My BIL is celebrating his 70th birthday, and on the spur of the moment decided to create a quilt on my EQ6 (now 7) for him using his favorite subject, trains. So, this is what I came up with...some fussy cuts, some photos on fabric and some embroidery. I pieced the bulk of it last weekend and quilted it after work this week, most nights (mornings?) until 1 or 2 am. It isn't perfect, and there was more I would have like to do, but I finished it Friday morning at 2 AM and gave it to him at the family dinner Friday night at 6PM. His dinner was at the restaurant in an old railroad station converted to a Radisson hotel in Scranton, PA.

My DH and BIL aren't ones to show a lot of excitement when receiving gifts - I think partially because they feel embarrassed to be the center of attention and not knowing how to accept a gift gracefully. So, I expected a polite thanks...he got up, hugged the dickens out of me and said in my ear, This is wonderful, thanks for doing it for me..." AND he got all choked up!

He loved the pics of Pennsylvania Railroad cars the most. His wife said she was going to hang it in his den...I said "Nope! This is to be used and abused!" She said "Really, are you sure, it is so pretty?" And i told her absolutely. I told my BIL the same thing, and he said, "wellll....I don't want to ruin it!" I told him to use it, abuse it and when it was worn out I would make him another one....probably for his 80th birthday! His smile spread all over his face, and he said, "OKAY!"

This isn't perfect, the binding which to save time I put on machine, has a few little lips on the back, and I would have like to do more FMQ....but he likes it, and that's all that matters!

Thanks for looking.

I know a few guys that would love to have a quilt like that :lol:

All the work and lost sleep and everything is just worth it when they love it :thumbup:

You are absolutely right!!!!

Great job! You made such a heatfelt gift. And I thought it was great that you told him to use it and that you would make him another one when it wore out! It's so nice when family really "get" each other and appreciate each other.

Awwww I think you hit the nail right on the head with this quilt!!! I am so glad that he agreed to use this awesome quilt... I bet he looks forward to the new one on his 80th, too :D:D:D

That is absolutely fabulous! Isn't it nice when something you've done is so appreciated. Thank you for posting this. I have been wanting to do a quilt for DH with pictures of his 65 Chevy Impala on it and also do a quilt with vintage airplane quilts for the Port Townsend Aero Musuem to help them raise money and this gives me some great ideas on what to do. Thanks a ton.

Sounds like you hit the nail on the head with this gift. Good for you.

Thanks for all the nice words.
Forgot to mention the background/border fabric have outlines of steam engines on it.

What a perfect gift!

That really is an awesome quilt no wonder he loved it.