Welcome to CustomMemorialQuilts.com, a site dedicated to creating keepsakes from clothing. Whether you want a custom quilt made or you’re just looking for ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Please browse around, and if you have any questions or want to find out more about having a quilt made, please use the contact form or send an email to crystal@custommemorialquilts.com
Mar 012011
- Binding finishes the edges of a quilt.
Quilt binding is the fabric folded over the sides of your quilt and sewn to both the front and back to cover the raw edges and create a nice finish. You can buy quilt binding or make your own. I suggest you make the binding for your memorial quilt from the backing, sashing or border fabric. Or you can use any fabric that complements both the back and front of your quilt.
I’m providing instructions here for a simple quilt binding so that even a beginner can bind their memorial quilt. Please note that this is NOT the method I use on the memorial quilts that I create. Instead, I make continuous binding and sew it to the quilt with mitered corners and a seam rather than an overlap where the ends meet for a smooth, professional finish.
Simple Quilt Binding Instructions
- Cut your binding fabric into strips 2½ inches wide. You will need two strips that are the same length as the sides of your quilt and two strips that are two inches longer than the top and bottom of your quilt. Sew fabric strips together to get the needed lengths, if necessary.
- Matching the raw edges of the fabric, fold each of your four strips in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
- Matching the raw edges and the ends, sew a binding strip to the front of your quilt on each side, using a ¼-inch seam.
- Fold each of these two binding strips over the edge to the back of the quilt and press. Sew the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt, preferably by hand using a blind stitch.
- Matching the raw edges and extending beyond each end by one inch, sew a binding strip to the front of your quilt on both the top and the bottom, using a ¼-inch seam.
- Fold the binding strips to the back of the quilt and press. Tuck in the excess binding at each end so that it wraps around the sides of the quilt and vanishes behind the binding on the back. Sew the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt, preferably by hand using a blind stitch.
Examples of Various Bindings
Quilt binding matches border.
Quilt binding matches sashing.
Quilt binding matches backing.
Quilt binding complements both front and back.
Quilt gently blowing in the wind.
A lap quilt made from ten cotton shirts, Love Remains the Same measures 56 x 70 inches. Edge-to-edge quilting secures the layers for stability and sturdiness. Fleece replaces batting for lightweight warmth. Easy-care machine wash and dry, this quilt can be used daily without worry.
Edge-to-edge quilting secures the layers.
Custom label on back of quilt.
Apr 142011
This beautiful quilt can adorn a bed or grace a wall. A true keepsake, the entire quilt top was created with Doug’s clothing. The central blocks feature favorite outfits, business and casual. The double border includes over two dozen button-down and polo shirts. The sashing and binding are each fashioned from a pair of slacks. [...]
A hanging sleeve is a long tube sewn across the back of the quilt so that you can display it on a wall. Even if you don’t plan to hang your memorial quilt, consider adding a hanging sleeve. It doesn’t take much extra effort if you add the sleeve when you bind the quilt. And [...]
Mar 072011
Design your quilt on graph paper. Creating a to-scale drawing of your quilt allows you to see ahead of time how the finished quilt will look. You can use colored pencils or crayons to add color to your mock-up, but pieces cut from the actual fabrics are so much better! Before you decide this is [...]
Quilts are usually backed with 100% cotton but there are many other options, especially when creating keepsakes from clothing. With proper handling, most any large piece of fabric in good condition can be used to back a memorial quilt. So if you have a sheet, table cloth, throw or other large item with sentimental value, [...]
Clothing included in a memorial quilt should represent the person to be remembered but must also meet the needs of the intended recipient. To make a keepsake that will provide decades of comfort, first determine how the quilt will be used and by whom; then select the appropriate garments. Consider the Quilt Recipient What age [...]
Mar 022011
Some dark or bright colored clothing fabrics, especially red, may release dye (or “bleed”) when washed. Even clothes that specify machine wash on the care label may bleed color. If there is any question whether a specific garment is colorfast, run this simple test to avoid a ruined quilt later. You will need: Small white [...]
