Over the past year, my husband has had to deal with some intensely stressful situations at work. There has been one particular person who has been incredibly supportive of him throughout it all. She has advocated for him, encouraged him, sympathised with him, and is basically the reason he’s stuck around through it all! And as it’s all come to a head recently, she’s been even more important in his work life, and I had the opportunity to finally meet her last week and thank her in person.
But unfortunately, she’s going on leave this week for cancer treatment. Fucking cancer. The second I heard the news, I knew she deserved a quilt, and I had the perfect one just about ready to go – the Symphony quilt I made last year. I had originally planned to gift it to someone else, but this is far more urgent… I had one day to get it finished.
In between school pick up, dinner, and Survivor, I got it done – pieced the binding, attached it, and sewn down. Thank goodness for machine binding! And the next afternoon, my husband helped me grab a few quick photos, ready to take it in to work the next day.
I even had the perfect sized gift box for a big quilt like this. At 72″ square, this is sure to be a nice and cosy quilt for her as she goes through treatment.
As always, there was that little ball of nerves – will she like it?! Will she appreciate it? Will she understand just what it means to get a quilt – the deep gratitude that comes along with it? Either way, if there’s anyone who deserves a quilt, it’s this incredible lady. But I won’t lie, it was a relief when my husband messaged me to say that she loved it and was overwhelmed!
And hey, there’s another WIP off the list for this year.
It has certainly taught me that it’s not a bad thing to stockpile finished (… or almost finished) quilts just in case. I have a couple of larger throw quilts folded away that I was wondering what to do with them, but now I know that I will keep them for the next time I need an emergency quilt!
Do you stockpile quilts for just in case? Baby quilts, sure. But larger? Let me know in the comments!
BillieBee says
So sweet!
Alyce says
Thank you!
MJ says
What a loving gift. Beautiful too!
Alyce says
Thanks, MJ! She loved it.
Ann M says
Perfect gift. I am having a difficult time of keeping spare quilts. It seems that as soon as one is finished, it is needed and away goes that quilt.
Alyce says
That’s not a bad problem to have! A quick turnover at least keeps your cupboards a little more empty than mine 😉
Charlotte says
I have a small stockpile of mostly baby quilts and a few larger, not finished big ones. My last big one had no destination until the top was finally pieced and my husband found out dear friends were going through cancer treatments so that one was finished pronto to give to them. Hope all goes well for your husband’s coworker.
Alyce says
Mine is mostly baby quilts too! There’s a couple of larger quilts that I could gift if a need suddenly arose again, but yes, mostly baby quilts and some cushions/minis!
Nancy says
I have a few quilts stockpiled just like you, and am glad to have them when the occasion arrises My DH has become tolerant of me and my quilts, and has ceased asking “who’s this one for”!! As often I don’t know, but when the need presents itself, it’s great to have something like a quilt to give. Bless you for your wonderful generosity!
Alyce says
Haha, yeah, we creative types very quickly learn not to ask that of each other, and it’s always good when the husbands and partners learn it too!
Lynn says
When I finish a quilt that is not for a designated person, it goes on one of 2 piles. Keepers and Available for gifting. That makes it easy when I am looking for one to gift.
Alyce says
Good idea! We don’t quite have space to separate them all like that, haha! But I do have a mental list of what items could be gifted.
Anne says
It’s beautiful. I am finishing an old WIP which is perfect for my sister in law who just lost her mother. I am going to Perth in just over 2 weeks and there is no way I would have time to start as finish a new quilt.
Alyce says
Thanks, Anne! Sorry to hear about her loss, I’m sure that she too will appreciate the quilty love like my husband’s boss.
Daisy Dianne Bromlow says
What a beautiful quilt and you are a beautiful person for gifting it. Pray all goes well with your husband’s job and his co workers treatment.
Alyce says
Thanks, Daisy! It was the least I could do.
Kay says
Have never stockpiled quilts, but can see why having one almost ready is just perfect. I am sure she will love having this special quilt when life is hard and she needs to snuggle. x
Alyce says
Thanks, Kay! She sent a really lovely message to my husband a couple of days later, so it was reassuring to hear that she appreciated the gift.
Angie in SoCal says
I’ve always wanted to stockpile, but they go out the door as fast as I make them. Bless you – you have given her a wonderful gift to comfort her.
An 18 year survivor of cancer who still has her quilt.
Alyce says
Thank you, Angie! It’s wonderful to hear that the quilt is still hanging around x
Clara Chandler says
I haven’t stockpiled finished quilts but I do have several in process that would be good gifts. Mostly, the quilts I sew for designated for the recipient at the planning stage. This stage is where the angst begins…will they like my choice.
My recent finish is a quilt for a two year old boy who has cancer. My heart aches for him. He is the grandson of a friend and my heart aches for her, also. Darn it!! Why does a little one have to suffer?
Thanks, Alyce, for your blog post today.
Alyce says
Oh that’s heartbreaking 🙁 My cousin had cancer when he was little too, and it’s just awful.
Carole @ From My Carolina Home says
I can’t stockpile, or I become attached and can’t give them away, LOL!! Having said that, I did recently donate two quilts I made last year to charity Silent Auctions. Mostly I just hustle when I need one.
Alyce says
Haha!! Yes, there is that danger! I just gave away my first Aurora quilt too, which I held onto because #tooattached but as I just recently bound a second, and am about to make a third? It’s time to go!
Mary Reyngoudt says
I have recently “gifted” quilts to 2 of my cousins who are both battling breast cancer at this time. We don’t see each other often – maybe once a year or less. Both were so overwhelmed and touched by this gift. It was amazing to me their gratitude as I make quilts for the enjoyment of working with fabric and am so pleased when people actually want them. I do keep a few throw/lap quilts on hand for just this reason. I love to see others enjoy my quilts but do always worry that the quilts may not be to their liking.
Alyce says
Yes, I much prefer to make a quilt specifically for the person/to what I know they’ll like at least colour-wise, so it was a little scary to do this so spontaneously!
Terri says
I just gave my niece a stockpiled quilt when she suddenly lost her husband ina car accident last week. All,I could think of was she needed something made with love to curl up with. I will have to start another large lap one now.
Alyce says
Oh no, I’m so sorry for her loss, that’s devastating. A quilt is a beautiful idea!
Cheryl Brickey says
Perfect gift! I do have a couple of larger lap sized quilts hanging out just in case for gifts, they have come in very handy.
Alyce says
Thanks, Cheryl! I’m certainly going to hold on to a couple of bigger quilts now too, just in case.
Denise says
Thank you so much for this post. I read it to my husband. Explained why our walk in closet is full of space bags with finished quilts.
Alyce says
Hehe, I love that! Glad to be of service 🙂