Attempting to make a memory quilt....

If you have limited fabric -- you are right... bigger pieces will let you have more usable fabric (less wasted in seam allowances. Why only 3-4 shirts -- is that all available

-- or only those that are the "right" fabric? If you have other shirts -- you might want to use them as well. For the really thin fabrics -- you might want to use an interfacing. But I think the varying textures and wider variety of colors and patterns would make a wonderful memory quilt -- assuming you have them available to you.

There would be nothing wrong with adding fabrics to allow the quilt to be larger

-- but if you want to keep it to his shirts only -- nothing wrong with that. Maybe you could collect a shirt from each of the other immediate family members... your DH -- his brothers/sisters and spouses and grand children. Maybe ask the donor to include a picture of the shirt owner with the shirt -- and create a photo album to go along with the quilt.

Good luck -- I'm sure your DMIL will treasure it.

Kate in MI

How about a very nice, and simple, quilt called Chinese coins? For this pattern, it would not matter that the colours or fabric patterns don't match. One way of describing it is: one four inch wide strip, made from lots and lots of mixed fabric strips - perhaps 2" wide (as you have limited material in the shirts). These mixed stripes are alternated with single fabric strips. So, perhaps you could use the shirt sleeves from each shirt to make a long strip of one fabric? and all the rest of the usable fabric to make the mixed stripy strips. I'm sure if you tried Google you could get a picture of one. There will be variation in the number of stripes and widths, no doubt! . In message , snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

I really want the top to be just his shirts.

I think this is the key here and I don't think it matters at all if the colors don't match. If you really want some coordinating fabric to tie it all in,perhaps simple sashing might tie it all in together for you. It's such a nice idea and I'm betting your MIL is going to love it.

Here's a link for the Chinese Coin Quilt Patti wrote about:

Thanks Kris - for doing my 'homework' for me.

One day I really will have to get the hang of being able to refer to some master list of patterns that I have somewhere other than my head. . In message , "Kris in Portland, Oregon" writes

I agree that Chinese Coins would be a good top to make. I think I would use all the fabric from the shirts that I could to make the coins, and add the man's favorite color as solid colored strips for the long pieces between the coins. Debra in VA See my quilts at

If you have four shirts, have you thought about doing a simple four patch of the front of the quilt with the shirts. You could cut the sleeves and back off and sew the fonts closed and then the whole front onto a piece of backing. Choose an appropriate fabric for a sashing between the shirts. The backing and the sleeves could be used to do a chinese coin type of border. With leaving the shirts whole, it would be like four of your FIL on the front of the lap quilt. You MIL could be "hugged" by the memories.

Just an idea.

Steve

I am unsure of what type of quilt to make. I was thinking about a very simple strip quilt Will it matter that the colours don't match, or should I buy some additional fabric to help co-ordinate the fabrics. I am hesitant to do this as I really want the top to be just his shirts. The only reason I am thinking about a strip quilt is for better use of the fabic in the shirts themselves. He was a very thin man and his shirts don't have alot of fabric in them. I suspect I'll only get a lap quilt out of the shirts.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Sharon

No Problem

Have a great day! Kris

Patti wrote:

I saw a pattern somewhere that used ths very idea. And if you can get any of his ties - put those on too! Wouldn't matter if they matched or not - you know how men dress anyway!