A Memory Quilt

I can't believe my last post was in March. The weeks have slipped by and I had very good intentions  which never quite made it to the computing stage. Really it has been nice to have a break, but I hope you are all still there! I have made quilts though, and this is Gemma's memory quilt made from her little son's outgrown clothes. It has been a joy to make, handling soft baby clothes is so nice, little designs, logos and buttons and the 'I remember' feeling when seeing similar navy and white dungarees to those worn by my youngest who refused a dress until sixteen years old! Here it is:

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

It is a single bed size with pockets, buttons, a fluffy dog, straps, rabbit ears and two appliqued stars from a baby hat fabric.

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

A tip for adding tiny pockets.... if the fabric the pocket is sewn to on the garment is too small a size for the quilt block, cut the right size from the back of the garment and applique the pocket piece onto it before completing the block. You can just see one I have done in the left bottom corner above with a machine blanket stitch and in the centre of the photo below. 

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

I do get asked if I use a stablizer for stretch fabrics and I don't as it would be so fiddlely and expensive. I find that using a simple design for the blocks works best so there is no difficult piecing. I cut all the seams off the clothing and iron everything with steam before cutting the pieces with a rotary cutter. I handle them very carefully and use a walking foot to the stitch pieces together with pins horizontal to the seams. I press seams flat with steam and baking parchment, be careful of polester threads and rubbery pictures on clothes too. Yes, seams can be a wonky sometimes but this doesn't seem to spoilt the cuddle comfort levels of the quilts.These are not the flatest quilts but they are very loved! 

Memory quilt by Green Star Quilts

This month I have sadly decided to stand down as a Project Linus UK co-ordinator. I am doing more to help our family, the garden needs attention and I need a quieter life. I have loved volunteering for Project Linus UK and have met many amazing people. In 11 years I have given 63 talks and raised hundreds of pounds to buy fabric for the quilts. We have given out 3325 quilts to children in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and I am very proud of that achievement. Now it is time for some new ideas and I so hope that someone will step forward and enjoy being a co-ordinator for Lincolnshire as I have so much. 

And I will have time to make some Project Linus UK quilts myself, so here is the one I have made for Dylan, a very brave little boy........

Spiderman Quilt for Project Linus UK

Here is the back:

Spiderman Quilt for Project Linus UK

I am just catching the last link up this spring, run by Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts. I am so grateful to her for running this, it shapes the quilting week for me and I am sure many of you too. 

Happy quilting and summer is nearly here I hope, thanks for visiting,

Kind regards,

Sue