I go through this fight every time I go to my inlaws over Katie's flags and Sarah's blankie. Katie has several bright yellow poly-china silk flags that she adopted when she was about 18 months old. I was coaching a high school color guard and brought the practice flags home to wash one day. Needless to say 3 of the flags never made it back to the school. Katie has carried one of those things around with her ever since - she is 7 years old now. Sarah has a green fleece blanket she is much the same way about and she is 6 years old.

My inlaws constantly threaten to throw them away (especially the flags because they just don't get it), and can't understand why I do not rip these items from them since they are too old to have them. I tell them first of all I do set rules - they cannot take them out in public (although in the car is ok) or to school. They are washed frequently too.It would hurt them more for me to take these items away than it hurts them to have them now. I will make the blankies and flags into quilts for each of them when they are ready, and I have told them this already. Katie is almost there, and I found on the McCormicks color guard site where they sell the poly-china silk by the yard in every color under the rainbow, so I think I will have fun with that.

Ok, I'll get to the point now. Some people can't seem to see the point in such things - a rag is a rag to them. That seems so sad though. To me those blankies, quilts, and flags have so many memories wrapped up in their threads that it would be a travesty if they were lost, and I think it was wonderful that you were willing to stand up for and give advice to that young woman. I hope she saves her husband's quilt!

Mandy - who still has a really ratty teddy bear with half the stuffing knocked out and restuffed with cut up panty hose and old yarn (done by herself when she was 6 )

I am the fortunate heir of belongings from about six generations in one or the other side of my family. I love these things and the stories that go with them and when my house becomes too full with the various and sundry things family sends on to me, I share them with other members of my extended family who have not had the good fortune to receive things from the family. I had to educate my dh though to the value of these things (not monetary but sentimental and family history value) His mother was a firm believer in the theory that if it didn't have a useful purpose it was a dust gatherer and she threw them out. When dh's grandmother died, dmil threw all of the grandmother's costume jewelry in a burn barrel and burned it. I was sick at heart because G'ma had so many things that had meaning in the memories of the times we had seen her wear and enjoy them. Quilts blankets tablecloths lace doilies had even less value. Fortunately dh learned his lessons well and does not discard things without asking. And ds and dd also learned well and appreciate the things they have been given and have their orders in for things I own. And dgd is already a collector of stuff so probably doesn't need much encouragement.

It makes me sad when I see people who do not value their heritage whether it is shown in things or just knowledge of the family but there is just too much here and now and throw away in the society so I guess I am fighting a battle that I cannot win except with my immediate family and friends.

Ann the perennial collector

All of my babies had a special blanket some had 2 my youngest had 1 and he love 1 of my night gowns I made it in to a blanket when he was 3 and then he got to be about 9 or 10 and I made it in to a pillow case he can use a no one will know what it was Happy

I was setting in the Dr.s office yesterday and two ladies were talking (most likely mother and daughter). The mother was telling the daughter that it was just a ratty blanket and to just throw it out. The daughter (thank God) kept saying "but his Gramma made it when he was a baby, it's special." All the older woman kept saying was it's nasty and throw it away. Finally I could keep my mouth shut no longer. I told the younger of the 2 if she wanted to fix it or restore it to contact a quilter. Perhaps they would be able to help. Then I told her where to look on-line and in the area. I also told her that if it was something from his gramma and she loved him she would talk to him before throwing it away. It could mean the death of thier relationship. My question is though ...How can people be so ignorant as to not think that even if it is tattered and even if it is unrepairable, that quilt has special meaning and deserves respect. IT IS NOT GARBAGE! Maybe it is just me I don't know I just know that to me that quilt would be very special. Rachel