Beaches and Sunsets {Hawaiian Shirts Memory Quilt}

This quilt has been in progress for, suffice it to say, waaay too long.  At long last though it is done and somewhere in a box it is traveling to its new home.  I made this quilt for my friend Nate and his family from his father's shirts. His dad passed away last year.  These are not just your usual sampling of shirts, but Hawaiian shirts! This man had style.

I used 6 Hawaiian shirts, 1 orange polo, and 1 blue polyester athletic shirt. Only the light yellow 0.5" sashing came from store-bought fabric.  The blocks finish at 7" and the whole quilt measures 56"x77".

Apparently when they make these shirts they meticulously line up the pattern, but that is in fact a pocket closed with a button.

Any time I make a memory quilt from clothes I like to include elements that identify the fabrics as clothes, things like pockets and tags.  If you've been reading this blog for a long time you may remember Harley memory quilt I made for my cousin her dad's clothes.  I did the same thing on this  quilt, including 6 pockets and various tags and buttons.

The top is quilting with a loose swirl. I went around the pockets to avoid sewing them closed.

I didn't stabilize any of the fabrics in this top prior to sewing. The Hawaiian shirts have practically no stretch although they are quite thin.  Both the solid colors shirts did have quite a bit of stretch, but I think since they were cut into such small patches I was able to get away with it.

I made the backing from panel of batik fabric and from the remainder of the Hawaiian shirts. And of course it got a label.

Obviously I make a give away a lot of quilts, but making one for someone I personally know and care for is the most special.  I haven't seen Nate since I was visiting him in California a couple years ago, but I can send my love in a quilt.

Hoping this simple quilt will ease the grief and sending love from Texas <3 br="" kat.="" nbsp="">

Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Friday.