Tag: Making A Memory Quilt

I am so excited you are here and that I have the opportunity to share my method for making a memory quilt. So let’s get started with gathering materials.

To make a memory quilt, you will need the following materials:

1. Clothing or fabric: Choose the clothing or fabrics that have sentimental value to you or the person for whom you are making the quilt. This can be dress shirts, t-shirts, jeans; whatever is important for your project.
   • Be sure to wash and dry all clothing so it is ready for cutting. If you are using fabric to embellish your blocks, you may want to prewash and dry. I prefer to prewash and dry my fabrics when making memory quilts so that the added fabric does not shrink once the quilt is put together.
2. Additional fabric: You may need additional fabric to enhance your blocks, to use as a backing for the quilt, or to create borders.
3. Interfacing – I recommend Pellon P44F, which is a very lightweight interfacing and it will not add to the weight of your quilt. Not all fabrics need to be interfaced, but if you are using t-shirts or any fabric/material that stretches, then it should be interfaced.
4. Batting: Batting is the soft layer that goes between the quilt top and backing to add warmth and comfort. Some prefer cotton, polyester or a polyester/cotton blend. My favorite batting is Warm & Natural cotton batting. And I also love Dream cotton batting.
5. Thread: You will need thread in various colors to sew the fabric pieces together and to quilt the layers together. I keep staple colors for piecing; white, ivory, black, and light gray. However, if your fabrics are mostly black, you may prefer to use black. I sometimes use a darker gray if I have mixed darks and mediums. I do use all cotton thread for piecing. Some of my favorites are: Aurifil or Gutermann and don’t forget you will need bobbins to match!
6. Scissors, snips, and rotary cutter: Scissors are necessary for cutting and trimming fabric, A rotary cutter is used for cutting and trimming large pieces of fabric. I keep snips at my sewing machine for trimming threads, but you can also use scissors.
7. Cutting mat: Cutting mats provide a stable and safe surface for cutting fabric with a rotary cutter. I purchased a Fiskars Mat from Amazon and love it! It is double sided and easy to read.
8. Rulers: Quilting rulers are a necessity to ensure that you have straight edges on your blocks so that everything stitches together nicely. I would recommend a straight ruler; I use a Creative Grids 6.5 x 24″ for cutting lengths of fabric. And depending on the size of your quilt blocks, you may want either a 12.5″ or 15.5″ ruler. If you have the 15.5″ or larger, it is very versatile and you can cut small to large blocks. For instance, if you are using baby clothes, then you may need to cut 6.5″ or 8.5″ unless you are combining clothing.
9. Pins, clips, needles, marking pencils: Pins hold the fabric pieces together while sewing. I love these clips for holding fabric and especially for binding. Needles are necessary for hand-sewing (which I avoid at all costs!) and while I don’t expect to hand-sew, you may prefer to hand-sew you binding and the needles will come in handy in that case. For marking pencils/pens, chalk pencils or disappearing ink pens, etc. will work. You will want to test the pens/pencils with the fabrics you will use.
10. Sewing machine: A sewing machine is used for piecing. We will only be using a straight stitch so you don’t need anything fancy! However, I would recommend a walking foot if you are planning on quilting your memory quilt on your sewing machine. You will have to do some research on which walking foot fits your machine prior to purchasing. Either your local dealer or manufacturer website is a good place to start.
11. Embellishments: You may want to add additional embellishments like embroidery, appliqué, or quilting designs to finish the quilt. We will discuss all of these in future posts.

That’s it! Gather your materials and get ready to make a memory quilt that will be treasured for years to come. Next week we will discuss design so it will be helpful to know how many shirts you will be working with for your project.

Let me know if you have questions on any of the materials. If you don’t have something there may be a way to utilize something that you already have and I will do my best to help you with alternatives.

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This is the beginning of my series on “Making A Memory Quilt”. Memory quilts are my favorites! A memory quilt is a great way to preserve cherished memories and commemorate special events. In this post I will list some steps to getting started and every week I will make a post that goes into each step in detail. I truly hope that you find this information helpful. If you have tips along the way, please share them so we can all benefit!

Steps to get started making a memory quilt:

1. Gather materials: To make a memory quilt, you’ll need fabric for the quilt top, batting for the middle, and a backing fabric. Also gather any clothing, textiles, or other items that hold sentimental value to include in the quilt.
2. Choose a design: There are many different designs you can use for a memory quilt. Some popular options include patchwork (see my photo above), photo quilts, and applique. I have included all of these on some quilts. It truly depends on your preferences and what you have available. You may also want to consider the size and shape of the quilt based on how many items you plan to include. If you don’t have enough memory items (shirts, etc.) then you can plan in additional fabrics to make the size quilt you would like.
3. Plan your layout: Once you have your materials and design chosen, plan out how you want to arrange your items on the quilt. This may involve cutting the clothing or textiles into specific shapes or sizes.
4. Interface as needed: Some fabrics will require additional preparation prior to cutting. For instance, T-shirts require a light interfacing to ensure they do not stretch while constructing or quilting.
5. Cut your fabrics: Depending on your design, you may have different items of clothing, memorabilia, or fabric to cut.
6. Piece together the quilt top: Using your chosen design, piece together the quilt top. This may involve sewing together fabric pieces, attaching photos, or appliqueing items onto the fabric.
7. Add batting and backing: Once the quilt top is complete, layer it with batting and a backing fabric. Pin the layers together and quilt them by hand, with a sewing machine. long arm, or even bring them to a long arm quilter to be completed. Lots of options available!
8. Make a quilt label: Your memory quilt will last for generations so let’s be sure that the memories and purpose are documented for the future! Don’t forget to include this information: Name of quilt, Name of piecer/quilter, Date quilt was completed, special notes about the person, event, or memories.
9. Add the quilt label: In some cases the quilt label is completed and affixed prior to the quilting of the memory quilt. In other cases, you may wish to add the label directly prior to the binding or whip stitch it on after the binding. It is all a matter of personal choice.
10. Binding: Once the quilting is complete, add binding to the edges of the quilt to finish it off.

I am super excited to be bringing this series to you and hope that you will create your own memory quilt. There are many ways to accomplish these tasks so I look forward to hearing from you with some tips and tricks!

Remember, making a memory quilt is a labor of love and can take some time and effort. Take your time, enjoy the process, and know that the end result will be a cherished keepsake for years to come.