A friend who is a former employee of a quilt shop said that if quilter's were smart, they would always make baby quilts a width that would use the width of their backing fabric - and not need to buy more yardage. I have been doing this and find that a few inches less works OK. Mostly I make the borders a bit more narrow.

I was so smug putting that lovely 'minky' fabric on the backs of baby quilts until I saw my grandson using his quilt. His mama, my daughter, puts the quilt on the floor face down because the minky is so soft for the baby to play on. All that hard work of piecing those pin wheels and nine patches and whatever all face down on the floor! They never get to show off at all! Grrr!!! :mrgreen: Next time...

It's best that I don't see what happens with the charity quilts I make for babies. One of my buddies told me the quilt she made her grandaughter looked like a grease monkey had used it when she saw it during the holidays. And she had done lots of work on that one. She said no more like that one - easy was the magic word from this day forward.

But on the other side of he coin is people who don't let their kids use them because they ar "too nice!" That has happened to me :? People say that they won't let the little one use it and put it on the wall. I am flattered but would rather they use it :!:

I've warned my girls that if they don't use the quilts there won't be any more made for them. Harsh? Yes! But the quilts are mostly being used now and not saved for some future generation. :wink:

Ladies - you are so right. I,too, want my projects used but don't wipe the floor with something I sweated over. And if the babe wants to drag it around I go along with that. :mrgreen:

My oldest grandson (now 13) has always had his quilt around It went to pre school and Kindergarden for nap times. To a warm cover at football games and movies and around the campfire camping. Now it sits folded in a chest for his first child well worn and well loved. Thats just fine with me