Originally Posted by sewobsessed1

To answer the casket quilt question (who knew anyone would be interested!?)-
It is a very, very old tradition.

The quilt is to be laid out on the casket and remind people of the things/people that were special to me in life - mine is purposely made of scraps of fabric that most of the people who know me will recognize since the pieces are from all of the quilts and clothes I've made for each of them over the last 33 years.
After the service it will go home with whomever is chosen to hold on to it. Some have been known to be passed from child to child for certain amounts of time or generation to generation. It all depends on the family. My oldest daughter will be claiming mine.

Here is a picture of the quilt on the pattern I used from Oxmoor House's "Best Loved Quilt Patterns" binder I own from 1991:
http://heartlandtreasuresks.com/Cask...n-P649906.aspx

And here is a bit of history about the how and why of these quilts if anyone is interested in reading a little more about them:
http://www.womenfolk.com/quilting_history/mourning.htm