Making a quilt for someone you love

I have made so many quilts since the day I started quilting. A lot of them have been gifts to people I love. I did not realize it before, but I do know it now that there is a method I follow - unknowingly - when I am making a quilt for someone special. Today, I'm sharing it with you all.





So I have made numerous quilts since 2010. When I started quilting, I usually made baby quilts (with a few exceptions). And Aadi was little at the time. He was my favorite prop to photograph my quilts. So he always thought that every quilt I made was for him!





The first quilt I specifically made for someone special - not decided-to-gift-it-to-them-because-they-love-me-enough-to-overlook-the-flaws - was the one I made for Aadi. After giving away or selling all his quilts I knew I had to make one for the little guy. I had just received a panel of Cat in the Hat in a swap and I decided to make a simple quilt using it. He had recently watched Horton hears a Who and loved the panel. So I was sure he'd love these characters too. I wasn't wrong. You can see his glee in that picture!





Next was quilt I made for my car loving nephew - Parth. He was about to become a teenager and wanted a larger quilt. I ordered some racing car fabric for him specially and made one titled Vroom!





Next was the quilt that changed my world! I made this quilt specially for my husband - Rohit, my Father-in-law and my brother-in-law to celebrate 100 years of the family business. It is a portrait of Dada Ajoba - Rohit's great-grandfather who started the family business in absolutely adverse conditions and grew it to heights! He is the inspiration behind all Dandekars! Making a portrait of him was an honour in itself.





Next was a Hawaii Quilt I made for my brother - Chaitanya and his new bride - Rucha. It was a small quilt meant to go on the floor of the really tiny apartment that they called their first home. It has been loved over the years and it gives me so much pleasure seeing it being used for their son now!





Then came the iQuilt I made for my little brother - Chaitanya. This one was special because it marked the beginning of another era in portrait quilt making for me.





All of these quilts, and many more that I have made for my parents, friends, cousins, nephews & nieces, have gone through a similar process, though they look nothing like each other. So what is this process that I go through when I make these?


I spend a lot of time thinking. I normally spend a lot of time thinking about all the quilts I make. But usually I am thinking about something else and a quilt design pops into my head. Here - I am thinking specifically of what to make. Will it be a quilt to put on the wall or one meant to snuggle under?


I choose each fabric carefully. Again, this is true for every quilt that I make. But the difference here is that I think about every fabric with respect to person it is intended for. Do they like the print? Do they like the colors? Is it soft enough to cuddle under?


I put it together carefully. Again, not that I am careless with my other quilts, but I do take special care while putting these together. Maybe mainly because I do not want to go through the agony of finding the perfect fabric for it again.


I reminisce when I make them. I find that every time I am making a quilt for someone, I tend to think about them and my relationship with them while making it. It brings back so many memories that I fall in love with them - again!


I love the look on their faces when they receive it. It is the ultimate payment for a labor of love. The expressions on their faces are absolutely priceless and I am so happy to be able to actually gift them a hug!


Have you made a quilt for someone you love? How was your experience when you made it?