The women in my family have all been quilters, going back three generations to my great-grandmother. When I was growing up, I never understood why they would spend months under a lamp creating a quilt, one stitch at a time. When they were done they would put their beautifully handmade quilt in a safe place away from the sun, dust bunnies, and dirty little hands.

Now that I am grown, I appreciate the time they spent creating those quilts. I finally understand why they put them away; the sun, dust bunnies, and my dirty hands would have ruined their beautiful handmade quilts. Now that my grandmother and great-grandmother are gone, I cherish the memories I have of them. The memory of them will live on for generations in the beautiful quilts they left behind.

Due to technological advances, quilting can now be produced in masses. Mass production, however, has increased the value of those custom-designed, handmade quilts from the days of yore. However, this brings up the question "What about those quilts from days of yore?"

There are still quilters that hand build quilts from beginning to end. That means the squares or other shapes of fabric are chosen with a purpose, or artistic statement in mind. The design and fabric that holds those shapes of fabric together are not held together for efficiency, but rather with that design in mind and with the long life of that quilt in mind too.

The quilts created by retailers or online vendors are cheap, and production is fast. You may even be allowed to choose the design, what color of fabric will be used, and where on the quilt pieces of fabric will be placed. Most of the time, these types of quilts are done quickly and end up looking just like many other quilts. If you want a quilt that is long-lasting and has been created artistically, then a custom handmade quilt is for you.

Not only can you choose the colors and design for your quilt, a custom quilter can help you decide which colors and designs will best compliment your desired look. Fiber artists truly care that your quilt is beautiful; after all, they do put their names on their quilts. You do not see this with a mass produced quilt.

Although custom handmade quilts are more expensive and take longer to make than mass-produced quilts, this is the best option if you want a keepsake. You will get a beautiful quilt that will last so long that future generations will be able to hide this keepsake from the sun, dust bunnies, and the dirty hands of their children.