I'm thinking more people try to recreate a favorite "blankie" for themselves or a special child - than try to recreate an "heirloom" quilt.

I think a child is able to "love" a special blankie (quilt) with more intensity than any adult is able to care for any quilt received as an adult.

I don't know...I think that while it would be the same kind of love, the love and care can be equal. Kind of like the way we love our spouse/SO vs. our children. I would say I love one more or less than the other, but I do love them differently!

And I have adult family practically falling over themselves to get a quilt from me! Probably just depends on the person as to whether or not they will appreciate or love a quilt!

I made my DFIL a wonderful flannel quilt. When he passed away last year, I told my SIL to give the quilt to her grandson, as the two had a special and close relationship. She washed the quilt and gave it to her daughter for the grandson. My niece has put the quilt in a closet because she doesn't want it ruined. It was just a quilt made to keep my FIL warm in the nursing home. It wasn't all that special a quilt. I really wanted the greatnephew to be able to use and enjoy it. I was a little disappointed that he isn't allowed to have it. But once it is given, it no longer belongs to me, and I no longer have any say in how it is used. I just hate to think of it sitting on a closet shelf, when I know the young man would treasure sleeping under Papaw's quilt.

I'm sure your niece is thinking it needs to be cared for carefully and saved til he's "old enough to appreciate it properly" (or at least that was my mother's way of thinking). Unfortunately by the time I got her favorite childhood doll at age 12, I had no interest in dolls anymore, and didn't really care about it as a keepsake for another 20 years or so!
Is there some way you can express your feelings to your niece explaining that you wanted him to enjoy the use of it as a connection to Papaw, not as an heirloom to be put away and saved.

good thought.. interesting. maybe you are right.

have been doing a lot of comfort quilts.. pinwheels with fun children's fabrics.

quit using only squares.. too hard to decide what goes next to each other and above and then below.

10 min quilt with cathedral window fussy cut with little duckie or such highlight.

all for a little one in the hospital to have a bit of day dream time instead of a hospital blanket to stare at.

So, no. I quilt for kids.. and have a lot of kids stash.. refuse to just hack at the fabric. make sure a leg only or arm only is not showing .. amazed on a few I have run across . Just because it is for charity does not mean they get the "stash" from holiday or arms and legs. :0)

So, I put a whole lot of time in my quilts.

yes, I do have way too much time on my hands.

Good day and happy successful sewing /quilting! :0)


Ell

I made a kind of large baby blanket, kind of between baby and crib sized for a coworker of DH's. She loved it so much that she hung it on the wall and I don't know if the child ever got to even touch it. That was not my intention, but we have to let them go after we give them away.

this happened to me with a DDIL/DGD - I asked, couldn't GD sleep under it at least once and she said, OK. Not sure how they are using it now.