Do you want your quilt to be used?

[Lowena]

If it worries you, can't you train your dogs not to chew ?  or failing that, make sure they don't have access to vulnerable items? Just a thought   

[wrenkins]

HaHa easily said Low. My mum's dog was only weeks old when my dad left his coat hanging on the bannister. She had to go up three stairs to chew the button off and we all thought she was asleep in the kitchen. She was inside the coat!!!!

[Lowena]

Easily said maybe, but it can ( and should ) be done.It's not difficult if you start when they are a puppy. It depends if you mind your home and possessions being wrecked I suppose. No one I know has had a problem for more than a few puppy weeks, regardless of the breed of dog.
My friend has a malamute puppy... a born chewer of everything, but now he's as good as gold ( if heavier  )

[Hachi]

Thank you again for all the honest comments.

Some dogs are chewers and some not. My grayhound (sadly crossed the rainbow) never chewed but the little one (the one on my avatar) cannot resist the temptation of chewing on stuffed animals and quilts. She is now 14 and a half so she sleeps 20 hours a day and she does not chew any more thankfully. The other one (Australian Cattle dog) is another chewer but since she destroyed enough pillow cases and duvet covers, she now stays in a kennel when nobody's home (and she is pretty content in the kennel). They were both adopted as adult dogs so we did not get to train them as puppies, unfortunately. I know you can train any dogs at any age, but it's difficult when you only have limited time each day after work.

I think for now, I will keep my quilts in the closet or keep it in the guestroom only where dogs are not allowed.

Well, the reality is that all my quilts except for the previously shown Grandmother's Garden are in the storage until we get back to the U.S. Thanks for the suggestion of patching the hole, though. I never thought about it. Since grandma is 4000 miles away, I think I will patch it myself.

Any idea how to patch the hole??? Just make up the hex flower block and patch it on?

[Deafoldbat]

I made my first few quilts to cover chairs, so that when babies/dogs sicked on them or brought mud in from the garden etc, I could wash the quilt. Of course, they wore out, so then they got used in the dog beds (sometimes the dogs were turfed off the chairs!). I cut one up to make a coat for one dog who had heart problems and was always cold.

I have given quilts away, always with the strict instruction that it must be used. I have sold them, on occasion, though I discouraged the couple who wanted to use one as a hearth rug in front of an open fire, by pointing out it would burn (I didn't hand quilt it for that!).

I think one of the main reasons for quilts not getting used is duvets.  You don't really need another layer on top. 

Quilts are very useful in the summer, with just a sheet if you want. Lighter than a duvet, and heavy enough to stay in place. I have seen bed runners ('those coloured strips across the end of hotel beds') used in hospices etc, when people need a little extra warmth across their feet.

Oddly, my dogs never chewed a quilt - and whippets are notoriously destructive - but the chewing stage is fairly short, just put things away if you're not there to supervise.

[Ploshkin]

Any idea how to patch the hole???

You could just stitch a hexagon over the hole each side with a small bit of batting between.  It's such a busy quilt it wouldn't notice much that it is out of line with the others and does it really matter.  A patch will stop the damage going any further.

[Catllar]

I made a quilt for someone's daughter ( on their request) Lap quilt size.  Delivered it and then one week later when next I went round it twas in the dog bed.

[Sandra]

I made a quilt for someone's daughter ( on their request) Lap quilt size.  Delivered it and then one week later when next I went round it twas in the dog bed.

Ouch...that seems ungrateful and unkind, especially as it was made at their request.

Generally though, I agree, that once you've given it away, they can do as they please with it.

Hachi...I'd have to patch repair the hexie one. It would repair easily and I'd feel so bad about the damage. It must have taken ages to make.

Sandra.
xxx