Flannel Memories

One thing I have never been able to get rid of are my kids receiving blankets.  I had always intended to try making a rag quilt out of them as a keepsake for me, and indeed if I'm lucky enough to become a Grammie someday those little babies can loll about on bits of blankies from their parents' infant days.
Hard to believe, but it has been about six years those bits of flannel fabric have been sitting about in a plastic bin.  I know that the longer something sits around un-used, the greater its chances of being sent out for good.
So last week the muse struck a very loud chord and in less than 24 hours I completed my first rag quilt:

I would say it's crib sized.  Or just right for the floor when having "tummy time".

I cut the squares out into 8x8 inch pieces, and the batting at 6x6 inches.  The cutting was the fiddliest part, but  all in all it wasn't too bad.  I think I enjoyed the whole process: the cutting; the layering; the quilting; the assembling and finally the cutting again.

I think the happy memories of the fabrics made the whole process so enjoyable.  I know there are much prettier flannels out there now, and certainly  much softer ones - after all, these have been washed more times than anything I own -but they remind me of my no-so-little ones from their sleepy, squeaky, wormy little infant days.  Precious times indeed.