Our 10th Anniversary is a week away. I'd hoped to have this quilt done to give to Hubby as a present but damn that baby getting in the way!
I was too pregnant to baste the king sized quilt and now I'm too busy nursing to do it. Oh, and Hubby has been great and been home more. Fantastic from a parenting point of view, but a bit tough on planning a surprise. I'm not complaining, though. I've got my gorgeous boy keeping me busy and really, the distraction is pretty much about our marriage.
So, thank-you for all the good wishes. We're doing great (well, as good as it gets) with our expanded family.
A quick question though, have you ever given an unfinished quilt as a gift or do you simply give a rain check?
27 comments:
I once took an unfinished quilt to a baby shower, presented it during present opening time, and then took it home with me to finish!
I gave my sweetie the same quilt for Christmas two years in a row. The first year was just the top and the second was the finished quilt. It was a monster!
I have never given an unfinshed quilt but I know many do. I think DH will understand if you wrap the top up with a note that the quilt will be completed in the near future.
I have given an unfinished quilt twice - both times I had finished the top but not quilted it. Once was a baby shower and once was a Christmas gift. I liked having "something" to give even if it wasn't quite finished.
Congratulations on your beautiful son.
I have been known to wrap up the quilt top, then take it home with me to finish.
I gave a wall hanging basted to my mother-in-law for christmas one year. She's a quilter, so she totally understood. I do know though she's given quilt tops unfinished herself. with a quilt, it's always the thought that counts, not the the timeline
I definitely think you could give him the quilt top with a promise that it will be the first thing finished in your new sewing room :)
I have given a quilt top as a gift and taken back to finish. It puts a bit more pressure on you to get it done because they ave seen it half finished and you don't want to look like a slacker!! But I don't think your husband would think you are a slacker! All things considered, I would expect he thinks you are a goddess.
Of course you should give it to him unfinished and then he can help you with the finishing or at least help to get you bits of time to work on it. I am sure he will be happy to see how much you have done, given that you were pregnant and all.
Everyone is different, but for myself I could never present a part done quilt -- the idea of a promise some time in the future that I might not be able to fulfill is what keeps me from giving unfinished quilts... PLUS a cousin gave me an unfinished quilt for my wedding, and 40 years later the fabric and pieces still sit on a shelf in her sewing room! now, who wants avocado green, gold and brown in a quilt? not me!!
no, I've never given a partly finished quilt as a gift. But I really don't think your hubby would mind, would he? And then you can get some help with the basting :) {or at least help keeping the kids occupied while you baste}
One year my mother knit a sweater for me for Christmas. when I lifted it out of the box, the sleeves fell off! It was knit, but not sewn together. She had folded it so perfectly that I couldn't tell until I picked it up :) Now, it is a fun memory of my childhood. (she did finish it right after Christmas)
I wouldn't worry a tad: I have even presented uncut fabric as a gift... pretty far removed from a finish! Low expectations make for an even nicer surprise in the end, surely? But I did finish the quilt eventually, several months later. Heck, you've just had a baby, so do be kind on yourself! Enjoy the process, even if it draaaaags on a little: those first days and weeks with a little babe are so magic.
Juliet
http://pragmaticpatchwork.wordpress.com/
I gave my teenage son an unfinished quilt for Christmas one year. It was my first real quilt. I gave him the finished blocks in a gift box. He loved it. Or at least did a good job of pretending. :) I had it finished for Valentines Day. Happy Anniversary!
I almost gave the fabric to a friend for her baby shower- but she was put on bed rest so the shower was cancelled. That gave me the time needed to finish.
I haven't given a quilt unfinished. I just give it late. I figure that when it arrives finished, the surprise factor adds to the overall gift.
I have never given an unfinished quilt, but I did one time give an IOU name/date shoes at a baby shower... My Daughter and I BOTH have them and since the shower was prior to the baby being born I had no clue what to have put on them! What you have never heard of them!! Go here and they have been around since I was a tot! http://www.babyshoe.com/category_s/1.htm WAY CUTE!!!
I once gave my mother a sandwiched quilt and said it was 'two gifts in one - a project AND a quilt'! {She is a quilter though and loved it!}
Yup! I've given an unfinished quilt for a gift. I just add that I need it back to finish up. :)
Oh sure! I've given just the squares before they were an entire quilt top... it's all about the love and intention. Just soak up this time with your sweet little one whenever you can and give that man what you've got of a quilt. Geez... ask me for an opinion and I give it.
I've given one quilt unfinished and was really glad to have the motivation of "guilt if it doesn't get done" to push me to finish it.
yes, i've given unfinished quilts. that way, the top can be a suprise, and then you have the (not secret anymore) time to work on it, plus the (guilt) motivation. works for me! and you too!
Quilters are not the best at being timely. I have tried to be prompt about competion of my quilt gifts.
Once in a while things come up that do not work with our wishes and desires.
In those cases I present the quilt top to the person, and provide a modified regifting date. I was lucky to have that adjustment well received.
I am sure your husband will understand that your family comes before the completion of the quilt.
Yes, I've given a baby quilt or two not completed and reclaimed them to finish.
On an unrelated note:
I finally got your book in the mail and I've thumbed through and read some! So fun. Loved seeing your grass quilt in the book. I adore the quilting on the quilt. Now I just have to finish a million projects (well just one king size quilt, a baby quilt and a twin quilt) before I can start something new and maybe I should find my sewing table again too!
Anyway, congratulations on the book and a sweet baby. Ooh, and I just downloaded the podcast to listen to while I'm sewing:)
I have thought of giving an unfinished quilt, but I can't do it. I would rather give it late finished then just the top. Kimberly
Totally! I gave my cousin her 50th birthday present, made sure it fit on her bed, then took it back home. With family, you can get away with it! :)
Me too, Samantha!! I wrapped the nearly-finished quilt and took it to the baby shower and then took it back from her so I could finish it. I only had half the binding sewn on and there were binding clips around the unfinished parts. She had a great sense of humor so it all worked out!
I know you've already decided to give it to him...I haven't given an unfinished quilt but I did wrap up a big stack of fabric as a gift and say that I'd making something for them!
Glad he's around more.
Rest up1
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