Getting Shirty

I've been collecting my husband's (and father-in-law's) shirts since at least 2005. He loves a good blue and white checked shirt and all of the variations along the way. He wears them lightly so basically all that is the matter with them is a little fraying on the collar and cuffs. As they all seem to have collar stiffener pockets in them, there is no way to turn them. Sadly for him,.... but not for me.

I have used them for allsorts of stuff in the past including bunting. My grand plan has always involved them in a quilt. Since Thing 1's arrival the idea of a quilt for him sewn from his Dad's shirts (seeing as they are a pretty defining part of him) has tickled my heirloom, romantic family fancy. Gotta leave a girl who lives in a house full of boys stuff some romantic space! And now there is Thing 2 too and they share a room, it seems a little unfair for there only to be one.

 So you have sewn many quilts before, I hear you ask. Well, now you come to mention it, the answer is yes.... two. Both started back when I was at school (don't ask how long ago that is), one finished then, one finished last year. So you see, I am predestined to whip up two quilts.

My original plan was to just hand the quilts to my Mum and ask her to do it. But then I thought it would be a much better plan to get her to teach  me to sew them up. My Mum makes wonderful, bright and cheerful quilts and I would love just to be able to suck up her quilting knowledge without having to bodge a zillion before getting it right. We all know that doesn't work and that you have to practise yourself before you can do it yourself. So I decided that there was no other way that to get stuck in.

I was given this lovely book

 by a great friend. Little did she know that is would finally be the kick in the **** to get this project going.

So the book, the shirts and I (and all of the other luggage) went to my parents and my Mum and I started on the my version of Candy Coated.

Being used to a quick fix (boy's pyjamas being my forte), I am now plugging away at cutting out and pinning. A few blocks have been sewn, but it sure feels like a lot of work for little progress.


Don't hold your breath on this one. It might take another 10 years before even one of these guys ends up on a bed.