new favorite, old quilt

Happy (American) Thanksgiving!

This quilt has been around for a LONG time.  It gets put away because it's falling apart, but it got pulled out last weekend for the kids staying over to use.

Luka, apparently, didn't know about it?

He loves it.

You can't really tell what quilt it is from the back, but it's this one:

Those of you who have been following me since the beginning of blogging (pre-Blogger) may remember this one, but I'll share the story again.

In college, I had an extra-long twin bed.  Back then, it wasn't easy to find extra-long sheets and bedding.
(Back then the internet didn't exist either.)

My mom, just starting to get really quilt-crazy, had bought a whole bag of old plaid shirts at Goodwill with the intention of making quilts out of them.

I'm not sure when Bonnie Hunter got her start or when she became so popular exactly, but I'd be willing to bet in 1993, her style wasn't the going thing.  And we had no idea who she was.

So we cut.  And cut.  And cut.  To date, there have been probably a dozen quilts made from these shirts and there's still a bag left.  (You know how scraps multiply overnight?  Combine that with the dirty clothes that multiply in the hamper and boy do you have a problem!)

So anyways, she was just learning applique and we decided to make this quilt.  I selected fabrics, cut pieces out and ironed the edges back to freezer paper.  She sewed them down.  In a manner that we both cringe at a little today.  But she was learning and I didn't even dare try, so we should be proud!

The background and cornerstones are muslin and the hearts are almost 100% recycled clothes.  (She didn't have much of a stash back then, but there were a few plaids we used.)  The quilt is tied in the cornerstones only.  And not every heart is a different plaid.

We chose a bright, soft plaid for the back (partly because it was on the clearance table, partly because it was AWESOME) and it washed up to be the softest material I've ever seen.  (We'll forget Minkee exists for now, okay?)

And this quilt has been loved by many, as you might see by the pieces falling off.  (I really should repair what I can - it's not like I don't know how at this point!)

In college, my boyfriend loved it.
So much that we made him his own.

(That's his dad's tractor - how perfect, right?)

We decided that all hearts might be a little girly and my mom's applique skills has improved a bit in the few years between, so he got stars too.

He loved it so much, he left extra clothes at home so he'd have room to take it with him for his year long college program in Germany!  I bet not many of you can say you made a quilt that went to Germany, huh?

(No, he's not my hubby.  No, I didn't get the quilt back.  It's his, no matter how things ended with us.)

And now my hubby has claimed it as his.  He will argue until you're exhausted that it is not my quilt, but in fact his "Night Sleeping Blanket."  (Who knows why he calls it that, but who knows why men do half of what they do...) 

It lived on our couch for a while, but was taking a beating so I put it away.  It makes an appearance every so often (as you can see above) and is loved again, so maybe I'll see if I can roust Luka off of it and start repairing today while I have some time.  It's a good time of year to have extra quilts on the couch anyways.

Off work today, but back on tomorrow, so I'd better get rolling and accomplish a few more chores before I have to make appearances and eat my weight in turkey, stuffing and potatoes!

Happy quilting,

Katie

PS Luka loves this so much that even the mouse hiding under my dresser is of no concern to him.  (Yes, there's a mouse in my house.  Better than a bat.  I feel a little sorry for the critter, considering we have 5 cats...not that I'd like him to stay.)