Foster Love
My husband and I have been foster parents for three years now. We have answered so many phone calls, ready to expect the unexpected. Sometimes, we get the placement; sometimes, we don’t. Sometimes, they say to come right away, other times, we play the waiting game. We have been blessed with our two youngest sons, both adopted from foster care. And last summer, we were home for a few months to our foster daughter. I started sewing immediately after she was placed with us. I just knew that no matter how long she was with us, I wanted her to have something from me to comfort her and always be with. Something that was uniquely hers.
Quilty Love Fat Quarter Dash quilt pattern. Wishbone pantograph from the Longarm League.
I'd been holding onto this fabric bundle from Fabric Bubb for what felt like forever. You know how it is - you see something that you just have to have, but then you're waiting for the right moment to use it. Well, this was that moment. The bundle had adorable rainbows and coordinating colors. Plus, I was able to add some scraps from my own stash to meet the fabric requirement.
This crib-sized Fat Quarter Dash quilt by Quilty Love came together super fast and was just the right size for our foster daughter. I had extra Ruby Star Society Binding leftover from another project, and it matched the color scheme for this quilt perfectly. For the backing, I ended up using a microfiber sheet - not my usual choice, but it was what I had on hand. While the fabric was a bit tricky to work with, it actually held up surprisingly well. I'm on the fence about recommending microfiber to other quilters - it's not the easiest material to handle, but it did work out in a pinch. If you're in a time crunch, it's an option to consider, though maybe not for your heirloom projects.
Our foster daughter has since transitioned to another family, taking her rainbow quilt with her. While making quilts is always satisfying, there's something special about knowing this one is out there, serving as a tangible reminder of her time spent with our family.
