Rymer, My heart goes out to you. We have all lost loved ones and the pain and grief takes time. When you are ready there are so manny ideas that have already been shared. I met a woman who lost her nephew at a young age. His mother had kept his T-shirts. It was a real challenge for me to cur them, organize them and them create a memory quilt for her sister. I used stabilizer on the pieces to control the stretching as I sewed.

hi, from peewee--
I use things for quilt design pillows. Usually they aren't used- just displayed.

For my bear pattern I just used a McCalls or Simp. pattern and cut the shirt apart and layed the pattern on it the way the pattern of the shirt ran.then sewed it like the pattern said.I had enough left for a little hat and used the buttons.The jacket was plaid so it made acute bear but has my dad's smell.I will always treasure it. Good luck Dot

I am sorry for your loss in the last 6 years i have lost 2 uncles and my grandmother all whom i was very close too and I still can't bring myself to go to the cemetery it hurts too much. I have a shelf in my living room on my entertainment center that is devoted to my grandma and has some of her things and a couple of pictures on it. I talk to her picture all the time. My heart goes out to you and your family.
I also found this site that may help you .
http://www.forevergreenquilts.com/me...uilt-tips.html LOL, Julie

Maybe another idea is to make pillows or pillow cases. Then you can hug your brother any time you want.

I like what quilter jode said. I saved a small piece of my son's favorite blanket when he was a baby (it was practically falling apart). I am planning on making a bear and binding the edges with blanket binding to be the blankee for the bear for my son's first child. A memory of my son with something new. When my daughter was ill I made her a small fabric scrapbook square. It was a nine-patch with each section sewn with something different she liked or did. I cut her prom dress, a swatch from a dress when she was little, varsity letters from school, etc. Perhaps a memory quilt would be good - the fabrics could be used as background and you could applique onto it.

I think the bear idea is really good. Even tiny bits and pieces can be used to make book and journal covers, maybe you could even make a memory book, with photos and stories. Working on these memory projects will be challenging....but you will know in your heart when you are ready.

Maybe doing something with your mom's stuff will help with the depression. a group of us were talking about how to get through a mourning period and several ideas were: a photo collage, scrapbooking or journalling about the person. quilting would fit in there too. don't let anyone push you to do it before you're ready, but it could help. I'll be praying for you.

I am attaching the picture of the quilt for my daughter. It is her silhouette in the middle. Perhaps you could start with a picture of your brother transferred onto fabric.

I made a tshirt quilt out of a family's loved one tutlenecks and tshirts. you have to back them with interfacing because they'e stretchy. i used woven fabric on the back and then tied it. simple pattern because of time. My SIL had bears made out of my FIL jeans and shirt- i plan on making one from my dad's ties. he passed away a year ago. I'm so sorry for the loss of your brother. I will pray for your comfort.

I like the idea of a teddy bear. I love my MIL 2 years ago and I am finishing a quilt that she started. Like you, I couldn't work on it right away but I had promised her that I would finish it. I am half done hand quilting it and working on it has really helped. Sometimes it is like she is near by. I feel better knowing that I am fulfilling the promise I made her. It has been healing for me to work on it. My MIL was a very special lady and I miss her.

My mother's been gone just over 2 years now. I have all of her clothes packed away. I just haven't found a pattern that speaks to me yet. I want to do it Tshirt style, and put pieced 'spacer' type things between the shirt pieces. Just waiting to find the right pattern.

My favorite uncle passed away just 3 weeks ago. He was everyone's favorite uncle and to him everyone was family, even those not related by blood. The whole funeral home was full and standing room only filled with those he loved. I knew there would be no way I could make something for everyone.....I brought home 3 large bags of his work Tshirts. I'll be making a Tshirt quilt for each of his children. I volunteered, a labor of love for the man that was like a father to me...to the children he left behind. As payment, the older son insisted I take ALL of my uncle's jeans. He knew people made jean quilts. Told me if I didn't make it for myself, find someone who would...my own memory quilt.

I want them to be used, not on display, so I will make them to be used. I plan on putting the photo from his obituary, because it was a really good one, on the label.

When my daughter got married, I made her a quilt from material from friends, aunts, uncles, brother, Daddy, myself and I bound it with my Mom's dress. It gave her a piece of my Mom (and Dad and brother) that was touchable, now that they were gone. She was a small child when they passed. It lay across the foot of her bed, for show...............until her divorce. Her fiancee used it one evening, and she sort of had a fit..... until he said, "this is the greatest blanket I ever covered up with". It's now a little tattered, and has been mended several times, but the love it held still warms their hearts.

my father passed away 8 yrs ago, but he died because the nurse over dosed him with 800mg of chemo in stead of 80mg. this still is very hard because he was beatting all odds and the cancer was almost gone. I am very sorry for your loss, I know its hard, and at times I still talk to my dad. god bless you.

When my husband died in a car accident 10 years ago, I used his flannel shirts to make teddy bears for his children and grandchildren. Most of them were well-worn, some with holes and paint stains, etc. I didn't try to cut around those--he was a carpenter and I figured that since that type of work was part of his life, the teddy bears should reflect that too. The teddy bears were well received and I know they helped the kids--they could hug the bears whenever they wanted to.
My brother and step-father died within 11 days of each other nearly 7 years ago, and I wish I had asked for some of their shirts to be able to make teddy bears too.
I want to express my sincere sympathy for those of you who have lost loved ones, and are trying to deal with their deaths. I have been there, and it can be so devastating. I think using their clothes is a very positive way to keep the "feel" of them alive.

My heart aches for each one of you who have lost loved ones. I can relate to those of you who find comfort in wearing clothing of a loved one. My brother's slippers gave me an indescribable ( is it a word? ) sense of warmth and it felt like I was touching him ! Whew ! Still hard to talk about it and it was 30 years ago , he was 37 years old.

First off, my prayers are with you for the loss of your brother. I, too, lost my oldest brother in '02 and some days are good and then some days are just there. When we lost my DH's BIL, I asked for some of his things that they were going to toss out. I rec'd jeans and shirts so I made rag quilts for his two sons and rag pillows for g'kids. I still have one more to make for DH's sister and I will get it done, just wanted to give a little more time before I give sis her's. Maybe a pic in the center and blocks around made from his things might work. Just give yourself time.

Look at about.com/quilting for a link to make quilts out of T's or other clothing. She has loads of good ideas!

I recently saw a quilt that had the design parts of Ts & sweatshirts intermixed with regular fabrics. The 'Yellow brick road' works well for this. It uses 3.5" squares, rectangles 3.5x6.5 & 6.5" squares. Using more regular fabric than knits makes a nice quilt.

wow....you all are so amazing. I'm so sorry to hear of everyone's losses. Now you all have me crying!! I do know that when he passed and we were working on photo coloages for the funeral, it did help a little during those first few horrible days. He was only 40 & it was a tragic incident...one that will stay with me forever....but my son was born 2 months later (we didn't know what we were having) so I feel like he is a little part of my brother, somehow someone knew I was going to loose my brother and tried to give me a piece of him back. My son was sort of an "oops" I wasn't really sure if I wanted a 2nd child.....now I know why I have him! :) anyway thank you all for your stories, your words of encouragement and support! I really love the teddy bear idea and I think I might have a flannel shirt or two in those bags which would make a great bear. I'm actually excited about making the bears! thank you all again.....I can't believe I stumbled upon such an amazing group here! you have no idea how you've all touched me and I don't even know you! (ah therapy comes in the most unknown places, huh?)

oh that's such a nice quilt! I love the silhouette!

thank you so much! I would love the pattern! Is it easy for a beginner?? I will email you when I get home tonight...I'm not able to email from work. if I can figure out my new stupid blackberry....I might be able to email you from work...if not it will be when I get home. thanks SO much! I really appreciate it.

his t-shirts were all pretty much plain or had a small logo on them. I think I have one of his work shirts that has his name on it, I'd like to incorporate that into my quilt. the bear idea appeals to me so much because I can make more of those....he has 2 sons (one of which just had a baby) so the bear made from his grandpas clothing would be awesome!

My FIL passed away a bit over a year ago and I asked for his clothes and was able to make 20 lap tops for the kids and adult gkids; as well as pillow cases for therest of gk and ggk---had to add LOTS of fabs for this big project - used Scotts Plaid pattern- was quickest cutting, quickest sewing and best use of the fabs----I loved HAVING those clothes w/me and did struggle a bit giving them up but what a joy--most are being used as lap quilts, some as display, and some as focal point in rooms! Good luck- truely a labor of love----but not understood by many in the fam either- ouch. emptynest

20 laptops? oh my you must have had a lot of clothing!! that is amazing!
I need to go through those bags again to see what I have. I don't think my mother would appreciate anything like that.....we can't even say my brother's name around her, it's too emotional for her so I'm not sure what to do. it's like I'm dammed if I do and dammed if I don't with her. but my sister will cherish it for sure. It's just me, my sister, my mother, and my 2 nephews I'll make something for. I dont know if i'll make something for my brother's widow......I feel like she's moved on. I love her w/ all my heart but I don't see her wrapping herself up in one of these quilts or displaying it. she got rid of everything they had together.

I am so sorry for all of you and your loss. I think that when you make the quilts that their loving memories will surround you with love!

I'm sorry to hear about your loss. My mom passed away 2 years ago.I was lucky enough to get all of her clothes. One of the things that we had in common was quilting she did queen & king size and did stippled like you wouldn't believe. And I prefered making wall sized quilts. But anyways I used some of her clothes for this wall hanging I haven't figered out yet what to do withthe rest of it?

quilt I made fr my Moms clothes, but it's still unfinished so excuse the pins It's called " Show and Tell " and the quilters are going to be holding smaller quilts that they made

My suggestion for the clothes is making a small wall quilt that doing something he either did for a living or what he really enjoyed doing with his family or you eg camping, beach, playing a certain game etc.

I think this is beautiful!! What a nice way to remember her!!

So sorry about your brother. I know its hard. Maybe this will help you out with bringing yourself to make the quilt.
When my mother passed away I inherited her wedding rings. My father said she wamted him to make sure I got them. I certainly couldn't wear them so I put them in a drawer and would take them out every once in a while, hold them, think of her and even cry sometimes. Ten years later when dad passed away I recieved his wedding band. I started to put it away and it hit me thats not what they would have wanted me to do, so I had them made into a lovely piece of jewelry which I can wear and whenever I go anywhere fun or travel I wear it and feel like Im taking a part of them with me.
I have never regretted doing this and I dont think you will ever regret making this quilt once it is done. You will have fond memories every time you look at the quilt. Maybe you could make blocks and use a square of the clothing as the center of each block. I certainly hope this helps

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I hope the planning and work on this project helps you remember the good times and find a way to share that with others in the family.

HI - I have seen where they take a shirt and make a teddy bear from it and put the tage from the shirt on the foot of the bear.......... my cousin has one that was made from a shirt of her dad's... Just an idea.

I'm dring my eyes. Thank you soooooo much my husband is very sick with liver, heart, lung, and diabetic. He is 41 and has many more ilnesses. People always tell him this. But you dont look sick.

After my two sons died, their wives came me some of their shirts. I made quilts from them for each of their children. Creativity will probably come to you after you start. But, I would cut areas those showed the name on the front of the shirt, like Hilfiger, Duckhead, or the symbols ....to show what kinds of shirts their daddy liked. On some I would button the front of the shirt and use the buttoned down front of the shirt. (Of course, I would sew the buttons into the buttonhole..AFTER it was quilted. But, ideas will come....And, yes, I cried while cutting the shirts....but I thought that the quilt would be better than a sack full of shirts sitting in the closet never being seen. And, I know one grandchild dearly treasures her "daddy's quilt"....don't know about the other two.....never heard a peep from them. Broke my heart, but that's their problem. I did it for them....maybe someday, they will realize what a treasure they have.

Sorry for your loss. LOVE YOUR QUILT. Please post pattern for us. Thank you.

There are several kindle covers (along with measurements) on the website "etsy.com". Might be worth it to check out. I love that site...get many ideas from it and also can enjoy seeing what other people are creating. Good luck.