mytwopals

It'll be a lot easier, once you see the look on your mom's face opening it up.

bedkivers

I,Too have a hard time letting go sometimes. I try to live ith the quilt a few weeks, and maybe even sleep under it once just so a little of it can remain in my pshyche. Our quilts are filled with so much love and we invest so much of ourselves in the. I have a quilt that I bought in a junk shop in Roanoke, Va. It was made from many orphan blocks and where the quiltmaker didn't have enough blocks she filled in with a whole feed sack. She did not have batting so she used feed sacks sewn together and the backing was all feed sacks. That was my motive in buying it, to canablize it for the feed sacks. I literally coudn't bring myself to do it. I had mental pictures of this woman in a mountain cabin making a quilt to keep her children warm. Now when I feel "puny' I sleep under it and wrap myself in it because I know it is filled with love Anne in Richmond

Edie

Every little piece of fabric I put into a quilt, every little fussy-cut, every llittle binding stitch is a part of me. I have totally bonded with the quilt. But all I had was some material, thread, an idea of how it was goint to turn out and went for it. There were a few mishaps along the way, but for the most part I was very happy the way it turned out. Then I gave it away. Very much like our son.

The only sad thing is that I have made a lot of quilts, given a lot away, but I only have one son. But, in return, he gave me a wonderful daughter in law and three grandchildren. I still bond with the quilts. Always will, I guess. And then I get going onto something else, always knowing I can look into my journal and remember. Edie

spacepegs

Last week I posted a photo of my granddaughter's 16th birthday quilt, Color Falls. Although I've made quilts for a while, I'm not yet accustomed to gifting them. I was reluctant to give it to her since she has no clue as how much goes into making a quilt. She did thank me but isn't a gushy kid so I wasn't really sure she liked it. The very next day her mother, my daughter, told me my granddaughter wanted to hang her quilt in her bedroom since it's so pretty and she wanted to look at ofter. As you might expect I was thrilled that I had given it to her, that she truly appreciated it, and I felt vindicated.

I believe I've finally become a true quilter who can give away her precious work and feel appreciated for it. You are giving away a piece of yourself and some of us find that very difficult. You can visit your gift every time you visit it's receiver. Let it go and get busy on your next masterpiece!

Cookie64

No wonder, that is a beautiful quilt, Your mom will enjoy it so much. I wish I was your mom.

Cookie

Pat G

I am so happy to hear your comments about having such separation anxiety with your quilts. I have a whole closet shelf plus pcs. on pant hangers that I just keep piling up because I love the process of making them but have no place to use them. I do rotate things but how often can you do that.

I find that if I make a quilt or pc. specifically for one person in mind, then I have no prob. parting with them. I just finished my very first flannel quilt & every stitch was done with love for the person it's intended for. I figure I can always do another one if I love it so much it's hard to part with. Can't do duplicates though with so many new patterns facing me.

I feel so proud of myself for figuring out how to add pix. that I'm sending one of the flannel rail fence.

Pat

kkbrand

I just gave away my first quilt and I had a hard time with it, it is something you work on and feel attached too whether you like it or not you still feel that attachment.

I am making 3 quilts this year and one is a gift for my parents for Christmas and I know that will be difficult to let go of!

LoisN

Until I started quilting, I don't think I understood the meaning of "putting your heart and soul into it". That is what we do when we make a quilt...then we part with it. It's a loss to us when a quilt goes to a new home. When my FIL passed away, my SIL gave me back the quilt I made for him. I treasure the making of the quilt, the gifting of the quilt, his use of the quilt and it's return to me. It is a very special quilt to me. Not the most fancy, or even my "best" effort, but it was part of me, then part of him, and now I somehow feel like he is still near us.

Schnookie

I have easily given quilts away and then there are the ones I just cannot seem to let go of. I made one quilt for each, for a very close friends two girls that had babies. No problem giving the one quilt away, but for some odd reason I had a problem giving the other away. I think it was that one daughter made it very clear that she appreciated her family and what others people did for her. Whereas the other was a...well a bet selfish and I wasn't sure she would love it as I did when making it.

Then there was one I made for a friend a Krazy kat quilt...I decided she wasn't ready for the quilt and all the work I put into it either. I didn't think that she any idea how much I put into that quilt! So I wasn't ready to just hand it over to her. When she went into the hospital I knew it was the right time to give it to her. The day we took her home, I gave her the quilt to cuddle with on the way home. She loved the comfort it gave her and the timing was right. She often tells me how much it meant to her to receive such a gift at the time. It gave her comfort and it gives me comfort that she does appreciate it.
We put our hearts and souls into making a quilt let alone the time it takes to do so…we only want the best for it and the people who will receive the gift.

JoanneS

Maybe this will help - I made a quilt for my folks' 50th anniversary. They're gone now, but I sleep under that quilt every night when I'm in AZ. You'll probably get your mom's quilt back some day. And you'll remember all the love that's in it from her and you.