to be less than thrilled at MIL offering me her 30 year old curtains for use in my house?

[emkana]

I do feel slightly guilty because she is possibly the best MIL on the planet.

Apart from offering me her curtain cast-offs that is...

lol no..but nice thought

Haha! Are you my sister-in-law? Because that's just the sort of theing my MIL does!

This happens to me all the time. The last time she gave me dp's grandmothers ancient old curtains. Because apparently 'you like old fashioned things'

I say thankyou graciously and accept. Then when she comes to the house expecting to see them in use, I say 'oh the fabric was soooo fantastic I gave it to the friends of the museum as they make period costumes for children to dress up in and learn about history'

What can she say to that ?

Are they nice/in good condidtion? Ok, probably not - thought that counts though. If it is any consolation I have quite a few of my MIL's cast - off - all good stuff though - she is very particular and the poor relations (US) get the stuff that is no longer good enough for her.

you know my MIL is always doing things like that (eg before ds was born arriving with all dh's baby blankets and duvets etc from when he was a baby!..) and i always groan but sometimes the "gifts" have turned out to be really useful - in fact a pair of thick velvet emerald green curtains now keep our spare room lovely and warm in the winter! And the "pram nest" that my dh lay in as a baby was lovely for my ds and all my friends with babies wanted to know where i got it from! Bless the old MIL

Kind of her to offer but you shouldn't feel bad about rejecting them politely saying that they won't go with your decor / you don't need them / they are not your taste etc. If she is that great a mil I am sure she will understand!

I can beat that- I mentioned to MIL that we would be using reuseable nappies, so she has asked her sister if we can have her old terry nappies. Her 25 year old terry nappies. Politely declined that one...