Terricat

I am asking for all the help I can get on making a "Memory Quilt" for the daughter of one of my best friends. Her daughter lost a 3-1/2 mo. old baby last summer to SIDS. She is ready to move on now, and is expecting another baby in August, so that is a true blessing.

The daughter has picked out 9 of her favorite little jammies that she wants to keep and put on this quilt. What we have so far is some light blue and light green slight tone-on-tone to cut into 12" x 18" squares. We are NOT going to cut the jammies apart, we are going to leave them whole, and stitch onto the squares with a zig-zag or buttonhole stitch. I'm thinking we could put some fusible web or stabilizer just under the perimeters of the jammies to secure it in place better while we stitch it on.

Then she also has another 10-12 more jammies that she is OK with cutting into strips for sashing between the squares, which can be pieced in various prints and colors. I know we need to have stabilizer behind those before we sew.

What else do I need to do? I don't think this will be a blanket that will actually be used and laundered, it will probably be hung over the rocking chair in the baby's room, or possibly a snuggle blanket for 'mommy' for a while, and then maybe the new little sister-to-come when she gets a bit older. But I still want it to end up looking nice and not saggy-baggy. I just know enough about this little project to know that I don't know what I don't know. Please offer any and all ideas and suggestions. We will probably be starting on this in the next week.

Airwick156

I am sorry I can't help you with this. But I think its a wonderful idea and I know that someone will be able to help you. :)

GwynR

I think you are off to a good start. It will not be saggy-baggy if you use stabilizer for any stretchy fabric. What are you going to use for the backing and the binding? some receiving blankets maybe?

Terricat

That's a Very Excellent suggestion! We didn't get that far yet, but I like that idea. I had made a quilt for this baby boy done in all baseball theme fabric, by her request, which was fine with me. The daddy liked it so much he wanted it only hung on the wall for display---not to be burped and spit on. :-) I thought that was very sweet of him. I think that will stay displayed, but I really like the idea of receiving blankets for backing and binding. I will mention that next time I chat with mommy and gramma. Thanks!

emsgranny

What a great idea - Since I have never attemped anything like this before I will be looking for pics of completed quilt - it sounds like you have thought of everything. You will have to make sure that the little sleepers are layed flat before you stitch around them so that the front isnt any larger to prevent sagging. O might use double sided fusible interfacing and put inside of sleepers then sew down. Wont be an easy tas but it might work.

Will there be a block with the baby's name bd etc. so its a rememberance quilt?

I posted a great poem which would work great I think and then add babys name and dates. Good luck with this project

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-118896-1.htm

lisalisa

A lady posted an idea that she did for a similar occasion where she traced the babies little hand prints from it's birth certificate and appliqued them on.

Just a suggestion. Hubby and I recently found out we are expecting so reading this broke my heart. So sorry for their loss :(

sandyquilts

This quilt was made from baby clothing (knit).
http://itseams.blogspot.com/2008/03/...-from-pjs.html

to find all the posting go to
http://itseams.blogspot.com/
and type memory in the search box (upper left corner)

Terricat

[quote=emsgranny]What a great idea - Since I have never attempted anything like this before I will be looking for pics of completed quilt - it sounds like you have thought of everything. You will have to make sure that the little sleepers are layed flat before you stitch around them so that the front isnt any larger to prevent sagging. Or might use double sided fusible interfacing and put inside of sleepers then sew down. Wont be an easy task but it might work.

Will there be a block with the baby's name bd etc. so its a rememberance quilt?

I posted a great poem which would work great I think and then add babys name and dates. Good luck with this project

Good idea on the double side fusing for inside the little sleepers, thank you. I suggested having a friend embroider on her machine the baby's name and bd, etc., and mommy said no, which sort of surprised me. Perhaps as we go along she'll re-think and decide to have it on. They are still very, very tender about the loss. Baby was at day-care when it happened.
:cry: