Grandgirl's First

This post should have been written 3 years ago, because that's when this tale began. I remember clearly, because it was the day I was babysitting grandgirl and wrote this post about our trip to the grocery store. And after that little episode, we went on to the fabric shop, with little one sitting in the front of a shopping cart once again. She was 15 months old, and happily entertained as I wheeled her up and down the rows of fabric. At one point I stopped to glance at some yardage, and when I turned back to her, I saw she had reached out and grabbed a bright and soft flannel fat quarter covered with doggies. When I tried to put it back, her little fist just clung tighter. So of course I bought it, and ever since I've considered it her 'first fat quarter', and fully intended to make her something with it. But what?

Fast forward those 3 years and that fat quarter was still hanging around, pulled out of the stash now and then, and eventually put away again. It happened to be on my cutting table last weekend when grandgirl was over, pulling scraps from my basket and creating on the design wall as her mother and I sewed. I mentioned the fat quarter, showing it to her, and telling her that I really wanted to make something for her with it but I didn't know what. Well she lit up and got all excited! "Grammy! Make my dolly a quilt!" Well who would have thought to wait until the child was old enough to choose for herself?

So that night, I got to it, fussy-cutting those doggies as best I could. I didn't follow a pattern, pulled scraps for the framing, and just sewed. It's nothing extraordinary, but when I gave it to grandgirl tonight, she hugged it tight, yelling, "you made it!" Indeed I did.

Now this is a little girl, barely 4, who is watching closely, and by some strange yet wonderful power, soaking it all in. She calls fabric, fabric, and corrects you if you call a quilt a blankie. She already knows the joy of creating and that something made with your own 2 hands is something pretty special. I like to think that one of these days she'll be sewing right alongside her mom and I. Time will tell, of course, but for now at least, I'm just glad she appreciates creating for the gift it is.

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.