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.

School Spirit

The sewing machine has been humming right along here, making a pair of A&M quilts for a friend who wants to give them as Christmas presents.

I first made 2 panels with the A&M logo. One is applique, the other is reverse applique. Both have batting sewn in under the letters to make them pop.

The first quilt is laid out (minus the bottom 2 rows which didn't fit) and partially assembled.  I put these quilts on hold for the moment to work on an older WIP.

The memory quilt made of Hawaiian shirts from my friend Nate's dad is under the needle finally getting quilted.

Large swirls.  It is difficult to be really careful not to get any puckers or distortion of the shirts because there won't be much krinkle happening to disguise any mistakes.  I am hoping to get it done and bound today.  Hope you are having lots of sewing time, too!

Linking to Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.

Design Wall Monday Memory Quilt

This is a little late Design Wall Monday post. By trying to do a set every day I got all the blocks for the Hawaiian Shirt Memory Quilt done. Here they are all arranged on the design wall. The odd solid blocks have the shirt pockets on them. I sewed the shirt labels and buttons onto the pockets.  My design wall wasn't quite big enough to get it all up there. There is one more column wide and two more tall.

Linking to Judy's Design Wall Monday.

The Beginnings of a Memory Quilt

Design Wall Monday, and I had a productive weekend.  I got the teal and grey scraps quilt assembled into a top. Adding it to the stack to be basted.

Then there was some quilting. A friend has requested this swirly design on a quilt I am doing for her, so I figured I better practice on one of my donation quilts.  I last tried this on the batik quilt from last summer.  I got this one done, but it is waiting for 2 things: a break in the rain so our septic system will drain and we can do laundry, and a sunny day so I can take pictures.

Finally, I started de-boning shirts for a memory quilt I volunteered to make for a friend.  I never met this man, but judging from his shirts he must have been a hoot!  This mosaic shirt with the sea life was one of my favorites.

I was sent 6 hawaiian shirts and 2 solids, that makes for a surprising amount of fabric. Better yet, hawaiian shirts don't stretch, so they don't need to be stabilized.

There is something reverent about literally taking apart the seams on someone's life after they are gone too soon.  I feel honored whenever I get to make one of these keepsakes. I sure hope the design I choose reflects him, and his life.

Linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.