Blanket Revisited
Two and a half years ago, I made this. Cotton quilt top and fleece bottom. No batting, no quilting. A quilt for corner-cutters.
Oh my goodness, how delicious was she??
As it turns out, my handiwork was shoddy: every time we wash it, another seam pulls apart. I bet I’ve stitched up (with big, ungainly, totally visible stitches) a dozen or more gaps.
As it turns out, that doesn’t matter. It’s everybody’s favorite blanket. I snuggle under it every morning and evening (and a fair amount of time in between). The kids fight over it.
Sorry, Jane.
Its surface seems to attract books.
The other day, I was thinking about how Valentine’s Day is approaching, and although I seldom do seasonal decorating outside the Advent-Christmas stretch, I was walloped with a wave of desire for pink. Pink pink pink. I remembered all the yummy rosy fabrics stuffed in bins in my messy laundry room/storage area—bins I pretty much haven’t touched (except to shuffle them from place to place) since Huck was born. We should make another snuggleblanket, I decided. And by “we,” I mean I intend to foist most of the work upon my offspring.
(Does this sudden plan have anything to do with the fact that Jane had friends over last week and they raved about my blanket, patched seams and all? Probably. I am highly motivated by praise.) 😉
Step 1: Assemble all the pink fabrics in the house. Check.
Step 2: Wash the ones that haven’t been washed yet. Check. (Thanks, Scott.)
Step 3: Press fabrics. Check. (Thanks, Rose.)
Step 4: Locate rotary cutter and that plastic ruler/cutting guide thingy. (Jane’s on it. Thanks, Jane.)
So far, so good. I think we’re on track for a Valentine’s Day snuggle. (I won’t speculate as to which year.)
(Hey, Alice, see that teapot fabric? I bought a whole bunch of it on sale three years ago, intending to make you something sweet for a new-baby gift. Whoops. This is like that time I made you a chicken pot pie after B. was born, but so many friends had brought you dinner that your freezer was full, so I said I’d keep it in my freezer for you. And then I ate it. I’m an awesome friend.)
Mary G says:
It really doesn’t matter if seams pull apart … or it’s not perfect. What our kids see is the love and not the fabric (or yarn, in my case). You should see the horrendous “T-rex” I made my now-13yos … it looks more like a manatee with blood-shot eyes (ok, I was knitting/designing it during my first miscarriage) … but he could care less. He loves that thing simply because I made it!
On January 23, 2012 at 7:48 pm
KC says:
I can’t wait to see what you all put together! 🙂
On January 23, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Ellie says:
Oh my. That is seriously yummy fabric! **swoon**
On January 24, 2012 at 7:52 am
Jane says:
It’s time to find the book “The Quiltmaker’s Gift.” The pictures of the quilts are mouth-watering and the story is sweet. I can’t remember if I’ve seen you blog about this one before or not, so I thought I’d mention it. There is a book of the quilts from the book, too.
On January 24, 2012 at 7:58 am
maria says:
Again, your simple existance encourages me to no end in the best of ways. See, I just today found a stack of birthday cards (one even signed and addressed) which obviously never reached their receiver since I, obviously, never sent them. I have stacks of quilt squares waiting for…..I dunno, time to pass? They’ve logged years at this point. Anyway, thank you again for your encouragement and inspiration as well. That quilt is wonderfully gorgeous in such a cozy way that my stacks of quilt squares may actually come together…..maybe. 🙂
On January 24, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Lauren says:
Hey there! I have been following this site since 2008, but first time to comment! I LOVE this “quilt” with the fleece backside and am DYING to make one myself. How big is this one? It is SOO cute and I want a big snuggly blanket for when I read! Thanks, and love your site, you and your family inspire me! Your family seems so wonderful 🙂
On January 28, 2012 at 3:31 pm