Creative Mom Cafe

So I decided to take my own advice about the personalized quiltsand make one for my niece. She is an absolute girly girl in every way, completely in love with pink, and has been obsessed with soft fabrics since she was a few months old. She is also incredibly petite, so that normal sized blankets overwhelm her. I planned to put it all together and make her a quilt smaller than a normal sized one, made of the girly-est fabric I could find,and backed with an ultrasoft fleece. Everything seemed perfect as I pieced it together.

However, somewhere along the way I messed up. And didn’t realize it until it was too late. I suppose that is what I get for quilting while my kids were up playing, but the sewing machine is loud and keeps them up so I dared not try after bed. Now the seems are all off. Badly off. I dare not show a photo of the uneven, mismatched mess.

Anyone want a pink quilt, slightly small, uneven seams? I didn’t think so.

So now I must decide: accept the flaws as part of it’s charms and gift it anyway, or toss it in the donation box at the thrift shop and try again?

quilt, quilting, sewing, gift

Who doesn’t love snuggling up under a warm quilt? Even better is if the quilt is made just for you! Creating a personalized quilt is a perfect gift idea, and one that can be fairly inexpensive too.

If you have a music lover who has a dozen or so concert and band shirts, or a sports junkie that collects shirts for his favorite teams you can turn them into a one of a kind t-shirt quilt. This can be a great way to use what you already have and turn them into a unique gift that the recipient is sure to love. You can find several free patterns and how to guides online. A few of my favorite ones are here, here, and here.

If you do not have old t-shirts to cut up or do not want to make a shirt quilt you can still make a fun and personalized quilt. Choose a favorite color and create a quilt that you know they will love. If you are handy with embroidery you can add their name or a special message to give the quilt the perfect touch. You can find thousands of free quilt patterns online to fit any size or shape of quilt you want to make. And you do not have to spend a fortune to make a grat quilt ither. Use fabric from thrift shops, or remains sold in the clearence section of your local craft store. You can even make a warm quilt from old flannel shirts found at your local thrift shop.

Putting together a one of a kind quilt is a wonderful creative gift idea that almost anyone can make. From the simplest quilts to the most complex there are patterns for everyone and every style. And if you start now you might even be done in time for Christmas.

quilting, quilts, t-shirt quilt, 30 Gifts in 30 Days, gift ideas, holidays

Aren’t these dreamy? I found them in the clearance section while making a quick run for cat food. Normally I just like to get in and out but today the clearance rack called to me. With good reason. If only I had more time. There was a roll of beautiful redish-brown leafy print and some soft powder blue material that I was comparing also. If I’m lucky they will still be there when I get a chance to go back.

Of course the next question is “What to do with them?”

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My mother-in-law made the neatest quilt for my husband when he was in High School. It was swatches of his T-shirts and jeans sewed together in a simple block pattern.

I have since saved many of my favorites of my kids’ clothes when I go through their closets with ebay on my mind! The things that I remember them wearing all the time….a certain striped shirt with a little bicycle logo on it or a flowered shirt that says sweetheart or my favorite pair of fuzzy jammies.

Someday I will, too, cut and sew these into my own crude fashioned quilt. My son loves sleeping with “daddy’s jean quilt” and it sparks some conversations as well.

Think about the following conversation when you are ready to sell your daughter’s best toddler dress - THINK QUILT!

“Daddy, why does this T-shirt say SPIDER?”

“Well, bud, when Daddy played little league they called me Spider because they said I could catch anything and that the area around me was like a web.”

“Cool, Dad. You must have been good! What is this dark stain on it from?”

“Hmmmm. That’s the time there was a hole in Daddy’s web and the ball caught ME…right in the nose!”

“Ouch!”

“Yep. Ouch!”