Graduation

Think teenagers really don't care about quilts?  Well, that couldn't be further from the truth.  I think everybody has a little "Linus" in us.  All Graduates love cash . . . we all know that.  But they also love something that is distinctly theirs.  I have made quilts for kids graduating high school and the look on their face is priceless.  From the girls, a look of glee.  From the boys a look of, "Quilts can been cool?  Really?"

Chad graduated last year, but I didn't have a "boy" quilt to make this year, and I wanted to show you one.  We gathered up those t-shirts that they can't bear to part with.  You know the ones that are shoved in the back of a drawer and are so wrinkled they are hardly recognizable as a garment anymore.  When you tell your kids to clean out their drawers for Goodwill, they say that old shirt is one of their "favorites" and won't part with it.  I used a template to cut out the shirt and backed it with a woven fusible interfacing.  This stops the shirt from stretching and it will stay square.  Chad loved this t-shirt quilt so much that he refused to take it to college where it may be ruined.  The smile on Chad's face in this picture was not fake.  He genuinely was excited to get this gift.  It was well worth every minute of making this quilt.

Becky is truly a girly girl with three brothers.  A t-shirt quilt just wasn't going to do for her.  As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen her wear a t-shirt other than as a uniform for softball.  Regardless, making a quilt for her was a snap.  She loves purple -- all shades of purple.  This quilt was amazingly easy to make because you didn't have to match one seam!!  There are patterns out there that are young and hip and not your grandma's quilting.  Becky tells me this is going on her bed in college.

It is truly a privilege to share your art with kids.  They love having something that is distinctively their own.  Oh, and yes, I gave them some cash, too.