This is not a cheap habit.

Sometimes we craftspeople are a little delusional. We get into certain things, say quilting for example, for a number of reasons. One of the reasons, for me, anyway, was the desire to save a few bucks by doing it myself. Okay, sure, the quilt of my dreams way back in the mists of time was $600. Of course I didn't buy it, I could make it myself! Did I? Nope. In fact, I haven't made LOTS of the quilts I want. I have, however, made some. And it wasn't cheap!

My ongoing "You're 16 so No More Presents Christmas Quilt-a-thon" continues. I decided, in my Scroogetude, that as my multitude of nieces and nephews reached their 16th Christmas, they would get no more presents from me. They would get a bed sized quilt as a final send off into Grownupland. Of course we geriatrics know that 16 year olds aren't adults, but they think they are, so who am I to argue? I got started late, some of them are hitting 18 this year, but I'll be all caught up by 2008. I think.

Christy is my 2nd brother, Ed's, kinda-sorta stepdaughter. He lives with her mother and seems genuinely, finally, happy. I'm glad. Including Bev's children in my definition of family seems like the very least I can do, so I do. Christy's older sister, Jen, received a quilt last Christmas as did my oldest brother, John's, oldest child, Shannon. The year before, just one quilt, for my youngest brother, Rob's kinda-sorta stepdaughter Amanda. Amanda's mother and Rob were married for some years when Amanda was younger and she considers him as much a father as the man who didn't marry her mother. So of course she's my niece too. What the heck - the more the merrier! In all, there are photos of 19 grandchildren in my mother's wallet. Actually, there's probably none, but it's a metaphor. Enjoy.

As I admitted that I have to either buy new batting or quilt a whole lot more on Christy's quilt to meet the 3 1/2" minimum Hobbs 80/20 requires, I realized that this quilt, almost all from my stash, has cost me about $100. They all have. Amanda's was even more because I sent it out to be quilted. The thought of spending $100 on a Christmas gift for a kid I've never even met (or one I have met who probably won't even send a thank you card) seems a little ... I dunno... off. But I'll do it. And I'll continue to do it, until every one of those 19 rugrats has a lovely quilt from Aunt Dorothy (or mom as the case may be) on his or her bed.