My husband had a baby blanket with a very cute lion embroidered on it. It was gauzy and synthetic. His mother got it out around the time we got married, which was ten years ago. We took a photo of him holding it up. I ended up with the blanket, balled up inside a plastic shopping bag. Didn't know what to do with it. Considered framing it. Then decided that it would be best to trace the lion design, and incorporate that into a future quilt. It could be the center of a solid white wholecloth quilt, and the quilting could be done with a contrasting thread color. Still haven't done that, but that allowed me to get rid of the original "blankie." I have the lion design in my sewing room somewhere. Ya know, I could get that out, and it would be only a few weeks to hand quilt that. But what would I do with the finished baby quilt? We don't have any kids. I can only imagine using it as a lap quilt. Maybe that's why it's still just a drawing on a piece of paper.

Perhaps you should figure out what you like about the original blanket so much. Is it the color? The fuzziness of the fabric? The mere fact that your mother made it especially for you? Then try to reproduce those characteristics in the new article that will take its place. Then the old one can go to blanket heaven.

I'm very sentimental. I'd probably keep the quilt forever (in my cedar chest, or wrapped in acid free paper). I'm guessing a lot of the joy of the quilt is that your mom made it. If mom is still able and willing I'd ask her to make you another. My mom passed away when I was 24 and everything I have of hers is precious to me. Take advantage of your time with your mom while you can. I'll step off my soap box now....sorry

Nicki

I'd put it up somewhere safe too. Someday you are going to want to show it to your kids & grandkids.

I retired my grandma's quilt...after over 75 years of love and wear. I keep it in my closet, out of light. It is threadbare in a lot of spots. I couldn't get rid of it, or cut it up...sometimes I just take it out, wrap up in it, and feel the fabric, look at the patches and the stitching. As for your blankie..I'd wrap it in acid free paper and put it in a safe place. A new one is nice, but it can never replace the origianl. that's MHO.
Woodsy

I would say to keep it safe, too, provided you have the space for it. If not, then take a good picture of it and write down some of the memories you have of it and of other things your mother has done for you and keep those in a special album or notebook or box. You could also keep a piece of the blanky with them.

Some cut up old quilts & make stuffed animals with it. You would still have the sentimental fabric from the original quilt/blanket, but in a different form.

The fabric on this thing is to the point where one good tug would make the entire thing fall into a puddle of fiber dust. :) Okay, maybe it's not that bad.

I shall request my mother break out her pattern, if she had one, and help me in selecting The Perfect Fabric to replace my blanket, and ask her if we can make a new one together (and finish it this time...). I think I'll also try to make myself The Perfect Quilt For Dragging Around Like a Little Kid, in memory of The Perfect Blanket For the First 21 Years of my Life.

And as soon as one of those is finished, I shall wrap my blanky in acid-free paper and store it on the top shelf of my closest, where it is slightly warm and dry.

Thank you all for the advice.

~ Kit

Here's an idea. Pin that quilt to some fabric you like. Then get some of that real thin material that you can see thru. Forgot the name, maybe organza?. Then do all the regular pinning etc and stitch thru the whole thing. I made a pillow like that once I think they call it a shadow quilt. Anyway that would still let the original quilt show thru.