This a good problem to have! The old "now or later?" dilemma. Spontaneous giving vs. milestone memento. I'm not sure I have an answer as to what I'd do. I tend to be a traditionalist and I work well with deadlines (like a graduation date) but I am also very mood-driven when it comes to my hobbies. I'm also TERRIBLE at waiting to give something I've made, so making it now to save for 4 years would not fit my personality. Besides, I don't want to hang on to things that could be enjoyed now.

As for colors, I'd make it in the child's favorite colorway but in a grown-up pattern. Most people who have a favorite color tend to keep it for a long time. I liked purple from age 9 to 49. I liked cool colors when I went off to college, but my aunt (who didn't know me well at all) gave me a bedspread in beige. Except for the turquoise bird on it, I hated it, but I felt guilted into using it. School colors didn't matter to me.

The older I get, the more inclined I am to give when the mood strikes, because as sushi said, there are no guarantees in life. But truly, it's a quandary. I'm sitting here trying to think what I'd do in your place.

Funny you should bring this up. I have just decided to make my little 12 year old niece two big girl twin size quilts. A purple one for her room at her dad's and one for my sister's house where she stays when there are breaks from school and has her own room. I am very close to her and she is respectful of my creations for her.

I have other nieces and nephews about the same age, but they could not even pick up a phone to say thank you for the quilts I have sent to them. So, I ponder but don't make anything for them as yet to send. I guess I need a little reinforcement to feel appreciated for my hard work. Do yo blame me?

Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. I would definitely make them as the mood struck me. Make them twin size and in their favorite colors or team. Whether they appreciate them is up to the child.

This is why I love this place so much! Thanks very much for the great advice.

I have 5 nieces and nephews between my side and my husband's side of the family. DH thinks I should only make a quilt for one side as the other side won't even say thank you for birthday gifts. He knows that's not why I give them gifts (although a thank you would be nice) but because I love them and I'm a maker. I give them handmade, sewn gifts all the time (last Christmas it was book pillows; they were a hit). However, I think of a quilt as a milestone type of gift. My DS is the only nephew the parents of my nieces and nephews have and while he gets presents from them (and always sends a thank you note!) I think my giving a quilt on a random birthday would be overkill. Does that make sense? Different family dynamics I guess. I am the favorite aunt on both sides though, so I could get away with it. :thumbup:

I love the idea of making a high school graduation quilt in their favorite colors, but in an adult pattern and fabrics. I'll stick to my original plan, unless I change my mind :). The beauty of being a quilter is there are always reasons to make a quilt!

Thanks for the great advice and insight!

Just some thoughts: I have made several T-shirt quilts for family and former students who take them to college. Then wedding quilts and baby quilts following. Right now I'm making reversible quilts for my grandchildren. Different themes on each side as they have many interests. My enthusiasm and energy go in spurts so I tend to quilt when the mood strikes me and not push it when it doesn't. So i say make as many as you want, they will all be truly loved!

Consider making the quilts the kids favorite colors NOT their school colors. Many kids head off to college but don't stay at the first college they selected. Your quilt would be a reminder of their mistake.

For me I would do the quilt whenever I had the time was inclined to do it.

Good luck

I taught my children( how I was taught) that a written thank you had to be sent either in a card or just written on paper and sent. Now that my children are grown
I receive thankyou's via hand written
Or painted hand prints with a drawing...from my Grandchildren!! Love it!

Here's the graduation quilt I made for my daughter. There is a bass clarinet in the center of all 40 stars. All the fabrics are musically related, even the panto-graph that was used for quilting. She played bass clarinet all through high school. She got a letter jacket for 4 years in marching band.

http://tinyurl.com/jpd79jj

http://tinyurl.com/jlnl9ku


Sharon in Texas

I have three grandchildren. I have made quilts for them when they were young and now as each one leaves for college I make a quilt that suits them to take with them. The first two things DGS#1 packs to go back to college is a medallion his church gave him and the quilt I made him. DGD is in her first year and has her quilt. DGS#2 starts college this fall. Each time I give them a quilt I tell them every time you wrap up in this quilt, remember someone loves you - I love you. Basically, you do it when you want to. Didn't want to do it for graduation but wanted them to have a little piece of me to take with them on their new adventure as they leave home.

I came to quilt-making very late in life, although I've been making my own clothes almost all my life. I made a whole-cloth enbroidered quilt as a wedding gift for my nephew, my first pieced-block quilt was presented to the son of my very good friend who served in the US Army and was seriously injured in Afghanistan. I have finished the quilt top for a log cabin for a spread for my bed (a giant quilt--I won't make one that big again), I'm working on a quilt for my youngest sister (she bought all the materials), and I have plans for a quilt for my oldest sister, too. I also have (if it can be found) a quilt of embroidered state flower blocks, all assembled, which my cousin was going to quilt for me, but she died December 17, 2016, and thus far, my niece has not found the quilt top. I surely hope the quilt top is found, because my 89 year old aunt embroidered those blocks and they meant a lot to me because she made them! I am 71 (going on 72) and have serious back problems so it takes me sooooooo long to complete a quilt! I would love to be able to make quilts for my nieces and nephews, but there are so many I don't think I could get that many made. One of my nephews has 5 children -- to be honest, I live 1000 miles away from most of them and farther away for others -- I've lost count. And that's just on my side of the family. On my husband's side, there are 5 more, so I think I'd better stop with my son and my sisters!