Treva’s quilts - learning experience!
 

Last fall a recently widowed lady at church asked me if we would make some bed runners for her children and grandchildren out of her husband’s shirts. I told her that we didn’t have time to get our own projects done and that I didn’t think we wanted to add another project to our plate. She asked what would be involved and then asked again several times for us to do them. In a moment of weakness I said yes. Lesson learned! The answer is always NO!

I told her that they needed to be dress style cotton shirts. The next week she brought me a bag full of knit polo-type shirts. I told her that we had things in line that needed to be finished and I would have to put her in line. She must think I have forgotten her by now, but I just finished binding the last one at a few minutes before midnight. I will be so glad to get these to her tomorrow! I have not enjoyed this project at all. Everything had to be stabilized, which made it bulky, tension on DSM and quilter had to be adjusted, ran out of fabric for the alternate blocks and had to piece some of them, and on and on.

I hope the kids love these. I would hate to think I labored through all this just so they could put it in the dog bed or stuff it in a closet.

It’s too late now, but what do you consider bed runner size? I thought it should have some overhang on the sides so I made the queen size ones 84 by 24 and the kings 96 by 24.

Thanks for looking.

You are a very good person. I would have handed them back the minute I saw the polo shirts. I think your sizes are perfect. Don't ever ask what happened to them if she doesn't tell you. You may not want to know.

Good job getting them done, they look good. Also, remember that “No.” is a complete sentence- that’s one I’m still working on.

Rob

I hope she appreciates you and the final results. I think they turned out well and the sizes sound about right!

You did a great job on them and you are a great and wonderful person to do this. I guess she was quite persistent that you do these runners. I sure hope the recipients appreciate all the hard work you did to get them done. Polo shirts are hard to deal with I am sure.

I did a quilt for a charity with t shirts that had logos of past events on them. I hated every step and vowed "never again". They loved it of course. It hangs in the waiting/reception room for all to see. I will never do it again, but, like you I am glad I said yes.

It is so hard to get involved with a new project like this when you schedule is already full to the top I started saying no sometime ago and I don't regret it a bit. The last one felt like and imposition on my very limited time even for my own sewing. The woman was very pushy. Now she wants other thing, like can you find me a new doctor or what should I have you do to find new health insurance. The biggie was Could I make a quilt for a friend of a friend for her. Of course all of these things I would supply everything .Arrggg! So now I tell everyone no! I love to quilt it is my passion but I don't like feeling used.
I am sure your bed runners will be appreciated but this is one of those times were don't ask so no one can tell.

You are a good and kind soul. Think look very nice. I have no experience with any fabrics but cotton and some with poly/cotton, as in the wash and wear from the 70s.

I did make a king size quilt for a quilt loving Grandson and his wife. Had to quilt it in sections and wash and dry it in sections. No way would it fit in my washer and dryer. It was 110 x 115". He is a tall drink of water and I wanted to make sure it covered him. He loved it and profusely thanked me. She like it too and talked about it being huge.

Her Grandma made them one and had a friend quilt it on a LA. She loved that it had different designs on it. I just do FMQ on DSM.

I vowed it would me my last one and it will.

Great job...I am not sure I could have done that.

You did a beautiful job on the bed runners!

I must admit I am very ignorant. I've never heard of a bed runner. You were very kind to indulge her. Good work!https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/heart.gif

Great job on the runners!

So very kind of you to work on this project for her. I think memory quilts are inherently a hassle! I did 3 lap quilts for someone out of her dad's shirts (western style but not all cotton) and his "work" pants--poly blend and cotton khakis (he was farmer). Had to deconstruct the shirts (she wanted some pocket pieces) and the pants. Plus she wanted 3 different designs--but since each had to have at least one of the shirt pockets on it I had to keep fairly simple patterns. Luckily I did not have to stabilize any of it.
Then her hubs wanted a wall hanging with his alma mater--had a flag that he wanted the center pc with logos out of t-shirts around it--but was short on t-sheets, etc.Plus he really didn't want to pay the price I needed. We finally settled on something that worked--but the process was a pain! Hardest was for my step MIL--after FIL died she instantly donated all his clothing before I got a chance to say I'd do memory quilt. Later she was at their lake house and found a swimsuit, a rayon shirt, a t-shirt, 3 knit polo shirts (the slinky kind of knit), and a tighted knitted fleece pullover and asked that I use those! Lots of stabilizer, plus addition of some cotton fabrics to make a carpenter's star. The hardest was the darn fleece--it was a Patagonia pullover meant for outdoor wear and hard to sew through. I've sent left the t-shirt making business and only make for family.

The family will LOVE them.
Good job.
Donna Mc