Jellybean has a blanket that she loves. She sleeps with it every night and at every nap. It's not just a blanket; it's a handmade quilt that L's grandma made when L was a baby. It's the perfect size, it's pretty and it's warm. But, it's falling apart and needs repair desperately.
We used to cover Jellybean with it in her crib when she was little, in a rotation with some other handmade blankets from our childhoods. Over time, it became clear that the quilt was her favorite of all her baby blankets. When we moved her to the big-girl bed about a year ago, she insisted that the quilt stay with her. So it has. And it goes on trips with us so she can have it wherever she sleeps (L and I call it her "Linus blanket," although it's not quite that extreme). When she wakes up in the morning, she comes to our room carrying her bear and the quilt. You can see it in the picture where she's sleeping in bed, and it's on her lap in the car seat.
The quilt was already worn, ahem, well loved, when we started using it in her crib. It had some slight tears and frayed edges. Now, several of the patchwork squares are threadbare down to the batting. Other parts of the structure have tears, and the stitchwork on the back panel is slowly coming undone.
My next-door neighbor is a fantastic seamstress and talented quilter. She has a quilting circle that meets regularly, and I've talked to her about finding someone to repair the quilt. She knows people and is willing to make that happen for me.
However, there are short-term and long-term problems with getting the quilt repaired, not the least of which: 1. Jellybean will be without the quilt for some time while it's being fixed. 2. The quilt will be different when it returns -- different fabrics and not as soft from all the wear.
So, do I wait until Jellybean outgrows the need for the quilt, possibly a couple more years, and risk damage to a family heirloom? Or, do we tear off the Band-Aid quickly now, so we can save the blanket but possibly crush a sensitive 3-year-old and her security?
2 comments:
I have no suggestions for repairing the quilt, but if you find a good "mender" let me know. I have a few that could use some TLC.
We are going thru this exact issue with Scarlett. She carries Yellow Blanket (yes, that's its name) everywhere, then hides YB to keep it safe. Then I scramble around trying to find YB at nap or bed time.
I plan to have my friend cut YB in half and hem the cut side, so we have two. Scarlett agreed, but I don't know if she gets it.
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