Scrap Happy

I’m making a memory quilt from hospital dresses for a friend who recently lost her Mom, on Mother’s Day this year. This is my 2nd Memory quilt. The 1st one was for a friend’s Mom and my friend asked me to make it for her Mom her Dad passed. All of the shirts were men's button down cotton shirts. It was an honor for me to try to bring comfort to her Mom in some small way. Two things I learned from making the 1st one 1) There is a lot of emotion involved and 2) Non-quilters don’t know the amount of time that goes into a quilt. So with this 2nd quilt I explained this to my friend and she understands.

With both quilts the fabric has been 100% cotton – lucky for me. I’ve never made a quilt with woven fabric. Personally I would consider doing it with help from this board and read up on quilts made with non-cotton fabrics because of my skill level with this. Or find another quilter who is more skilled so I wouldn’t goof up the quilt.

I offered to make the one I just started for my friend. I would have loved to supply all of the additional fabric for the quilt (it is a quilt as you go quilt) but am not in the position right now to do that. So she paid for the extra material needed.

EDIT: One of the dresses had lace on it so I'll use that in the quilt too. One of the dresses has an embroidered flower that her sister made and that will be in the quilt too.

Neanie

This is a quilt I made for my sister after her husband died. I asked her to save his cotton shirts and pajamas. The 9-patch blocks are made from those items. The rest of the fabric came from my stash. I machine quilted an all-over stipple to finish it off. The pattern is Sister's Choice from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site.

Scrap Happy

You did a beautiful job on it.

Deborahlees

I have made 2 quilts out of clothing....my late husbands. I used dress shirts, some ties and some summer shorts....used a simple 9 patch pattern for one and a applique for the other. They are memory quilts for his grandchildren. I included a picture of him with them in the corner of each quilt. Doing it was an extreme healing process for me. I would do it again, however using the same weight and kind will make it easier, along with a simple pattern so the fabric makes the statment not the design. Make a simple throw size...40 x 50ish.....A picture of the two of them tucked into a corner is a great memory.....

mimee4

I've mixed everything from heavy sweat shirts to nylon jackets. the fabrics that needed stablizing, I used pellon. And yes, if you really don't like the idea of doing this, don't. Refer her to someone who would like to do it. Nothing is so exhausting as having to complete a quilt that you really don't want to do.

MYWR

Great idea ! and there is thin fabric you can use in your computer printer to transfer apicture onto the fabric to use it. I know Joann's has it . . aobut $70 for 3 sheets if I am remembering correctly - but I am sure it available on line for much less

Deborahlees

katcox

Ask her if she will help in the cutting, It will get done faster. make big chunks,I've put shirts with jeans, some jeans are pretty thin after they are cut. throw in a pocket or two, they are always fun.I liked using a 2.5 strip in between the blocks, seems to make them sturdier.If you aim for the same size blocks it will be easier.use interfacing,lt to med is good depending on fabric.

soccertxi

I just recently did a memory t-shirt quilt for a customer. She also included 2 plaid shirts of different weights. One was flannel, so I left it as is. The 2nd one was much lighter so I used a light weight fusible interfacing to stabilize it and make it closer to the flannel's weight. I was not to enthused about this project either, when I started. I warmed to it as I went along...and when I saw her face when she saw the completed quilt. PRICELESS!

amazon

Here is a memory quilt I am still working on for a lady. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-106487-1.htm It has everything from cotton to blends and polyester. I did not use stabilizer on any of it. I think it turned out great. I did hand quilt the center blocks , will be machine stippling the border , I have no experience with longarming different types of fabrics, so I don't know if it can be done.This strip twist pattern by Bonnie Hunter is very easy and forgiving of mistakes. Its perfect for a scrappy. Just decide if you want to do it and double your timeline, it takes longer to sort and cut out the usable fabric.Once you get into it, I think you will enjoy it. It is going to be so hard to give this one up :thumbdown: Good luck !