bob1414

I also tend to like most of the Pottery Barn quilts - there's something about them.........
Why not turn a negative into a positive and make a copycat Pottery Barn quilt and show her or even give it to her. Their quilts are usually SIMPLE patterns - squares and rectangles. I think you could find similar fabrics and the quilting on them is usually simple as well. Just a suggestion to help you feel better and show your SIL that you can make things that look "store bought"!!!

nana2

There are a lot of folks who "live life in the fast lane" and decorating a room, any room, needs to happen over night for them. Instant gradification!!! I would agree that places like Pottery Barn has a lot of items with a lot of great coordinated items. After all the manufacturers have thousands of yards of fabric all designed to match. A certain "collection" has colors that have been manufactured to have all of the colors a perfect match, etc. Some people will never know the joy and peace of creating an article with their own hands and some are not old enough to know the heart warming experience and memories of picking up something like a quilt that has been made by their long departed grandmothers. I have quilts made by my grandmother. Sometimes I can pick up one of those quilts and in my minds eyes be drawn back in time and remember how carefully she worked -- we would call this quality work. The materials she had to work with were sugar or flour sacks and feed sacks. She knew the quality of these fabrics were not as good as fabrics that were "store bought", but she was using items that were available during hard times. This did not affect her desire to do quality work. I would forget about making a quilt to "match" the baby's room and think about making a quilt that could be a "teaching" quilt. One that will entertain the child later when he is teething or can't get down for a nap. Holding a quilt and interacting with a baby with questions of "Where's the bird?", now let's find the cat, etc. etc. This will become a quilt that is a "keeper". I am lead to think that a quilt to "match" this child's room would probably be "moved" on out when it becomes time to decorate "a big kid"s" room, but a quilt that is dragged around by the child will have to stay.

TacoMama

I would make it anyway and keep it at my house. When the baby is there and/or sleeps/spends the nite, you will have it for them. I can see a SIL doing that, but not my daughter turning down a homemade quilt for their baby!

Joan

My DD did exactly the same thing. She had a "thing" about having a sailing theme for my grandbaby and bought all of the coordinated things (including quilt). It didn't faze me, though, I still made her a baby quilt. Well, it was my first grandchild to boot. (I did find some "sailing" prints). Don't take it personal. It was her first child and this was her idea to making everything perfect. Babies need lots of blankets and the handmade one was used and much appreciated regardless.

sueisallaboutquilts

This reminds me of an event from when my youngest son was really little. We were at a garage sale and I spotted a Bear's Paw pillow, beautiful hand-pieced and quilted. I scooped it up and asked the woman who made it. She pointed nonchalantly to a little old lady in a chair (her mother).
I was so shocked- she would rather have 50 cents than her Mom's work. We all loved that pillow to shreds. My son still remembers that day and he is all grown up. Never thought you could learn something at a garage sale but we both did :)
Still though, as quilters we see the value. Can't expect everyone to think the way we do.

jolo

Some people dont like homemade things. My DIL grabs my hand pieced,handquilted quilts and they are mine ,mine mine she says, You can sell ,give away or whatever with the machine pieced ones but these stay here. lol

Sewing Grandma

I know the hurt. When my grandson was born 16 years ago I spent the months prior to his birth making all types of handmade things, sweaters, booties, blankets and even crocheted a christening gown for him. It took by DIL almost 2 hours to open all the things I had made. Unfortunately I had her open them the night before her baby shower at our home. When we went to the shower the next day - she didn't even mention the things I had made for him. She had told me the night before that she needed a gate for their stairs so I made a specila trip in rain 40 miles one way to get her a gate. At the shower when she opened that she this is "from her". Needless to say I don't make any homemade gifts for their family as they are not appreciated and they would give them away in a heartbeat without any consideration of passing them down in years to come.

Grama Lehr

My heart goes out to you! I understand how you feel, it's really hard to understand how someone could possibly want a store bought item over a home made one. For some reason, some people feel home made is inferior to store bought. :roll: :roll: I look at some of my first attempts at quilting or sewing and can truly understand their fears. My first projects were quite a sight. I thought they were wonderful at the time, but now, I know that I can do so much better. :roll: My son makes furniture. People always want him to build them a desk or a cabinet, then when they ask the price, their first response is, I can buy that at Ikea for 1/4 the price. My son always tells them to knock themselves out. I have the first project he ever made, a lop sided cover for a box of Kleenex, I will keep it forever. The sewing machine cabinet he designed and created for me a couple of years ago, still gives me the warm and fuzzies every time I sit down and sew.

Rachelcb80

In all honesty, I was probably that mom a few years ago, before I started quilting. My daughter has a beautiful Pottery Barn bed set and rug that all match, that I spent waaaaay too much money on. She sleeps in her brothers room. :P I plan on making her a quilt in the coming year and I'm betting someday she will still have and love the quilt I make her, but that Pottery Barn bedset will be looooong gone. :) Make your neice/nephew a quilt to give in a few years and I bet they'll love it!

sewbeit

sharon..dont take