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Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

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Original poster

Lovely MIL, 70th Birthday, does lots of Quilting, any suggestions for a present

20 replies

BumptiousandBustly · 16/08/2009 14:20

Please can you advise, we would spend up to £100 on her, more if it was something fab. She quilts a lot and I'm afraid I don't really know what she has (though could check with FIL for something specific)

She has lots of books on it, and everything, this is her main hobby. I am looking for something really special and unique.

any suggestions?

OP posts:

hanaflower · 16/08/2009 14:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

BumptiousandBustly · 16/08/2009 14:31

Hanaflower, she lives in Ireland, and its reluctant to travel over here much! - Lovely suggestion though.

OP posts:

moondog · 16/08/2009 14:34

Do not buy her anything to do with her quilting as you will get it wrong or she will have it already. (I'm a quiter and cringe when people-kindly meant- give me stuff to do with it.)

Membership to something like National Trust?

Theatre tickets?

A really super bouquet ? (When you are 70 you have most of what you need.)

Ticket to come over to UK to see yuo.

stleger · 16/08/2009 14:39

Has she been to Kilkenny which has a textile and costume museum? (And a lot of hen parties at weekends but is quieter on Mondays!)

shonaspurtle · 16/08/2009 14:41

My quilting friend would go nuts over some gorgeous fat quarters (I believe that's the term ) from somewhere like Liberty or one of those beautiful-but-pricey online fabric shops. But Moondog is right and you'd really need to know her taste, what sort of projects she likes to do, what she already has so it's pretty high risk.

So, erm, dunno really! We recently took my hard-to-buy-for parents out for a really good meal for their 40th anniversary. Maybe a surprise trip across to visit them and take her out?

Original poster

BumptiousandBustly · 16/08/2009 18:25

Thanks ladies - very good point about getting it wrong with the quilting.

Hmmm. She doesn't like crowds, travels to see us,(and other children) but thats about it.

Really a stay at home woman who quilts.

(am 8 weeks pregnant which she does't know yet, so that will at least be one big suprise for her - fingers crossed all goes well)

OP posts:

chegirl · 16/08/2009 19:04

I think fat quarters would be nice but you would have to buy some bloody expensive ones to spend that much!

I would get FIL to ask her directly. There may be some fab machine thingy that she is craving or a wonderful cutting mat. She probably has everything already but its worth a try.

ilovemydogandmrobama · 16/08/2009 19:06

Could all the family do one quilt square and someone who is a good seamstress, put them all together?

Niecie · 16/08/2009 19:11

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

How about giving her a pile of fabrics to make a quilt for the new baby? Of course you would have to want a new quilt too but you get to chose the colours at least. It would be a nice way of letting her know.

If you wanted a single quilt, you could probably spend in excess of £50 easily, just buying the wadding, fabrics and threads.

Other than that I would steer away from quilting gifts too because if she is that serious a quilter she probably has all she wants and if she wants to replace anything, you would have to ask her what she wants.

MNHQ

OliviaMumsnet · 16/08/2009 19:12

You need morningpaper - she knows lots about Quilting.

moondog · 16/08/2009 19:12

I'd be very pissed off if someone assumed I would make a quilt for them or their child!

Niecie · 16/08/2009 19:27

Are you a quilter Moondog?

There are only so many quilts you can make for yourself and then you have to start making them for someone else. Most quilters I know would love the excuse to make another quilt.

It's her MIL not a stranger!

blithedance · 16/08/2009 19:29

I think for a crafting hobby you generally want to choose your own materials and likely have a big stash already - more stuff to make up can almost be a burden unless it's a lovely kit she'd like.

How about offering her a quilting weekend workshop. I don't generally like crowds/new situations but when you have a hobby in common it breaks the ice perfectly and those workshops are always lovely.

Have a chat with her to see if there's one she might have her eye on (they are advertised in quilting/patchwork magazines I guess).

Or you could get her a ticket and hotel for her and a friend (or even accompany her yourself) to go to a show like the Knitting and Stitching Show/Festival of Quilts (although just noticed this years FoQ is in five days' time!), anything left over coudl be spenidng money.

TaxiLady · 16/08/2009 19:31

i would think she would love to make a quilt for her grandbaby!
i am planning on doing that, even though my eldest child is only 16 :D
can you ask her if there is something she would like for the quilting, but might not buy herself as it's frivolous??

i know that's not really a surprise, but better that than getting it horribly wrong.

SweetEm · 16/08/2009 19:32

What about a subscription to a quilting magazine - this website has a selection. I just googled (uk search) 'quilting magazine' and a whole load of websites popped up so you should find something!

moondog · 16/08/2009 19:35

Yes I am Niecie, and yes I have and do make quilts for lots of other peopel.

Point is, I decide when and how I want to do it, not other people for me.

Niecie · 16/08/2009 19:50

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one because if it were me, I would be chuffed to bits to be asked.

I would also not make a quilt for somebody without asking them what they wanted so if they gave me the fabric I would be happy.

Bumptious - You can buy fancy scissors and thimbles which you would never buy yourself which are beautiful as well as useful.

I will see if I can an example.

Niecie · 16/08/2009 20:07

You will have to scroll down here but the Gingher 3.5 embroidery scissors are expensive and decorative. Not to my taste but I bought some for my mother as she said she liked them. They are pricey and a bit of an extravagance.

This place does gift vouchers if your MIL has a computer to order from.

Quiltingmama · 17/08/2009 12:47

I agree re subscriptions - Quilters Newletter Magazine is from the US and is the mummy of them all - they do international subs and are excellent.

I agree re the problems of getting taste right when it comes to fabric although you cant really go wrong with say a selection of tone on tone batics or solids. Try www.patchworkplace.co.uk for a selection - they also do fabric clubs where they will send out a selection each quarter. Another idea is getting her a sub to a 'block of the moth' quilt where they send you the stuff to do a block each month and then the backing and wadding etc - but you need to be sure of what kind of quilt she likes.

I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven if I got a voucher for a quilt retreat btw.

stealthsquiggle · 17/08/2009 12:57

There are some lovely workboxes and things like that (practical more than pretty) available - or you could try and find somewhere which will do vouchers for her to choose her own quilting-related stuff (I know I would love a funded shopping spree ) - maybe couple a voucher with a really nice pair of scissors so that there is something 'tangible' about the present.

I also found a 'quilt a day' calendar for my SIL.

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