how to extricate myself!

[bednobs]

Hi, i asked my mother in law the other day if she knew anyone who did quilting because i want to make a quilt (have a quilt made) out of my daughter's baby clothes she's grown out of, y'know the sentimental things, like the first clothes she wore, the clothes she finally came home in, the blanket she had in her incubator and so on.
Anyway, she rang me today to tell me she's enrolled on a quilting course so that she can do it and "would be honored" to make the quilt.

i shoul dhave said something right then, but in the nicest possible way, i don't want someone practicing on these important (to me) items of clothing - i want it to be lovely, not someone's homework project. I had already tracked someoen down who runs a company doing just what i want and was going to send the stuff to them to do.

Clearly, she could be good at it, but who knows? so, do i let her do it, or find some way of making her not do it?

[friedgreentomato]

Just thank her very much but that you have found a company that is going to do it for you - can you give her some other baby clothes and let her loose on them - if she is good you have 2 if she is bad you have not lost anything?

[gness]

As a quilter i know that a quilt made by a beginner under a good tutor can be beautifully made.
Your MIL will also make contact with people who can help with the slightly more difficult finishing process if she continues after the course ends.
A quilt made by Grandma is more special.

[ladybirder]

I think the fact that your daughter's grandmother made it will make it even more special even if it's not perfect. And I think it's too late now to say something.

[phleb]

I agree with gness, and i sure grandma will do her very best to make it perfect.

[Mamyalynne]

I agree that the fact she has taken the trouble to enrol in order to do this is a lovely thing - as said above a quilt by Gran will be all the more special.

[DTCwordfan]

Let grandma have first dibs at it for if she pulls it off, then brilliant, it's far more emotionally valuable.

Keep some items back in contingency so if it is a disaster, all bases covered.....

The condition to this is that you have enough baby items (don't forget a snippet off first stuffed animals if you still have them and they are in a "bad" state - and assuming they aren't Steiff).

[sherrardk]

Sorry, have to disagree :( Bednobs, you have to say something like you have signed a contract or give her some clothes from a charity shop or something. Don't want to be presumptions, but this quilt is super-duper sentimental to you and Mr Nobs.

[gness]

My 30 year old has hanging on her wall my first Cathedral window experiment. She will soon have the hand pieced king size quilt. Good, but maybe an expert quilter could do better, they just wouldn't mean as much. These will be handed down with......Made with love by the dotty Grandma/Great Grandma.

[bednobs]

perhaps i will sort out the ultra sentimental stuff, and some ordinary too small stuff and let her loose on the not so important stuff to see what it looks like. There are always more baby clothes that are too small anway! Although i can see people's point about grandma. Perhaps i'll ask mr bednobs what he thinks

[Mamyalynne]

Sherradk really?? Well as a Grandmother (who has hand crafted many many items for my 4 little ones) I would feel a bit put out, would not make a fuss but surely the family sentimentality overall should come to the fore. What do you do, hide the professional one when Gran comes to visit??

[ladybirder]

sherrard but it will be just as sentimental for gran as well surely. I think it would be terribly hurtful after and unkind after this kind lady has enrolled herself on a course to learn how to do it, to turn her down. It will be done with love which is something a company can't give. It's a gracious gesture and as gness says if it is to be handed down it will be extra special because grandma did it.

[mike11111]

I don't really know who is sadder, Bednobs or Bednobs' MIL.

[bednobs]

what do you mean mike?

[gness]

You may not Mike but we do and it's neither bednobs nor her MIL.

[mike11111]

Quod dixi, dixi,
.

[bednobs]

hello mike, so what is it you mean?

[sherrardk]

Sorry everyone, but do any of you realise just HOW much this particular quilt means to Bednobs?

[ladybirder]

Mike we know what you said but what did you mean?

[Mamyalynne]

Sher - Yes.

[ladybirder]

Yes, I do sher, and so does her MiL.