Aaron’s Quilt

The quilt below was gifted by a family friend to the parents of a young man who tragically drowned. I was sent 25 shirts which had belonged to the young man. Some were his baby shirts, along with a hat, a pair of pajamas and a pair of jeans. My client Eileen left the design up to me, but requested that I somehow use the hat and the jeans. Below are pictures of the final quilt and the pillow I made from his Christmas pajamas. Also depicted are quilt labels displayed on the back pockets of his jeans. Note the hole in the pocket where he carried his wallet. Upon viewing the quilt, Aaron’s mother said that for now those pockets would hold tissues for crying.

Note the use of the logo cut from Aaron’s cap and sewn into the lower tan triangle. Also note the tiny logo on the red diamond, which came from his baby outfit. The orange “BOO!” was from one of his Halloween outfits. Most of the other triangles display typical teen age boy’s shirts.  Aaron was 21 years old when he died, a beloved young man much missed by his friends and his family.

Father’s T-Shirts and Golf Shirts Made into a Christmas Quilt

Below are pictures of a Christmas quilt given as a gift from a widowed mother to her daughter, made from her father’s t-shirts, golf shirts, and vacation shirts.  The quilt which was approximately 80 x 80 inches could be used as a large throw or a wall hanging or even to adorn a bed. According to the mother, this quilt also caused a poignant Christmas.  She said, “Angie LOVED her quilt. Of course, she cried. It meant so much to her. Thank you for such a beautiful thing!! I couldn’t have picked a better source for this project. I have told all my friends how wonderful it was to work with you.”

A Crazy Quilt – Beloved Husband’s T-Shirts and Sweat Shirts

Glenna wanted a quilt made from a special collection of her husband’s shirts, but she didn’t care for geometric designs and wanted a crazy quilt, as she loved the old crazy quilts she had once had made with embroidery and interesting fabrics and shapes. So I made a quilt with the logos of the shirts facing in all directions and the colorful fabric of the shirts sprinkled about.

Her husband Stuart had spent many days after retirement working for Habitat for Humanity, and some of the shirts he wore there were worn and paint spackled, making them all the dearer.  Notice one section of such a shirt in the second frame.

Each of us have our own ideas of what sort of quilt we like, and I try to fulfill that vision when I design these quilts. A memory quilt is a very personal item, unique and treasured.