Time will Tell

I’ve been meaning to share some of my earlier quilts with you all and when I took this one out of the wash for the upteenth time, I knew that I had a story to tell.

I made this quilt about 11 years ago for my now husband. This was my way of telling him that I loved him. Yes, quilty dork from ages past. When you are a quilter, the way you tell someone that you think they are the one…make them a quilt.

Time will Tell

I was trying to make something masculine and I was going for a quick quilt because of life chaos and time constraints at the time. But oh how much I have learned since then!

This is probably the first quilt that I just winged it on aka designed. Simple squares and fabrics that I hoped he would like. But I didn’t know about good fabrics yet. And this quilt is a cautionary tale for you!!

Time will Tell

Faded fabrics…yes I can handle that. A sign of love even that this quilt has been well used for the last 11 years. But oh the binding!! First off, what was I thinking with an 1 1/2″ wide binding? You may not be able to tell from the pictures but the quilt doesn’t even fill out the binding that far. lol

But there are some pretty noticeable holes. And they riddle the whole edge of the binding completely around the quilt.

Time will Tell

The white fabric I used for the binding (again a white on white floral?! uck! lol) was most likely one of the cheapest fabrics that I used on this quilt. And it is showing it’s shelf life like you wouldn’t believe. The fabric is literally disintegrating more each time we wash it. I know that I bought all of these fabrics from Joanns because I did not know that you could buy fabric anywhere else. (You can by the way get good fabric there…this just wasn’t it!) If I had heard of various stores here or there I certainly didn’t believe that it truly made a difference.

But I know now. I believe.

Time will Tell

Ironically these colors never suited my husband. He didn’t tell me at the time of course (he was young and in love too) but over time he has told me that he prefers brighter colors. And of course his least favorite print is the one that I based the whole color scheme off of, the one that looks like paint splatters. (He’s a contractor) So I definitely owe him a new quilt. Something bright and cheerful but not feminine. He loves the poly batting so I am required to use that again. One of these days I’ll make something for him. 😉 I’m thinking triangles…

So if you plan on making a quilt for your fella and want it to be loved and loved until it falls apart, go ahead! It may fall apart a bit sooner than you planned but it will be like those old college tshirts that you just can’t bare to part with. A part of your history.

25 thoughts on “Time will Tell”

  1. I made my son a quilt when he was around 8 years old. That thing is a rag. He used it til a couple of years ago. Now I need to make him a newer one, so he doesn't get attached to the bought one (he,he). Oh, yes and he is a Junior in college 🙂

  2. I made my husband a quilt as a wedding gift (also 11 years ago!). It is nice to see that the quilt has been so loved! Have you thought of replacing the binding? You could use your seam ripper to take it off and put something else on or just take the rotary cutter to it and cut off the binding. Just a thought! Definitely a good lesson though, thanks for sharing!

  3. Before reading this post, I wanted to say that I couldn't wait for the day my quilts started to show wear (I've been sewing for three years or something). I'm reconsidering that now, haha!

  4. This reminds me that I made a t-shirt quilt for my very first boyfriend when we were 17 or 18. My grandma said you should never make something for your boyfriend, because by the time you are finished, your relationship will be done too. Ha! She was almost right. I wonder if he still has it…

  5. i too had no idea you could buy fabrics anywhere else. i never fathomed that there was such a thing as "designer fabric", and stumbled across some heather ross one night, totally by accident, one night when i was about 7 months pregnant with my first. the first true quilt i made (read: quilted, not tied) was for my husband, and it's 100% joann's fabrics, with a SATIN binding. it's actually in really good shape, miraculously. especially considering how many times it's been washed.

  6. So cute! Do you consider exchanging the binding despite plans for a new quilt? Triangles sounds fab, by the way.

    I've yet to make a quilt for us (11 months until our first/sixth anniversary) but I made the hubs Snoopy pillow covers because his well-loved age-old bed linens are falling apart and we had no covers for the half-sized (to Germans) pillows anyway. He loves them.

  7. It's funny seeing this, since my first real quilt, after an attempt with crappy fabric and crappy seams, has been a lap quilt for my husband. To avoid problem with colours and design, he chose his own pattern and palette, so I know I've made something he likes and it's a pleasure seeing him cuddle beneath my lovely quilt in the really cold evening in winter…thank you for sharing
    Chiara

  8. My husband requested a man quilt, backed in Minky and with a "pocket" at the bottom for his feet. He's also 6'2", so it needs to be plenty big enough. I'm figuring it out, but it's a challenge.

    As for the cheap fabrics and fraying binding, we are feeling your pain over here. We were given a queen-sized quilt as a wedding gift 11 years ago. My seven year old son claimed it and has been snuggling with it ever since. It's been washed a few too many times. The binding is shot. The backing ripped and revealed a pieced batting that is falling apart. I have quilts that I made 20 years ago that are still holding up!

  9. Although JoAnn's does sell inexpensive (cheap) fabric that doesn't hold up, they also have very good quality fabrics that are entirely suitable for many uses. I like their selection for holiday pieces – and those types of peices don't get such heavy wear. I don't want to appear here as a JoAnn's apologist but I hear this all the time at guild meetings and in other blogs and it's really a function of purchasing inexpensive fabric that is inappropriate for the use at hand. The ladies at JoAnn's will (for the most part) advise buyers if asked as to the suitableness of the fabric for the proposed use. Ok – off my soapbox!

  10. Well rebind that puppy so he can get a few more snuggles out of it! Oh, I also thinknthis is a great lesson in bias vs. Straight edge binding! I love the lox worn it quilts ghat have a few more miles on them! Thanks for sharing!

  11. Having just made my boyfriend a quilt, I'm a little nervous about all of the implied commitment of that action referred to in this post and in the comments! Yikes!

    Off to find a paper bag to hyperventilate into…

  12. I truly believe the quality of the goods that are sold at Joanns are not the same quality of the goods at quilt stores! I love that your husband loves his quilt so much that it looks so worn! Did you know that binding cut on the bias will last and wear much longer? Takes more time to cut it, but it is worth it!

  13. I started collecting quirky prints suitable for my other half and making him a simple but big quilt. Then he announced he'd rather I made him a plain duvet cover never a quilt. So I have an interesting stash of fabrics in need of a plan b. He says he just doesn't like the whole patchwork quilt thing at all lol

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