For my Quilt-Stealing Husband

My husband is a quilt-stealer. It serves me right, because he doesn't have a proper quilt of his own. Not to say that I haven't made him one already--he just doesn't like that one. You see, he didn't always like quilts...

A new quilt for my husband. The top needs a good ironing, right? Made from Camille Roskelly's book Simply Retro with Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids.

A couple of years ago I did make him a quilt--it wasn't exactly pretty, but it's what he asked for.
He was very specific about what he wanted; he didn't want anything too "quilty" looking (no traditional blocks star blocks or anything like that), no floral fabrics (Joel Dewberry fabric was even unacceptable), and he didn't want it quilted too heavily because that would make it too stiff. And he also requested the backing be something other than quilting cotton (like flannel) to make it softer--because quilts aren't soft enough (according to him). He then decided he just wanted squares of different flannels and blue-jean fabric to be on the front of the quilt--not really my cup of tea.

I asked him, "Are you sure it's a "quilt" you want, and not just a regular blanket that you could buy at the store?"

"No, I want you to make me a quilt."

"But you want a quilt that doesn't look or feel like a quilt?"

"Yes."

"Hmm." I could see I wasn't going to get anywhere with him. So I rolled my eyes, and made his "blanket".

When I gave it to him he was happy for about 5 minutes--and then he covered up with it...

"It's not big enough. It doesn't cover my feet."

"Ahhh!" I thought to myself. And at the time, a 60" x 60" quilt was the largest size I was comfortable making.

"I want you to make me another one--only bigger." This is coming from the man who will moan and groan if I ask him to occasionally throw some clothes in the washing machine.

We have been discussing his new quilt for a LONG TIME, and that has given him enough time to change his mind about what he wants--and who says men can't change? You see, he is a quilt convert. He loves quilts now--he is always stealing mine, and it's all the things he didn't think he wanted--no flannel backing, and it's quilted heavily. But now he likes using it more than the other thicker, store-bought blankets. And he is seriously nagging me to death to finish his:) Whenever I am working on another project, he gives me a hard-time and says, "Why aren't you working on my quilt?!". And he has been dropping not-very-subtle hints for me to get it finished, "well, as soon as I have my own quilt...".

So this weekend I need to baste this top, and get it quilted. That way a) he'll be happy b) he'll stop nagging me, c) I can get my quilt back and d) the next time I ask him to unload the dishwasher and he complains I'll give him the "I-spent-hours-and-hours-making-a-quilt-just-because-I-love-you" look;)


The quilt top is from the Camille Roskelley's book "Simply Retro" and I used Michael Miller Cotton Couture shades of blue for the blocks.