Hello fellow quilters, I have recently heard of a new trend for recent brides. They take their weddings dresses apart and cut them up to make a memory or keepsake quilt. Has anyone else out there heard of this? I would love to see a picture of one, or find a source for patterns and ideas, it sounds interesting. I hope one of you can help me find out more.

What a great idea. My son is getting married on June 2nd. I am not sure if she would let me tear it apart, but might be a good idea for any formal dresses picked up at the Good Will.

my sister made baby quilts for both her step daughters from their dresses. they were just precious

A few years ago, I had seen a book in my local quilt shop that was a pattern for a wedding dress. It was a pictorial type quilt where you attach part of your dress and other items from your wedding to make a picture. The one I had seen was where the dress was cut in half and attached to a background and the rest of the picture was like a bedroom where the dress was hanging. (Did that make sense?)
My sister in law has always said I should make these for people so their wedding dress just doesn't sit in a box somewhere. (Like mine) I almost bought the book, but didn't. Maybe if you google wedding dress quilts or something along that line, you might find something. Good luck.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one to consider this. A few weeks ago my Sis was over and she was looking through my closet for something to wear (yes, even in our 30's we still do that). She pulled out my wedding dress and in the discussion I told her I am thinking of cutting it up to make a quilt; there is certainly enough fabric... the train was was 12 ft long, which is a whole other story. Anyway, you would have thought I'd said I was getting a divorce by the look on her face. I tried to make her understand that I would rather make a quilt for my husband & I than just store it, and it would be something for our Girls later in life. She just looked at me like she was trying to remember the phone number of the men in white coats. :roll: I'm still probably going to do it... I'm the oldest. :lol:

Heres a link to show what I was thinking about for use of a wedding dress quilt: http://www.creativequilts.com/galleryanniversary.shtml

Hope this helps.

Carla, Take a look at this link and show it to your sis!! I think what this lady has done is just beautiful using wedding dresses. http://www.annawb.com/25anniversary.htm

Tricia,

Thank you for the links! The quilts in the 2nd link you posted are exactly what I had in mind. Thank you so much!!

Trica
Those quilts where beautiful, Now I want to make one. I love using beads, sequins, ribbons, etc. What a perfect way to do this. Thanks so much for the info. I've got to get to a thrift shop and buy a couple of gowns. What a mind surge, and creative hot spot.

Grammer,

You don't have to use your own... If your dress means that much to you, then by all means keep it and do like Rebecca- hit the thrift store!! :D All of the fun... none of the pain.

That was such a blessing to recieve this info, I thought about it, and since my D-I-L and son got married while he was on leave, 11 yrs ago, she did'nt get the wedding she wanted and we had talked about for years. So I'm going to make her one and of course my G-daughter. My D-I-L had talked to me when she was a jr in HS, about making her wedding dress, and we had even looked at several patterns, But as love will have it, they did'nt wait because she wanted to be with my son where ever he was going to be, So this will be her Christmas gift, and I know she'll cry. My G-daughter is only 9, so I'm sure I'll have lots of time to get hers done, but what a gift to make for her. Thanks so much.

I like the Idea of useing wedding dress fabric. But I was thinking about cutting mine into a pcd. work. I've been thinking about an appropriate pattern and thought the wedding ring quilt pattern would be a good one. I never thought about doing the whole front that way. I have seen baby outfits mounted into a shadow box frame and had thought that was a rather unique/kool thing to do. I'm trying to come up with a 50th anniversary wall hanging and had an idea to make a signature ready combo of some type. I would welcome any and all ideas. My Mom's oldest brother and wife are celebrating 50 the end of Aug. So If I'm going to do I need to get on it.

How many brothers and sisters do they have? My mom was the eldest of 13 kids. On my grandparents 50th anniversary each one made a block to be made into a quilt and embroidered something special on it. She loved it so much she cried.

Three brothers and one sister on our side. Hers: I know about 1 brother for sure and I'm positive that none of them will be making any quilt blocks in this life time :lol: . Some of the Nieces could maybe be persuaded if I had more time, So My best hope is to catch everyone who comes to the party and have them sign on the finished product. Boy would I like to be able to turn it into a family project. But since this one doesn't include any nails, lumber, bolts, screws, grease or any type of car part.... (the image of uncle Tom with an embroidery hoop....priceless!)

Yeah I know whatcha mean. Not many quilters left in my family. Most have gone to that quilting bee in the sky.

I think this is such a sweet thing for you to do. Maybe your Son would be willing to get involved and set up a surprise mock ceremony so she could wear it for a little while. Either way, I think it is great that you care for her so much.

I have some of these same Uncles... They'd turn it over a time or 2, scratch theor heads, then ask where does the straight key go & have you changed the oil in it lately??? :roll: :lol:

I can see using wedding dresses or satin fabric from thrift stores, but my own dress is far too special and expensive to cut into something else. My daughters have a dress I made for them and they also are saving that for their daughters. The hand embroidery and the time involved means so much to all of us.

Now, about the quilts... Will the quilt be all white? Will it perhaps be white and cream or other colors mixed (using several dresses)? I can visualize a "fancy fabric" with lots of additions. Maybe it could be a type of crazy patch and use many types of lace and embroidery or perhaps it could be a geometric pattern. If there has been a photo or a sample shown on a link, I have not seen it yet. :?

As ever,

GramMER

Go back to Tricia's post on page 1 of this thread... The pictures are gorgeous!!! (You brought up some good ideas as well!)

As far as my own, I'm not sure yet. I definitely want to be sure I do it justice by showcasing all of the lace, embroidery, beading, etc. My gown has both white and cream colored lace & satin in it... kind of Victorian, hence such a long train. The 2nd link Tricia posted is very much what I had in mind.

I think the way I'm going to go is with a crazy quilt design, with a center piece , I'll applique things in the center piece such as a garter. gloves, victorian shoes, a heart, with their names embroderied on it, and of course I'm going to embellish with pearls, satin ribbon, etc. I'm going to use all wedding colors, white,off white, cream . All the appliques will be my own design of pattern pieces. Of course on a quilt type scale.I'll make a plain heart for my G-daughter, I won't be able to embroder names yet,(Thank Goodness) But I wtll put their names on other locations of their quilt. And I'll use all old wedding dresses. And of course remeber, Something old, Something new, Something borrowed and something blue. This is such a creative and fun thing to do. Just the laces alone will be beautiful.

Please take a picture of it when you're done... We'd love to see it!! :D

Yes, Rebecca, please post a pic when you are done. I can't wait to see it. I had did something similiar for a communion baby quilt last year with all satins and laces. I put a big heart in the middle with lace around the edges. It was pretty when I got done. Can't wait to see yours.

My daughter in laws mother gave me all the scraps from the wedding dress to make something for a christening. Now if I could convince them to provide something to christen, I'd have it mad :lol: They aren't in as much of a hurry as I am, unfortunately. I have 3 gkids already but would love to hav more. I am hopeful that they will come around to my way of thinking soon. :-)

I wish I could post a picture, as well as pictures of my other quilts, however I don't have the equipment to do that, S-o-r-r-y.

Just this past Sunday my best friend went to her great grand daughter's Christening...the baby's gown was made from the wedding dress worn by her maternal grandmother , 2 aunts and maternal great grandmother. I was told it was just beautiful and such a wonderful use of amazingly gorgeous material.

That was Beautiful, what a treasure.

Do you believe in coincidence? :?:

I have been going thru everything in the house to get ready to move when our farm sells and this week I am going to do the closet where my wedding gown is.

I have been tempted to get rid of it because it just hangs in the closet but I could never quite do it.

:) This idea is perfect and I would never have thought of it in a zillion years.

I love this board. It has the neatest,most creative people and ideas :-)
Marybeth

MaryBeth,

My suggestion for what it's worth....

If you have daughters or grand daughters, give them a chance to claim the dress first. I have precious memories of a hand made voile wedding dress my paternal grandmother wore and (at the time) I thought it was mine to keep forever. It even had handmade lace and a handmade petticoat to go with it (the kind you see in museums today), but someone older than I decided it needed to be tossed and did.

The very precious memory I have of that dress will always make me want to give the next generation a chance to have a keepsake if they desire it. Hidden very delicately under the lace front were two bound buttonholes for nursing a baby. Obviously my grandmother wore the dress a long time even though it only had a 14" waistline.

GramMER

My mother's wedding dress was silk that my dad brought back from Japan. He was there for the Occupation in the 40's. Couple of years ago, mom cut her gown for 16 silk handkerchiefs (one for each grandchild) and her mother tatted lace to edge them. Each grandchild will get one as a wedding gift. Wish she had done an extra one for me. The dress had been stored for 50 years and wasn't in the best of shape, but she saved what she could. What a treasure to pass down.

I really appreciate your advice re: future generations.

My wedding gown story has an oops to it.

I was married 32 yrs ago and after the wedding I asked my mom to have the dress cleaned and packed for storage as we were moving to a small apt in another city.

25 years later while cleaning out my parents house to sell it. I found the dress in a closet just the way I had hung it up. The dress is yellowed and creased from the hanger. Why my mom did not have it cleaned is a question I'll never know the answer. I don' think anyone could wear it in the shape that it is in.

So. . . thinking this quilt idea may be a way to save part of the dress.

Marybeth

Thats a great idea. What a beautiful bedspread quilt that would be. After years in the closet doing nothing, you could see everyday. I'm going to
mention that to my daughterinlaw, of course, she might be saving it for
her girls to use too. Food for thought :lol:

Silk is beautiful and so expensive in some countries, but it can deteriorate too, if seams are not wide enough. I actually bought a beautiful silk comforter made of saris from India, and it literally fell to pieces before I ever had it dry cleaned. Fortunately I was able to get my money back, but watching it pull into shreds was heartbreaking.

Remember too that old cloth and new cloth should not be put together or the "rend" will be greater. Keep the cloth about the same time period. This might require you to shop at a thrift store to finish your project. Depending on how old your dress is, it should be fairly easy to tell what is new and what is older by the style of the dress.

My best to you,

GramMER[u]

t quilts theese's are so beautiful.makes me kinda sad i don't have a daughter of my own. ..............tia sarah

I have made several double wedding ring quilts and had people sign the back - at one shower, I wasn't in the room with the quilt and people signed on the front. The bride loved it.

This particular quilt was made from scraps and fabrics that identified the donor - cats for the cat lover, baseball for the jock - the background was from a dress shirt from the accountant. Maybe your family could come up with identifying fabrics (or you could) and have them sign in the center of that field

kcama

I added a tiny piece of scrap left from making my own wedding dress and any other ones from related people - maybe you could get snippets of siblings wedding attire (from an inside seam or something).

I think it would be neat to cut up a bunch of dresses that are never going to be worn again that are too small (usually, :lol:) or too darn ugly.....
make them all into a big memory quilt! hehehe!

My wedding dress is dark blue! I got it on sale at Deb in the mall after prom season for $25!!!! It's hanging in the basement....with my gown I wore in my BF's wedding, and my Matron of Honor dress I wore in my sis's wedding....
I could prob. cut up my wedding dress easier than I could cut up my other ones! aahhhhh!

I thought I probably should explain the spelling of my alias.

When my babies were little, I wanted them to call me Mother and not Mommie. I did my level best to teach them how to say it, but alas it always seemed to come out Mer rather than Mother.

As my grandchildren began to come along, the first granddaughter called me GramMER rather than Grandmother and the label stuck. You see, I was also a part time English teacher and the name sounded so appropriate even if it were not spelled correctly (grammar).

GramMER to 15 and one more on the way this month!!!! :!:

I had one of my daughters wedding dresses in my closet for a few years and wanted to get rid of it. One of my Aunt's was an excellent seamstress so I asked her what could be done with it. She suggested making pillows for daughters bed. She took the dress and made several pillows that were stunning....she used the beads lace for the edges on each pillow.
Just another thought on what to do with a wedding dress.
SewSew

Beth
Why don't you write a book? What a wonderful, beautiful idea. And with your beautiful work, Oh my goodness what heirlooms you could turn out. Your just such the smart one aren't ya,

Rebecca,

Have we met somewhere? I know there are precious few GramMERs in the world, but lots of grammar teachers named Beth after Queen Elizabeth perhaps.

I would love to write a book, but nobody would want to read it because it would be mostly focused on my lapfull of babies and the things we do together.

Today I worked on a quilt for the new grandson. I took the pages of a cloth book and put them into a quilt because one page was missing. Never a dull moment at our house... The book was about Noah and the flood and page 6 was missing. In the quilt top, the missing page will not be noticed.

The irony is that tonight our streets are flooded nearly to the knees of taller people and to the hip of shorter ones. As we drove home (keeping to the center of the road) we felt truly sorry for the ones waiting for busses and auotrickshaws.

And my mind went back to my quilt....

Stay well. Keep dry!!

GramMER

I'm sorry, I thought you where another Beth that I talk with via e-mail, who is also on this forum, She just posted another one of her beautiful quilts. But you know your wedding pillow is still a wonderful idea, and you can still write a book. I'm again sorry, Sometimes it helps if I pay more attention.