Hi everyone
2 yrs ago in March my brother passed away. When he died, I took all of his clothes in the hope of someday making some either wall hangings or lap quilts for me and my family w/ them. there isn't enough to make full size quilts. problem is, he was a very hard working man, hard on his clothes and all he really had were sweatshirts, t shirts, and some hawaian print shirts. I just don't know what kind of pattern I can make w/ this stuff. I'm not sure I'm ready to cut his stuff just yet, his death was very painful for me but I wanted to get some ideas in my head. any thoughts? should I sew the clothes to a piece of muslin first?
and for those of you who have made such memory quilts....do you use them? display them? I guess I won't know what I will want to do with it until I make it and see how it makes me feel. I have his robe, which still smells like him. I want to put that into a quilt, but man I don't think I could possibly ever cut that up. how do you bring yourselves to do it?

i am sorry your lost your beloved brother, i know it hurts and he is heavy on your heart..my dad has been done 5 years and i still miss him like crazy. if fact,last night i put on his winter coat and hat and gloves.scarf and shoveled the snow. it is my way of keeping him close. i wasn't really into quilting back then, just starting out, if i had known about memory quilts,i would of saved some of his clothes.
for ideas, for to
www.webshots.com
and do a search for "memory quilts" ..i will bet there is alot of them. it is where i go looking for ideas.
i did make a memory panel of my grandmother, who raised me. i will look for a picture to post.
and by the way,if i had a quilt made of my dads clothes, no way would it be on display, it would be on couch and i would be wrapped up in it..

My brother died in 2006 and his wife gave me just 2 of his shirts - wanted me to do something with them. They are completely opposite in colors - one purple plaid and the other a black flowered. I still have not done anything with them, but have half way decided to make her some tote bags - she is a school teacher. I wish I had saved some of my father's flannel shirts, but gave those to a homeless shelter.

I found the memory panel i made in honor if Helen..My gramma
here is a link to pictures of the process..
the frame is made out of a suede..it is my favorite piece.Kim

http://picasaweb.google.com/strut526...eat=directlink

See if you can cut it up into 5 in squares, and make a tote out of it that way..through in some white on white, or even purple or black, the colors in the shirts, in solids to go with the shirts squares..

I am in the same situation. My mom died a year old. She was diagnosed with alzheimer's and came to live with us the last 2 yrs of her life. I am probably going to use some of her clothes in several quilts, but will try similar fabrics in sample blocks first. I was also thinking about transfering pictures onto fabric to incorporate into the final quilts.
I am trying to get over my drepression over over her death before I start

I know a lady who took clothes and made them into Teddy Bears. She would use the buttons for eyes and would even make clothes for the bears using the jeans and stuff. It was a nice cuddly momento of that person.

My sister is a quilter and has a website- memorial quilts are her specialty. Saving those special clothes and turning them into something lovely is a wonderful way to keep memories alive and present. Take a look at this website for some ideas:
www.sentimentalquilts.com

Love this idea!

I have made 2 memorial quilts for families whose teenagers have died tragically. It seems the design just clicks when I see something appropriate. I used fabric from a uniform skirt in one quilt, but don't have the experience of using many different fabrics. I'm sure something will come to you. It is a very rewarding experience to create a lasting tribute to the families.
Here's one of the memorial quilts. I used some pictures that I received from one of the teen's grandmother. I presented the quilt to them last weekend and they were very touched.

I have no new ideas to contribute, but just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about the loss of your brother. I'm sure that when you are ready to cut, the ideas will come to you for just the right thing/s for his clothes!

When my grandmother passed away, my cousin made stuffed angels for each of the grandchildren out of some of her clothes. She first pieced then assembled. I cherish mine.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. I can't imagine losing my brother, we've always been very close. My Gma passed away recently and I saw an wallhanging quilt in Fon's and Porters magazine (most recent issue) where you can take fabric (I'm going to use Gma's shirts) and cut them into little dresses. I'm sure they were appliqued, although haven't read the pattern yet. That could be cute, make small mens shirts from them and then you can embellish with mini ties or buttons or something. I just made a memory quilt for my cousin, her DH passed away unexpectedly, he was a hunter and his t-shirts weren't in the best of shape, but I backed them with fusible stablizer and they came out much better than I expected.

Sorry for your loss, when a friend of ours passed away his wife gave me three sweatshirts that he wore with pictures on the front. I made pillow tops out of them and she now displays them in her living room. She was thrilled to have them. That is the only time I had any experience doing anything like that.

i have a dress template i made..get with me in a PM..maybe we could figure out a pattern when your ready.
i used it for t-shirts..lol! (usually the pocket emblem went in the dress area..Kim

well, if the clothes are worn and mostly sweatshirts i wouldn't do much with those. but the Hawiian shirts would make great blocks at least. you could make each person a lovely block and put it in a frame.

thanks, great site.

I'm very sorry to hear about your brother. A friend of mine just lost her son and we're in the process of putting something together for her. We're probably going to try a wallhanging. As with your brother, her son didn't have very much in the way of clothes. We've been considering finding her favorite picture and having it transfered to fabric and centering it so the picture is framed out. Remember you can also incorporate his old jeans. A lap quilt is also an option. Please remember that one that sleeps under a quilt is comforted with love. That feeling will never go away.

wow, thank you for that comforting thought! :) I didn't save any of his jeans, I thought they would be too hard to work with so those are all gone, sadly. I kept his sweatshirts, t shirts and hawaian shirts. there are other odds and ends in there and I should go through the bags again, but that is hard, so I know I'm not ready to cut just yet. I'm thinking more and more about doing that so hopefully soon and only work a little at a time on it so I don't get too sad during the process. It's so hard when you miss someone SO much!

I am so sorry for each of your losses. You ladies bring back memories for me. When my mom died in August of 1998, she left a wonderful stash of fabric. My sister & I made quilt tops for my dad & all 5 of us kids. We had the 6 quilts completed for Christmas that year.

Maybe, Rymer, you could start small...Take a sleeve here and there from your brothers T's, quilt a block and put it into a shadow box frame... The initial cut will be hard, but you will have a reminder of him right away, and seeing it regularly might give you the desire to do a bit more...don't rush. You will know in your heart when the time is right. My heart goes out to you, sweetie...

I, too am so sorry for your loss. My dad passed in 1991, I kept a few of his shirts and a couple of pair of his overalls in hopes that one day I could make a quilt but have just been unable to even open the bag after all this time. I love the idea of the teddy bears. I'm sure this would be the perfect thing to give to all my sisters, children and nieces and nephews as remembrance. Thank you so much for the idea

Rymer.. hang onto those sweatshirts.. turned wrong side out (or even right side out) they are wonderful fabric to make "memory" teddy bears.. so cuddly and comforting. Katie.. denim makes great bears also. There are even "tiny" bear patterns that make great ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree.. great to pass down through the generations.

This march will be a year since my older sister passed. I have alot of her clothes and i'm going to make a raggy quilt out of most of them and just use what's left in any quilt. I'm just going to be happy that part of her is in them.

When my dad died 4years ago. I took his flannel jacket he wore every day and made a Teddy Bear out of it.He sit's in my living room,I still feel close to him. Dot

I love it! Especially the "Postcards to Heaven".

There is a article in a magazine I recently bought telling how to make a vest for yourself from a flannel shirt. When I get home I'll see if I post it or at least tell what the magazine is. My daughter had a fit over it.

Many years ago, Gail Binney-Winslow had a traveling exibit of the quilts featured in the book "homage to Amanda". She is an heiress to the Crayola Crayon fortune and she and her father collected over 300 quilts, which went on tour to promote her book. I was lucky enough to have a guided tour of the exhibit, hosted by Gail herself and at the time, she spoke of the "mourning quilts" she was working on. Within a year she had lost her father and I believe her husband. Very huge losses in her life. Whenever she missed them or felt overwhelmed with sadness, she would work on a quilt in their honor. She had 2 separate quilts going and they were awesome. Applique. I thought it was a great idea. It turns times of depression and sadness into something more productive, which I think is a good thing. It can turn depression over your loss into more positive thoughts, looking at the good times you shared. It doesn't sound as if you have fabrics which are really cohesive enough to use in one project, but it may be nice to try using some of the cottons from your brother's shirts and use them to frame some pictures you may have of special memories and incorporate them into a postcard quilt. Collages of some of his things in a shadow box is a nice remembrance, and you can make some for other family members. Teddy bears with cloths made from his sweatshirts or pillows made from them are comforting. Give it some thought and i am sure you will find many ways to use his things and to have comfort from them while you do so. It's a way of keeping him with you, which is much better than keeping his things in a bag, IMO.
Best of luck to you!

thank you, you are so right, they are doing me no good sitting in a bag!! do any of you have instructions on how to make these memory bears?? I think that would be such a great idea for me to do.....thanks!

My father passed away 10 years ago and a few of his flannel shirts are hanging in my closet. I wear one of them when I am painting a room or doing home improvement projects around the house....my dad was an excellent handyman and taught me a lot .... I wear his shirt for support and inspiration that I can do anything he could do.

After reading these posts I've decided to take his other shirts and make pillows out of them. It would be just like laying my head on his shoulder.... ok - now I'm going to cry.

The Hawaiian prints could be cut into shirt applique pieces, and sew them onto fabric squares, Maybe use them in the border? You can also applique the tshirt and sweatshirt fabric onto squares... Are you wanting to use the sayings on them or just the fabrics? If it is the fabrics, you could cut them into the shapes of tshirts and sweatshirts too.

Sorry about your loss. When my father passed he didn't have a lot of clothes, he seemed to wear the clothes until they wore out. I did find two of his work uniforms. I didn't have enough to make a quite so I made pillows for my 3 sisters and myself. Now when I get blue I just snuggle up with his pillow.

Oh, crying is bad. no crying. take deep breaths and have some cold water!!
I was just looking through some of my sewing things (trying to clean!!) and I found a pattern called "libearty sitter". I think the maker was grandmas attic. Anyway, I used to make my daughter bears from this pattern and the good thing about it is that you make fur feet, fur hands and a fur head, but the body is made out of fabric, which can easily be a flannel shirt or even an hawaiian shirt. You can't change the bear's clothes, because the clothing is also the body, but the bear is filled with fiberfill or cotton and it will sit very cutely wherever you put it. (which is why it is the libearty sitter). If you are interested in having the pattern, I would be happy to send you mine. I think it would be perfect for your needs if you would like to do a bear. I'm not sure if the pattern is currently in production...it may easily be discontinued, as my baby girl is now 24!! (I never get rid of patterns) If you would like it, please email me at [email protected] and give me your address.

That is really sweet. OK - pillows it will be! I'll do one for myself, my sister and my brother --- I hope to have enough fabric to make something for the grandkids.
My sister may have a couple of dad's shirt's, too. I'll have to ask her.

Don't rush yourself. Take a look at what you have, as far as material, and sit down some evening and look through some books or on line at some patterns. When you're able to visualize the quilt with his material, then you'll be ready and you'll want to get going on it and you won't stop till its done. If there's enough it sounds like a lap quilt size would be ideal. Everynight cuddles. :thumbup:

I'm so sorry for your loss. My Mother passed away in 1997 and I have many of her hankies. I am in the process of making a small quilted wall hanging with them.

Could someone help me find a quilted pattern for a Kindle cover? I sure would appreciate it.

Rymer,

I got so wrapped up in thinking about my dad that I forgot to express my sympathy for your loss, please forgive me. Your question has touched the hearts of many here on the forum. It is wonderful to learn what other members have made from their loved ones clothing. Thank you for sharing.

Let me know how they turn out.

My DH Aunt made a memory quilt for all the grandkids when their Grandma passed away. It is was very simple, 5 inch squares out of the clothes. She embellished it with some pictures and some of her lace doilys and buttons. Very simple, but a nice memento.

My thoughts are with you!

me too.. :cry: I cry when I remember my mum who sadly passed away a bit over a year ago but I cry for a minute and then start to remember the fun things and then i feel better again..as they say time heals..