I'm making two memorial quilts for the dd's of a friend whose son was killed this past year. I was given two big bags of his clothing. the cotton shirts and shorts were easy but there's not enough of them to make two. I also have a huge pile of blue jeans. I'd like to make the girls quilts similar so I'm wondering if I can take the blue jeans and make sashing between the cotton blocks? That would help stretch the blocks out so that I'll have enough to make the quilts the same. Will the quilt hold up ok mixing the fabrics?

This makes perfect sense to me so I hope it does to someone else! :)

I made a T-shirt quilt for my son, and used blue jeans sashing between the blocks. However, I used a muslin foundation block for the T-shirt squares to give them some stability.

The lightweight fabrics will probably wear out before the denim, but even so, if the lightweight fabrics are in good condition and the quilts aren't abused, they should last for many years.

Are the girls old enough to talk to about what they might want?

the girls don't even know they are getting them. the mom just wants them to have them. I finally decided on a pattern and started on them. The mom just wants them to have something they can curl up with on the couch or take on a trip and she wasn't particular about the pattern or anything. So I'm just trying to use as much of his clothing as I can in these quilts.

I would be careful in mixing different weights of fabric. If you want the blue jeans look, then look for compatiable weight of fabric in a blue jeans color for your sashing. Wearability is one issue and weight is another and certainly more difficult to piece and quilt.

How old are the girls? How big do you want to make the quilts?

Have you thought about making rag quilts with the denim?

I know of a lady that made quilts with denim - she made modified flat-felled seams and staggered the seam lines. Very sturdy and warm.

I agree.

A rag quilt, with the denim on the back and the rest on the front, would make a great quilt for the girls. You wouldn't have to worry about the seams pulling loose in the wash, as these will probably get a lot of laundering if they are carrying them all around :wink:

that is so nice for you to make the quilt for the girls