A little humor and a lot of common sense combine to help quilters make future plans for their beloved stashes and quilts.

A quilter was once heard to say, "If I was put on earth to accomplish a certain number of things, surely I will never die, for I have too many unfinished projects!"

This is the unfortunate truth: First you stash, then you die.

No matter how many UFOs (unfinished objects) a quilter creates or acquires in her futile attempt to stave off the inevitable, quilters' heaven eventually calls.

Discussions of death are so sensitive, many people make no plans of any kind. Others are better prepared; they have talked matters over with their loved ones and made their wishes known. But even the most organized, best intentioned, super-responsible quilter has a difficult time planning what to do with her stash. This fabric, these books, those quilts, are, after all, her alter ego, the physical extension of her artistic self, her creative soul. Losing the body is easy, by comparison. There are too many cookies in the body, anyway.

This is a call to release the fear of planning for your stash's future. Making arrangements now does not mean that the fabric police will come calling too soon, depriving you of fondling opportunities or the chance to use that really gorgeous fat quarter in your next masterpiece. Acquisition does not have to cease because disposition plans have been made, either. Nor does creation. In fact, if you plan a loving home for your stash you might get a boost to initiate or complete certain projects, read set-aside books, try new techniques.

Indeed, making plans for your stash relieves not just your here-and-now but also the future of your relatives and friends from any of a number of grisly scenarios -- bewildered spouses wondering what to do with it all (they're still stuck at, "Where did she hide this stuff, anyway?"), non-quilting children practically giving (giving!) away prized thimble collections at yard sales, quilters feeling horribly guilty as they leave those yard sales with near-freebies in hand...

You can avoid all of this if you treat the disposition of your stash just as you would any of your other valuable possessions. Decide who should receive what. Who would most appreciate your leaving them your feedsack scraps? Yellow calicoes? Contemporary/art quilt books? "But this (book, fabric, wall hanging, pattern, batting (batting?) spoke to me!," And so it did. Treat it with respect, then, and guard its future.

Herewith some ideas for making plans that will provide comfort and surcease to those unfortunate enough to remain behind on earth when you ascend to heaven (quilters are not welcome in hell -- too many sharp objects in our hobby):

Idea 1: Leave your stash to one quilting relative. She or he will probably keep what they like and give away or sell the rest. Trust their future judgment, no matter how different your quilting styles. They will appreciate the gesture, and you know that your stash will be respected and appreciated.

Idea 2: Ask all of your quilting relatives to divide the stash among themselves. If your family gets along, this is a great idea. If there are tensions, you have just helped to start a feud. Be realistic when assessing your family's ability to agree gracefully on who gets the plaids, who gets the reproductions, and who gets stuck with your "binge" period purchases. You could sort through your stash and assign various items yourself now. Whether you wish to tell the intended recipients what they will receive depends upon your ability to withstand prolonged discussions that will both include and exclude you, and how well you can deal with the social repercussions from now until your demise. What if it is years away? What if the knowledge that you are leaving your Hoffmans to so-and-so inspires her to hasten your exit?

Idea 3: Leave your stash to charity. There are several ways to do this. You might name a charity known for making quilts for good causes -- your guild, your church, your sit and stitch group. You might leave your stash to friends with the stipulation that they make several quilts for a charity you name. They probably will follow your wishes (never overlook the guilt factor). It never hurts to leave a wealth of information and materials to educational or recreational organizations, such as after school clubs, scouting, your church's youth group, the parks and recreation department.

Idea 4: Convene a gathering of quilting friends and relatives. Celebrate your shared love of quilting. Make a list of who would like what. You might go so far as to bundle and label according to who wants what. (This exercise might change whom you wish to have invited to your memorial service.)

Idea 5: Ask that your quilting friends and relatives meet after you are gone to divide your fabric and other stash items. You might ask a particular friend to come early and sort your stash by color or fabric type (plaid, stripes, etc.) or use. (Tip: the person for whom color coding of Tupperware has never worked is not the person to assign this task, no matter how much you love her.)

Idea 6: Make up for all the times you bought only the minimum number of opportunity quilt tickets and donate your stash to the guild to sell as a fund-raiser. (Take pains to be sure your tax preparer doesn't know about this plan, for one who doesn't quilt will surely faint once the final accounting is done.)

Idea 7: Look after the most important aspect of all: document your love of quilting and participation in this wonderful expression by writing at least a letter about your passion to be included among your quilting possessions, and by making sure the quilts you own are fully and securely labeled.

And that's what this is about -- a final accounting of your dedication to quilting via fabric, book and other quilting accouterment collections. Please don't ignore your stash in your preparations for settling your affairs. Your relatives will definitely appreciate your thoughtfulness for their responsibilities, so will the recipients, and you can truly rest in peace.

The Legalities of Willing Your Stash and Quilts

Casey Gluckman has been quilting for most of the 20 years she has practiced law. She provides these answers to frequently asked questions about wills:

Is it really worth doing a will just to hand down my quilting stash?

A will is a legally recognized, formal statement of how you wish your possessions to handled after your death. Whether you have only a few possessions or are wealthy, a will provides comfort to you and your loved ones. It allows them to honor your wishes in such a way that they are not faced with having to guess at what you might have wanted.

Chances are good that in addition to your quilts, sewing machine(s) and beloved fabric and notion stashes, you have other treasures or family heirlooms. These items are meaningful to you, you think, but probably not to anyone else. Think again. A will is the only way you can ensure that items you love and care for will fall into the hands of someone who understands your feelings and will appreciate your gift.

An overlooked value to a will is its ability to transmit family history. For example, you might include in your will a statement such as, "The blue and white bear's claw quilt, size 98" x 102", made by my grandmother Elizabeth Smith to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary in 1899, goes to my granddaughter Jane Smith Poe."

What happens if I don't make a will?

Every state has passed a law setting out who will get your estate (property, stash, quilts) if there is no will. This is called dying "intestate." The problem with these laws is that they were written years ago when the norm was the "intact" family. In today's world of blended families, long-time but unmarried partners, and quilting friends who may be closer to you than your siblings, families are far more complex than those laws ever contemplated.

If you die without a will, your treasures will go to the people the state says they should go to, not to the people you would like to receive them. Examples of recipients that the state would not recognize are step-children, philanthropic organizations, nieces and nephews, or dear friends. Still not convinced? Imagine your stash being used as car washing rags by someone who had no idea that this where quilts come from.

Shouldn't I consult a lawyer to make a will?

If you have no minor children and no complex family situations such as some of those mentioned above, one of the forms available in a supply store or from a book will probably be all you need. If you do have a complex family situation, complicated desires on where certain items should go, need to establish a trust fund to support minor children or other dependents, or have a large estate where tax issues become important, you need to talk with a lawyer who specializes in wills. The first visit is often free.

Anyway you look at it, making a will is the kindest thing you can do for your family, your stash, your quilts and yourself.

©1998 Andi Reynolds