What to do with handkerchiefs?
 

A friend of mine has asked me if there is anything I can make using her mother's old handkerchiefs. Any ideas? Not sure on how many she is going to give me...
thanks
MA

how about backing them on stabilizer and sewing them together with buttons and or lace she might have had. Should make a super memory quilt.

I've seen hankies made into butterflies and umbrella ladies where the hanky was the skirt.

There have been several books written about using hankies in quilts. Two patterns have been listed above.
I once saw a pattern of Spanish Ladies where the skirts were handkerchiefs. Also using them in a "crazy patch" arrangement. Am sure you will find other ideas if you Google.

I've seen handkerchiefs appliqued onto solid background squares with sashing and the resulting quilt looked quite pretty.

Try Googling "handkerchief quilt", then click on "images" for ideas. Found this pattern that way:
http://www.e-patternscentral.com/det...l?prod_id=2475

There were a couple of hanky quilts pictured on this board recently..try searching here.

I saw one once where the hankies were cut in half from corner to corner and turned into a basket quilt. Very pretty. I have my grandma's old hankies and intend to do this some day.

Here is a freebie pattern for the butterfly pattern http://voices.yahoo.com/grandmas-but...48.html?cat=30

Years ago, I saw an absolutely BEAUTIFUL quilt using hankies. It had the handkerchief appliqued onto a shelf or table, so that it looked like a tablecloth, then had a teacup embroidered looking like it was sitting on the shelf. It was at the Mountain Quiltfest. If I find a picture that I took of it, I'll post.