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
- Instant download on Craftsy! Click image to go to my pattern store.
The Loving Arms Wrap Quilt is my first published Creating Keepsakes from Clothing pattern. I’ve used this design on several quilts and love the way it shows off each fabric.
While using just one block size makes cutting easy, keeping the squares organized and getting them stitched in the correct order can be confusing. But I’ve made that easy, too!
With the included to-scale layout grid, you can not only see at a glance which squares go where, you can also create the most pleasing layout by testing out the placement of your fabrics before you sew a single seam.
The Loving Arms Wrap Quilt pattern is available for instant download through my pattern store at Craftsy.com but I can also email it to you, if you prefer.
Jan 262013
While most folks who contact me through this Custom Memorial Quilts website are looking to have a quilt made for them, I periodically get an inquiry from someone interested in making their own. Usually the questions are about a specific technique or they’ve run into a problem and need a little help.
I’m always happy to answer questions and give whatever assistance I can. With nearly 50 years of sewing experience and over a decade as a serious quilter, I have a wealth of knowledge to share. But I’ve also realized that there is a need for patterns specifically for creating keepsakes from clothing.
To fill that need, I’m developing a pattern series based on the designs and methods I use with the directions written so that someone with just basic sewing skills can successfully create a memorial quilt. Each pattern will include detailed instructions as well as my special technique and design tips and notes. In addition, I’m only an email away if you run into trouble!
All my patterns will be available for instant download through my pattern store on Craftsy.com but I can also email them to you, if you prefer – just send me a message through the contact form.
Check out the Make Your Own Memorial Quilt page to see all my currently available patterns. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
I’m working on a memorial quilt that includes t-shirts, sweatshirts and button-front shirts. I wanted the finished quilt to be a uniform thickness despite the huge difference in the weight/thickness of the fabrics so decided to use a quilt-as-you-go method to cut, piece and quilt it in sections, and then join the sections together to create the whole. [...]
Jun 272012
For Daddy’s Girls This trio of lap quilts will comfort the daughters of a much-loved dad who was mad about plaid. Edge-to-edge machine quilting over a layer of fleece ensures that the quilts are cozy and will withstand daily use and frequent laundering. While these quilts are all the same design, fabric selection and placement makes each unique. The quilt on the [...]
Add an easy care label to your memorial quilt. Memorial quilts are made from clothing and most clothing items have care labels. On shirts, for instance, the label is usually attached at the back of the neck or sewn into the seam toward the bottom of one side. You can easily add a care label to your memorial quilt by selecting the [...]
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 [...]
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. Loving Arms Wrap Quilt pattern - An instant-download PDF pattern for [...]
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 [...]
