Help! Wedding quilt will not be ready for wedding, how should I handle this
 

I am doing a quilt for a co-worker of my husband for his wedding. It is on the quilting machine ready to be quilted, but the wedding is Saturday - due to my full time job, and new medication that makes me tired, I don't see any way that it will be ready. It is a NFL team inspired - not your traditional wedding quilt.

How should I handle this? I know many have been in this jam - what did you do? Give a card with an IOU inside? Make up some pillow cases to match and give them as a precursor to the real gift. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Cheryl in CT

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*** Give them a "Promise Quilt Card".
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*** Then they can anticipate what is coming.
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I like the idea of the making matching pillow cases with a card indicating that there is more to come.

I think the card and pillow cases are a perfect way to let them know there is more on the way. I ran into a similar circumstance for my niece-in-law's wedding shower and wrapped up the top with some of what would be the backing. They were delighted as both are math teachers and I used fabrics with lots of math on in their favorite color, blue. I believe it was Moda fabs but don't remember.

Don't worry about it, give a card and tell them inside that their gift isn't quite ready. If they get all upset about it then they don't deserve such a wonderful thoughtful gift.

I would do what my body and mind could handle. The couple may not even open their gifts until after the honeymoon, so I wouldn't feel compelled to rush pillowcases either. They will have the quilt as a keepsake and won't remember that it was late. I certainly don't remember what gifts came late...I was too busy enjoying my groom! Take care of yourself and it'll be appreciated when you present it.

Like the others have stated with the card and pillow case. you may also want to enclose a photo so they know it's in production.

A wedding quilt is such a grand gift! They should be grateful whenever you give it to them! The idea of a card stating it will be coming is all I would do!

It seems like anymore most of the weddings I go to just involve people bringing cards. Any gifts are shipped to the bride & groom's house either before or after the wedding. I would just bring the card with to the wedding with a little note that art takes time and that your gift to them will follow, along with warm wishes for their marriage.

I, too, would simply take a card with a note explaining their gift has been delayed. Particularly if they have no clue a quilt is coming, you could simply say it's been delayed in shipping. If they know a quilt is coming and you'd like to be a bit creative, you could include snippets of fabrics and batting to whet their appetite. I believe per proper ettiquete rules you actually have a year in which to deliver a wedding gift.

I wouldn't take your precious time to make pillowcases, unless you really wanted to. Just give a card saying the gift is coming. A lot of couples don't even open presents til after the honeymoon anyway...and most honeymoons are a at least a week, aren't they?

Great idea!

How courageous of you to ask the quilt board this question after 2 of us just this week confessed to delivering a wedding quilt 13 or more months after the wedding. I'm voting for you as "early wedding gifter" of the year. :thumbup:

Okay I am a bit weird on this - but you have a year to send a wedding gift (according to Emily Post) and you you don't have to tell them something is coming. They may not even notice you didn't even send a card. I would finish the quilt and give it to them with the card when it is done. Don't stress over it. The fact you are making them a quilt when you could have just bought something off a registry speak volumes.

Enjoy the wedding, no one is going to know if you sent something, gave them a gift card or a check or anything else. When you deliver the quilt, then you can explain why it's late, only if you want to because I am sure they will not care.

I was in this situation and I just gave a card to the bride and groom explaining that their gift will be sent soon and they were happy with that.

The few weddings quilts I give I give a card with a picture of the quilt pattern. I say the quilt will be given to them on their first anniversary. When I finish it, it is put up until then. The wedding gift is I'm making it. The 1st anniversary gift is I did make it. LOL

I recently made a queen sized quilt for my DGD with the shower as the date to aim for. It was a Judy Martin log cabin with hundreds of pieces. I started it in January and the shower was on April 24th. The top was done, but not sandwiched or quilted. I gave her the top and told her I needed to take it back and finish it. The wedding was June 11, and the quilt was finished about 2 weeks before and given to the bride and groom. I was glad to see it finished, and I don't think I want to make another. It turned out beautiful, but was more costly than I figured and most of the fabric was from my stash--blues and golds--with a neutral background. Anyone who knows Judy Martins patterns knows how difficult they can be--but beautiful beyond words. I have 4 more DGDs still to get married--maybe I should start now. lol
Sue

Just do the best you can. You have some good suggestions.

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions! I just need not to stress over this. The wedding is going to be very small - they are getting married at their home and then going out for a nice dinner. I think I might do a combination of the suggestions - Note that "art takes time" and snippets of the fabric, but since I don't know them well, I will ask the husband for suggestions - of course he is out of the country on business and got stuck in Madrid after missing his flight home, so that discussion will have to wait until Friday when I hope he will finally be home, after all the wedding is Saturday and he can't miss that!! Now to search for the perfect wedding card - the DH should be doing this! I better be getting some beautiful fabric from Spain to make my DGD a dress and incorporate in a quilt - she has ancestry from Spain on mother's side - we will see if he found something. Thanks again for all the great replies!

If you are too tired to finish, send a card with a photo of part of the quilt as an exciting taster.

I just had this same scenario in August. My niece asked for a quilt for her wedding, a king size. Unfortunately, we had some major home expenses; New HVAC and a tax bill that had to be paid prior to the wedding date. We could not afford to buy all the supplies to have the quilt done. We gave a card, enclosing a small check and a note that they would be getting their quilt before their first anniversary. The bride and groom understood perfectly and it also gave me the opportunity to see what things they used in their wedding theme - butterflies, sunflowers, and arrows - that I could incorporate into the quilting designs to make the quilt more personal and special for them.

Don't sweat it.

I have three daughters who are married. During the process, I learned that it is accepted that guests have up to a year after the wedding to give a gift. I also learned that gifts should NOT be brought to the wedding so that the bride and groom do not have to worry about handling the gifts after the ceremony and reception. After all, it is not a birthday party or shower where gifts are opened on the spot. If you feel that you must do something on the day of the event, your idea of the pillowcases is a good one, but then could you use the time making the pillowcases to work on the quilt?If it were me, I would simply finish the quilt in the next few weeks and give it to them when finished.

I don't think newlyweds expect to receive all of their gifts on their wedding day...I'm sure the they will be elated when you give it to them. I think a card is perfectly acceptable.

I would take a picture of a small portion of the quilt and place it in the card with a cute note like, "Here is a preview of things to come" or something clever like that and then a little note about you giving them the quilt as soon as it is finished. Sometime life gets in the way of living.

I had that exact situation. I gave a card with a picture of the pattern and fabric samples enclosed.

Don't you have a year to give a wedding gift? Or is it something I made up in my mind?

I agree with most everyone that you shouldn't really worry about this. A card letting them know that a special gift is on its way and will be sent to them as soon as it arrives should be enough. It is a polite way of letting them know that you didn't forget their special moment. I can't imagine the couple even realizing that your gift is not there. Besides, opening all the wedding gifts must be mind numbing and with all the fuss of opening the gifts, I think that special gifts kind of get lost in the shuffle. This way when all the excitement is calmed down, your gift will show up and they will be totally focused on your gift.

Your health is more important and you should safe guard it at all costs.

I'm with taking a card with a note that the gift is in progress. I wouldn't go into much detail with it--when it was finished, arrange a time to hand deliver and enjoy when they receive.

I totally agree with this. You have up to a year after the actual wedding date before it is considered "late". Quite honestly, I think they will be so thrilled with the quilt that when it actually arrived won't even enter their minds.

Lots of great suggestions. What about quickly putting together 2 mug rugs as a way to give them their fabric samples from the quilt?

I gave a card with a note, that upon their return from their trip, please give me call so we can get together for something special. They will not use the quilt before then, and make it special when they get home.

I had that exact thing happen to me with my granddaughter.....I first sent a card with an explanation....Then when it was done, I sent the quilt. Turns out they waited to open their gifts for two weeks......this seems to be the trend now.

I like this idea but if this is a bed quilt, then I'd be tempted to make pillow shams to go with the quilt that is coming.

Handwrite a note and give it to them in a card. There are few things in this world nicer than a handwritten note. Explain that their gift will be waiting for them when they return from their honeymoon and in plenty of time to help keep them warm in the coming winter nights. Most people would understand. And, there is a chance they wouldn't be opening gifts until they returned from their honeymoon anyway!

I like NJ Quilters idea of including a few snippets of fabric in a card. I would just state the gift is not quite ready and they will have it as soon as possible. My aunt used to embroider a tablecloth for each bridal shower gift. The first couple were not done on time because she had heart issues, so she wrapped the unfinished cloth with a note saying she would take it back and finish it. After she was well, she did this anyway - it was her trademark. Shortly after she died, her first granddaughter was getting married and for her shower, I continued the tradition of giving an unfinished cloth. Brought tears to many eyes. Sorry, didn't mean to ramble on like this.

I know that this is not quilting , but I have given knitted afghans with the needles still attached. Told my niece that she would have to return it to me if she wanted it completed....UNLESS she wanted to finish it herself...
She knew that "the black garbage bag with the bow on it" meant that it was an afghan. She was the 4th in the family to get an afghan for Christmas... She waited until it was completed. I mailed it as soon as it was done!
I knitted all the way on the 2 1/2 hour car ride to the party...I just couldn't get it done..but then took my time in finishing it so that I did not drive myself crazy!
She was happy!