Hello,
I'm not sure how I found my way here but I'm glad I did. I really need some help from anyone. My father was recently admitted to a Senior Assisted Living Center in Columbus Ohio. I am his son and I have been living out here in California for the last 30years. After being layed off for the second time, I've suddenly woke up and realized 30yrs have past and I've only been home once. Working in Silicon Valley, life just seemed to fly by. Anyways, my daughter just had a great idea of "obtaining" a Patch Quilt and Ironing on photos of our family. Maybe 25 to 50 photos? I know I could just send him a Photo Album but I think he would love to have a quilt with all his grandkids pictures on it. And here comes my question....since I sew like a Guy with 5 Thumbs, does anyone know where I can buy a full size Patch Work Quilt that has Lots of blank spots all over it so that I can iron on the family photos?? Has anyone ever done this before?? Can quilts be purchased like this? Lord knows if I try to sew one, he'll be 109yrs old before I'm done. It doesn't have to be a fancy or expensive quilt, just one that has about blanks patches all over it for the photos. Any help would be greatly appreciated and I will definitely post a picture of the quilt before shipping it to him.

Thank you .....Ron

Hi and welcome. you might want to try e-bay or better yet esty.

it can be done but you can't buy it that way first things first you buy fabric sheets at a hobby lobby or somewhere like that (june taylor ) then you print your pictures on the sheets. then you put the sheets in a solution of fabric softener(downy) place them on a towel to dry then press them to set the ink
then you either put it together or find a quilter in your area to put it together for you don't make it too big or heavy too bad your so far away or i would love to help you with this. there are quilters on this board that are in your area

keep me posted

memathomas

I would try contacting your closest quilt guild, church quilting group or local quilt store. They all may know of a quilter who could help you with your request. The quilt could be a very simple one consisting of squares or rectangles alternating with the family photos. The photos can be directly printed on specially prepared fabric photo sheets (about $12 for three 8X11 sheets in Canada)cut to size and then stitched into your quilt as part of the overall design. Once the top is constructed, it could be machine quilted for a priceless, so thoughtful gift for your dad. Most communities have a quilting group and I hope you can find a quilter to help you out.

I think this is your best bet. None of my business :oops: but please go to see your dad if at all possible.

Hi Ron, I use Precious Memories in my printer to copy family photos---it's the easiest. You just print it, let it dry for one minute, pull the paper off, run it under cold water for 2 minutes and let it dry flat. The photos on the fabric don't fade any more than regular fabric and they don't bleed. Do an internet search for quilt quilds in your area and ask them to help. You will be swamped with ideas, prices and offers. Make sure that the time frame you wish it done in, the cost (quilted and bound), colors of fabric to be used, and anything else you can think of is spelled out in writing and signed. You are, afterall, contracting a service and both parties need to be protected. And as with anything else, you get what you pay for so the cheapest is not always the best. You also need to specify if you want it tied, machine quilted or hand quilted. Hope this helps.

I have seen quilt tops with blank white squares for sale on ebay. I think the seller usually has them listed and at a reasonable price. These would work for your iron-ons but you(or somebody) would still have to layer the quilt with a backing fabric and batting. This might be an option.

I think your best bet is to find a quilter in your area willing to do this for you.

The iron on type will not last through very many washings... and this quilt would also probably be handled a lot and folded, and this isn't good for iron ons either....I would go with the printed ones like the others have suggested :wink: I think you would be much happier with the final results.
Also, if buying a premade quilt, some fabrics don't allow the iron on's to adhere as well as others... You would need to look at the iron on packing for reccommendations.

This type of quilt would be very easy to make, and a perfect beginners quilt :D Even if there are a few oops, your dear dad won't care... he will be too busy looking at all of the pictures :D:D:D

Oh myyy goodness. What a wonderful group of people on this forum. Thank you all for the great ideas and suggestions. It looks like I now have some homework and research to do. Great, great ideas! I'm going to my daughters house tonight to help her install new doors throughout her house. (give me a hammer and a nail and I can install some doors, give me a needle and thread and I'll need a box of bandaids). I'll start picking out the pictures this week and looking for a quilting quild in our area. Its supposed to be in the 80's tomorrow, so maybe I'll go to the beach, sort through he pictures and do some soul searching as well. I learned a long time ago if you want someone to love it with all their heart, then you have to put all your heart into it.

Thanks again for some great advice and I'll be sure to post the finished quilt when its done and I'd like to include everyone's user name along the edging if thats ok with all. The more people looking over him the better.

Thanks ....Ron

This is kind of funny. I just remember for Christmas, in 2008, I bought myself a Brother Disney SE-270D Sewing machine as a Christmas present, because I ripped my jeans trying to climb over a fence. (it was that day, I realized that at 18, I could simply Hop over a fence and it was that day I climbed, crawled and hung on for dear life over the fence, plus showed the neighbors I was wearing cartoon boxers after a loud ripping sound). (note to self, use the gate next time ball goes over fence).

Anyways, I was sitting her responding to all, I remembered this (yeah, funny now, not then, that was a new pair of Levis) and I checked my office and sure enough a brand new sewing machine is still sitting there in the closet with my jeans neating folded on top. Tooo funny. Maybe I'll sit this thing up and see if I can't sew my fingers together. Does anyone know if this is a good sewing machine?? More importantly, can it sew jeans? hahaha

Thanks ....Ron

I don't know if it will sew jeans or not, it should if you use a size 14 needle, go slowly and don't try to sew too many layers. Since it's been sitting for so long you should take the plate off, the bobbin holder out and oil it before using.

I DO KNOW THIS----You gotsa lotta nerve talking about it being 80 degrees and going to the beach when some of us are sitting in our 3rd day of dreary, drizzly, cloudy gray skies and 50 degree weather with a biting wind blowing. (and a lot of us worse off) Of course we use this weather to do some of our best quilting.

:lol:
You're welcome to use my board name on the border if you want and enjoy the beach.

I will oil the bobbin thingy and send some of this sunshine to the midwest. All of our plum trees are in full blossom and my neighbors orange trees are already dropping oranges on our side so "Spring is a coming". I think you folks out in Ill and Ohio areas have had your share of cold weather and snow this year, so may you be blessed with warm weather soon.

If not.... may the quilts of tomorrow be made with love today.

Thanks ...Ron

Thanks. I, for one, will be watching for that good weather. I have a cousin in Huntington Beach and one that lives in Hawaii so they're always rubbing it in about not missing Illinois weather.

Hi and welcome. I hope you can find a quilter.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in May to visit relatives and.....to take a Cruise Ship to see all the islands for once. We lived on Ohau for 4years, in our younger days and usually go back every few years to visit. Things have sure changed over time but the Cruise is on my Bucket List as well as skydiving but I moved skydiving to the bottom of my list, maybe during that time frame when I need to wear Depends. Put em through the real test.
....Ron

ps. I just found a quilters quild by our house and they have a meeting this weekend, so I think I will attend and start my journey into the world of quilting.

You'll find the trip much more rewarding than the one to Hawaii. LOL

Welcome to the board from Southern California. Today would be a great day for the beach, it is gorgeous out!!! In the 80's here too.
Does this mean that you have decided to try your own hand at putting together a quilt? Should you decide to do that, the folks at your guild will probably be glad to help you. Or you can find someone there to make that quilt and then you can try one on your own. We have several really talented male quilters here on the board. It is not impossible to be able to wield a mean hammer and tame a "mean" sewing machine!!!

It won't matter if there are crooked seams and missed stitches or even if the edges are straight, if you make it your father will absolutely love it. The pictures will be an added bonus. Expect a few tears. I'll bet the ladies in the quilt guild will mother hen you into having done within a few weeks. Nothing we like better than hooking someone else into our addiction.

I have had the Brother 270D several years now, had it serviced once a year, and it is a little trooper. I 'specially like the built-in alphabet/word functions. Made all kinds of designs on it including free-standing lace ornaments and bowl sections, and also love the way it sews. It IS a Brother, afterall!

I love the idea of a quilt for your father. Take it to him in person when you give it to him. He'll treasure it that much more. Just my two cents worth.

I think the idea of contacting a quilting guild is a good one. However, you do have a machine.... If you print the pics on one of the products mentioned (I used Printed Treasures - the green package to be sewed - got them at Joanns.) When it says peel paper off after 1 or 2 minutes make sure you do, it is hard to get off after that.
Anyway, I'll bet between the two of you, you and your daughter could manage to sew simple squares together, we will walk yo though it. Then you could tie it rather than quilt it and you dad would love it. There are lots of beginner sewing and quilting videos on You Tube and other sites.
If I can do anything to help, let me know. PM me if you need to. I think it is awesome that you want to do this for you dad...better late than never.

Hi Ron and welcome from the sunny state of Florida! As you found out, there are sew many knowledgeable people on this board. You definitely got the BEST advice and I'm sew glad that you want to do this for your DF. He'll treasure it and it'll be sew rewarding for you and your family to have the memory of making this quilt and your DF enjoying it! Good luck on your endeavor. Who knows someone in your local quilt guild may be on this board!

I don't know if there have been any changes but it used to be that you should only print the photos onto fabric with an ink jet printer. Be sure to ask about that at the meeting.

Thank you, Ron, for sending the sunshine. There isn't a cloud in the sky today. Now if you could just pipe in a little heat. It was only 38 when I took DD to school today. It's supposed to get in the 50's by this afternoon and in Central Illinois that's beach weather. Oh wait, we don't have any beaches in Central Illinois. Nevermind.

I did this. I purchased a quilt, made in China, as there was no time to make one. I did photo transfer to cloth and added a few photos of the wedding to quilt by appliquing them on. It was quite effective on a quick basis.

Hi Ron,
I'm glad you are going to get some help with your quilt. I am working on my second photo quilt, I'm just a beginner but I do enjoy a challenge! If you have any questions on the photo's just let me know..that was actually the easy part for me! Here is a pic of my first one for my Mom. They are right on...she never noticed all the mistakes!

no thats not it....ugh..will try again

I did that too...the center pictures are applique'd on and were the easiest to do.

Kat13: Beautiful quilt and what mistakes?? Just creative design readjustments is all. :)

Ron,I would look for a signature quilt or a snowball quilt that has a white or off white background block. You can go on e-bay to find these. Sometimes the signature block quilts don't have large white blocks to write on so I would try to look for the snowball quilts first,don't take to long and let this get by you your father would absolutely love it. I did an embroidered quilt for a friend of mine whose sister was dying with cancer. There were 12 brothers and sisters in the family. She loved the quilt and would not let them take the quilt off her bed. Then it was passed on to the person of her choice. Good luck with this wonderful thought.

Brenda(twinstitchin)

Watch out - you might find yourself getting the quilting addiction!!

I love that you are making/having made a quilt for your Dad. I also love the pictures on it which your Dad will always treasure - definitely print them, not iron them on as they will last longer.

Another suggestion - make sure you and your family members each sign a block and maybe write something special to your Dad. It could be as simple as telling him that you love him or maybe a memory of something funny that happened a while back.

My Dad passed away suddenly last year and he was my hero and rock. I had made him several quilts but his favorite one was the one I gave him on his 70th birthday, and his last, that I used old fashioned trains in it and put minkie on the back - I insisted that he be buried with this quilt and keep him warm forever and it gives me great peace that it will always be with him physically.

Good luck and I cannot wait to see the final result of your work!

It is so thoughtful of you to give your father a quilt. I am teaching myself to quilt using this board and the book "Quilting for Dummies"! If I can do it, anyone can! The book is really good and is available on Amazon. I want to make my 87 year old Gpa a quilt before he passes. He was a career airforce man and I would like to make an airforce themed quilt for him.

Ron,
It sounds as though you're on your way starting with the pictures and the memories associated with them. I'll bet you are able to find someone in your area to help :D

Good Luck

i agree try to find a quiler in your area if i lived by you i would love to help you out i have made 4 of them one for my dad and sisters out of fond memories from along time ago and they all cherish them

Oh gosh, so now I have another thread to watch. I am so intrigued by this idea. My sister made a similar quilt for my parents shortly before she died. It has pictures of the 8 of us kids on it with my parents in the center. She printed the pictures on the fabric using her printer. It's been more than 10 years now and it still looks amazing. My parents have had it hanging in their family room all these years and I'm amazed at how the colors have held up.

I say you dive right in ~ get some of the right stuff for printing out your own pictures, cut some squares and break into your new machine. You can do this :)

Hi and welcome to the board. I cant help you with your question. but one or more of these wonderful people on the board can help you. Penny

I am a quilter and live in columbus, ohio. Where is your dad? Perhaps we could work together on a quilt. It is easier to put pictures on fabric and then make the quilt. I could make a throw size quilt for your dad if you want to send me the pictures. Let me know what you think.

Hi, I really like your idea of a memory quilt with family photos for your Dad to look at when he gets lonely. They definitely do when they are away from family and in a home facility. I agree with others about the sew in for the pictures instead of iron on's the iron on's are like some tee shirt decals, eventually crack and wear off. I am planning a memory quilt for my daughter hopefully to complete this summer. Anyway, I was going through things today to get things I need for the project and found my fabric sheets. As someone else mentioned, go to Hobby Lobby or some quilt shop and look for June Taylor's Sew In colorfast Fabric Sheets for Ink Jet printers, 3 pages per package. The package I have are 8 l/2x11 sheets. I have used these before and really like them, instructions are included and the sheets are cotton fabric, I would check these out and find some one at the quilt shop and/ or a local quilt guild to help you. I don't know if these come in any color except white, because that's all I have ever found them in. But they work great. I love your idea, and better yet, instead of mailing it to your Dad when it is finished, perhaps you and siblings if there are any could all meet and hand deliver. That would be the greatest gift he could receive. Both of my parents are deceased, and I miss them dearly, so any time you can spend with your Dad will be fond memories you will always cherish. Good luck with your project. Gerbie