I began making memory quilts about 7 years ago. The first one I ever made was for a neighbor whose mother passed away. I had never made anything like this before. I would do some quilting here and there, but nothing with someone’s clothing, let alone someone’s clothing who has passed away. I remember feeling a little overwhelmed when seeing all of the clothing.
I often wondered what it was that made each shirt or item special to their loved one. Was it that this person bought them that shirt? Was it their favorite shirt to see that person wear? Did it have their scent on it? It was fascinating really. In movies, when you see a widow or widower grieving, you always see the part where they are getting rid of the late spouse’s clothing. It’s highly emotional and it usually takes some time. It’s that last tangible piece of that person.
All of these thoughts brought on some great pressure when making these quilts. This quilt would possibly be used every single day, maybe brought out once a year in memory of the person or was sporadically taken out whenever its owner missed their loved one. I wanted to make them as special as possible and make sure I included every piece of the item that was important such as a pocket, a button, or a logo. Whatever special touch I could add to help this person smile when they took this quilt out, I wanted to do.
Are you interested in having a memory quilt made? If you are looking for a memory quilt you can use this as a guide to see what you’d like to do with yours.
Quilt Layout
When it comes to the size of your squares you have a few options based on what your shirts look like. If you have large shirts with logos, you will probably want large squares. You can also do a mix of large and small squares. If you have a mix of fabrics and patterns, I recommend doing smaller squares and a border to highlight the patterns.
Quilt Theme
My quilts tend to develop their own theme. Some quilts I have made represent a time in someone’s life or their achievements. One of my favorite quilts I made was my husband’s Navy quilt after his military service was over. I used just about everything I could get my hands on except for his nicer blue and white uniform. I’m pretty sure those aren’t supposed to be altered like that, but his basic everyday uniforms gave me a lot to work with.
This next quilt was a mixture of baby clothing and adult clothing that represented a time period in the family’s life. I had fun with this one as I wanted to add in some additional shapes and elements. I didn’t have a lot of clothing to work with, so I supplemented with other quilting material.
The quilt below was a whole new challenge for me. I was approached by a co-worker to create a quilt using marathon ribbons! This was new, but I had a lot of fun putting the colors together and highlighting her achievements.
Quilt Process
The process of making the quilt begins with cutting all of the material out. It will take some time to arrange all of the pieces and design the layout for your quilt. The pieces are then sewn together, pressed, and sewn to the quilt batting. This top piece is then attached to a backing which could range from a cotton material to a fleece material. On some quilts a binding is then attached around the edges to give it a finished look. See the video below for the entire process.
View this video and others on Instagram
These are just a few of the quilts I have created over the last 7 years. I am always open to new ideas or challenges. The one thing I love about quilting, or crafting in general, is there are not any set rules. (Some people may disagree) Part of the experience, for me, is coming up with new ways to do something and making it my own style.
I hope this helps you generate some ideas for your quilt. These not only become a special memory for you, but a memory for myself as I bring these beauties to life!
If you are interested on having a quilt made, please contact me through Instagram, Facebook, or fill out the form below.
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