do you have in your house???
2.) Do you rotate/use them all?
3.) What do you do if you ever get tired of a quilt?
4.) Have you ever tried the e-bay game with quilts? Buy low / sell high?
Hmm, sounds like answering those questions could be a blog post...

Okay, here goes...

1)  Number of quilts in my house:  22 quilts of various sizes, from couch quilts to queen-sized...counting the two "new" ones we got this weekend.  This number does not include quilts that aren't mine or ones that are projects that I am working on.  (Please don't ask me how many UFO's ["unfinished projects"] or PIGS ["projects in grocery sacks"] I have right now...that number may be higher than 22.  I dare not count!)

2)  I do rotate my quilts and use them all at one time or another.  Some are only used when we have company, ie, when there are more beds and people to keep warm.  Some are made with spring/summer colors, so get used during those seasons.  Others are in fall/winter colors, and get used during those months.  You must keep in mind that we have NO BLANKETS in this house.  As my quilt collection grew, I gave my blankets away and we just layer quilts.  Right now we have 4 on our bed.  As the weather warms, we will pull them off one at a time.  During the hottest part of the summer we usually use one light quilt.

3)  I've been known to pass quilts along to my kids when they've needed them, as they've gotten houses and more bedrooms, etc.  Just last week, Trinity asked me if I had a full-sized quilt that I could part with because they need one to use on their guest bed.  I think I can spare one!  LOL

4)  No, I've never gambled with buying quilts low and selling high.  I'm afraid that I would fall in love with all that I buy and not be able to part with them!  LOL  But I am a "quilt rescuer"...hence buying the quilts at the thrift store.  Or if I see one for a really low price at a yard sale or auction.  If those quilts had been appropriately priced this weekend, I wouldn't have bought them.  I refuse to let someones hard work and love go unappreciated.  In fact, I been known to bid up a quilt at an auction...or even buy it myself...if I think that it's not going for the price it should... just to get some justice for the quilt maker and for quilters everywhere!  There is a LOT of MONEY and TIME and LOVE that goes into making a quilt for someone to flippantly toss it away.  That's why I "rescue" quilts from the thrift stores.  Like the baby blanket that we put on our pillows for Ginger to sleep on during the day.  It was HAND EMBROIDERED and HAND QUILTED and was on the shelf at Goodwill for $3.83.  :(   Somebody's Grandma was rolling over in her grave when that thing got donated like a common piece of trash.  But she can rest now knowing it has been saved and is being used and loved everyday.  :)   It is not uncommon for the supplies to make ONE queen-sized quilt to cost about $150.00.  And that doesn't even include the HOURS involved in planning and making one.

I love quilts.  I love quilting.  I love the artistry of quilts.  I love the history of quilts.  I love the legacy that quilting leaves.  When you've been surrounded by a homemade quilt, you've been surrounded by LOVE!

Loretta