Baby Clothes Quilt for Jack

What is it with me and memory quilts? I love saying "yes" when friends ask me to make them, but I can't seem to get my act together to actually finish them for years. Yes, years. Shame on me!

 

 

Shannon sent me a box full of her son's baby clothes well over 2 years ago (probably closer to 3). I put them into my craft closet and you know what they say --- out of sight, out of mind. This quilt only took 8 or 10 hours to complete (once I finally got started).... it's getting started I can't seem to get very good at!

 

The clothes she sent ranged in size from newborn to about 24 months, so the sizes varied greatly.  She also included a few burp clothes (which were great for filling in "blank" spaces) and one itty bitty little bib.  There were t-shirts, sweatshirts, terrycloth, fleece and nylon items.  They all got a layer of fusible interfacing on the back (Pellon lightweight) before I cut them to size.  The size and layout of the quilt was dictated completely by the clothes!

 

Here are a few of my favorites:

 

This happy little crab was on the side of some nylon swim trunks.

 

 

I saved the Harley Davidson tag from the inside of a little fleece jacket and sewed it in the upper left corner of the gray block.  A cute little 3-D effect, I think.

 

 

The center part of this block was a tiny little bib, round at the bottom.  I had to improvise (with pieces from a matching onesie) to bring it up to a block size.

 

 

I really wanted to use the Calvin Klein logo from this shirt, but it was in an odd spot to cut out, so I just used the shirt with the buttons, pockets and all.  I sewed the main opening closed (down the middle), but it still looks functional.

 

 

Here's another little shirt I left in tact (right).  I was short by one block so I added a "J" (made from the Calvin Klein shirt, above) to a gray square cut from the back of another onesie.

 

 

This was from a tiny little swim shirt that went with the itty bitty swim trunks.  So adorable!

 

 

I was so excited to have this completed and (finally) in the mail that I didn't take any pictures of the back.  You're not missing much, though... I just used plain black fleece.  I stitched in the ditch on every seam between all the blocks.  I used cotton batting in the middle, because I don't think I could have gotten it through my machine (fleece + thicker batting + sweatshirts in some of the top blocks + interfacing) otherwise.  I sewed the entire thing (piecing and quilting) with my walking foot.  What a difference that made in the assembly!  On all the previous t-shirt quilts I've made, I just used a regular foot for piecing.  Never again --- the walking foot makes a night and day difference!

 

This little guy measures 54"x32" after washing.

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

 

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Forever has arrived!

I was sure the day would never come, but FOREVER has arrived!  What started as a giant box of t-shirts and 4 pair of pants.... over 2 1/2 years ago.... has finally become THIS quilt.  I couldn't be happier!

It measures 85" x 67" and is made entirely of my friend Shaun's clothes (mostly t-shirts) on both the front and the back.  The only exceptions are a few song lyrics he asked me to embroider for him, which I did on a white cotton fabric.

Though not a "traditional" quilt (and certainly not "traditional" construction methods!), this may just be one of my all-time favorite quilts.

Each and every block holds a memory and tells a story for Shaun.  I really can't think of a more special quilt than a memory quilt.

Can you spot the hidden ladybug, hand stitched into the block above?

Quilting this was quilt a workout... it was HEAVY and THICK!  It was equal parts sewing and wrestling, for sure.

For the most part, I quilted along each seam with a wave line and some loops.  I added loops to each intersection, and did a little FMQ in some of the plain filler blocks.

I didn't want to detract from any of the t-shirt designs, so I did not quilt inside any of those blocks.  I also didn't want this quilt to "crinkle" (and distort the shirt designs) so I used a polyester batting, rather than the cotton I typically use.

It is even bound with t-shirt fabric, which was not an easy task!  (Note: Spray starch is my new best friend!)

This quilt is far from perfect in terms of sewing, but it is still a "perfect" quilt --- full of love, warmth and memories for a very special friend.  After all, isn't that what quilt making is all about?

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Made with Love for Bella

Last week I posted about a memory quilt I had made for the family of a little boy named Ryan, who passed away last year when he was only 8 years old.  That was actually the second memory quilt I had made.  Today I wanted to share the first one I made, back in June 2011.

Jon was one of my sister's best friends.  He was only 24 when he was killed in an automobile accident in August 2009.  His funeral was on my sister's birthday.

His younger sister had a baby girl (Bella) the following year, who would never have the chance to know her Uncle Jon.  Bella's mom asked if I could make a small quilt for Bella, using some of Jon's clothes.  

I started with 2 t-shirts and a pair of blue jeans.

Bella's mom also asked me to include this terrycloth sleeper, which belonged to a cousin of Bella's who passed away when he was still a young baby.

Here's what I put together.  I don't recall the exact measurement,

but I'd guess it to be about 35 x 50 or so.

I didn't have a clear plan in mind when I started making this quilt.  I found some fabric in my stash that matched the colors in the clothes but might help "girl them up" a bit.  I basically just made blocks from the clothes, then fit them together like a puzzle, filling in with strips of fabric.

One of Jon's t-shirts.

The hearts are made from the sleeves of a t-shirt.  The green letters are made from another shirt and are appliqued on to a piece of blue jeans.

I've mentioned before how important ladybugs are in my family and as a result, to many of our close friends.  This quilt wasn't going to be complete without one!  The red and green are from Jon's t-shirts, and they are appliqued to a piece of his denim.

Another t-shirt.

I made this appliqued teddy bear out of the terrycloth sleeper.  I started with one big shape and used satin stitching to define the features, arms, feet, etc.  Those blue hearts are appliqued to a piece of Jon's gray t-shirt.

This might be my favorite block.  Those flowers are 3-dimensional.  I made them from the arm bands of the t-shirts.  The green stems are from the waist band of the other t-shirt.

The flowers are in a "pot" made from the pocket of Jon's jeans.

Of course, ladybugs for the back.

I think the Beautiful Ms. Bella likes it!

Have you ever made a memory quilt, or a quilt using t-shirts or other clothing?  If so, please leave me a comment or a link, I'd love to see what you've done!  I've got one other one in progress... a GIANT t-shirt quilt for a friend of mine.  I've dubbed it "The Forever Project" because "forever" is about how long it might take me to finish it.  I am a little bit stuck on how to proceed with it, so any and all ideas are helpful!




~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

In Memory of Ryan

Ryan was only 8 years old when he passed away last June.  I did not know him or his family.  I was "introduced" to them last fall, when a childhood friend of mine asked if I would be be willing to make a quilt for Ryan's family using some of his favorite clothes.

My friend, Joan, lost her own beautiful daughter a few years back.  Since that time, she and her husband have founded the Gabby Rocco Let It Shine Foundation, a "Christ-centered not-for-profit organization that is committed to supporting the physical and spiritual needs of families grieving the loss of a child."

(Not necessarily the best pictures... but I was in a hurry to get them in the mail and I wasn't thinking "blog worthy photos" back then.)

I was so honored to work on this quilt for Ryan.  His mom sent me Disney-themed t-shirts and jackets and sweatshirts and PJs, and I learned the story behind many of them.  I grew to love Ryan and his family with every stitch.  This was the hardest quilt I've ever made (for many reasons), but it is far and away one of my favorites. I added some appliques (made from his clothes) and some hand-stitched words, requested by his mother:

Ryan loved to ride horses on the weekends.

Butterflies were released at his funeral.

"Loved with a love beyond all feeling.  Missed with a grief beyond all tears."

Ryan was a shooting star.

We also included a shirt with his hand prints and a photo of Ryan with his dog.

Using some of the leftover clothing (and a few more items his mom sent), I also made pillow cases for his older sister and brother.

16 inch square pillow case with zipper closure in the bottom.

The reverse of the square pillow case.

This is a standard size pillow case.  The opening is on the right side.

This is the reverse side of the standard pillow case.

All this brings me to my recent finishes, which were on my May Small Project Sew Along list.  Using more of Ryan's fabric, I made (at the request of his mom) four small wall hangings that can be given to some supportive family friends.  These finish at 4" square and are made of his t-shirts and PJs.

I also made 3 stuffed "Mickey heads" for his mom, brother and sister.  His name is embroidered onto the front of each one.

None of these items would win any beauty contest or sewing awards, but I know they all mean the world to his mom.  I pray every day that their family will find peace and comfort and strength in warm memories these small reminders of the beautiful life Ryan lived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's my updated list for the May Small Project Sew Along:


1. Complete H2H quilt - link here
2. Complete Laura's quilt - link here

3. Make pillow to match Laura's quilt - link here
4. Finish quilt for Sujay (flimsy is complete)
5. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) wall hangings (1 done, 2 not started) - DONE!
6. Make 3 small memory (t-shirt) Mickey pillows - DONE!

7. Make a green mug rug in time for Mother's Day  

8. Make a pink mug rug just because I want to
9. Finish April Seasonal Skinny (flimsy is complete)
10. Complete 2 ladybug Seasonal Skinnies for May
11. Cut fabric for summer hexie project
12. Make a portable sewing kit / bag / holder / something-or-other - link here
13. Start (and finish) embroidery for "The Forever Project"
14. Complete "Om" block for "The Forever Project"
15. Make or find a simple pattern for a tote / beach bag
16. Make a year-end gift for my kindergartener's teacher
17. Make a year-end gift for my 3rd grader's teacher
18. Make a birthday gift for kindergartener's BFF
19. Make a "surprise" for my 11 running partners + myself
20. Make an Unruly letters pillow for Kim
21. Update my running scrapbook (no sewing involved!)
22. Figure out a plan of attack for the "Unless" quilt

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~