Memorial Clothing Scrappy Quilt (1 of 2)

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 75" x 75"

(click on photos to enlarge)

💚FINISHED QUILT:💚

Front piecing: Twelve pieces of fabric taken from various memorial shirts (T-shirts, button-down shirts, polo shirts, sleeves, pockets). Using fabrics from my stash of green, blue and novelty fabric strips, I filled in between the shirt material with rows of picket-fence blocks as well as four-patches and nine-patches. An outside 3¼" border surrounds the quilt top.

Backing: The backing fabric is Connecting Threads' "Faux Gauze - Grass" (wide backing fabric).

Quilt Stitching, Pattern: I quilted using edge-to-edge "Don't Leaf Me" by Wasatch Quilting.

Quilt Stitching, Thread: I used "Cashew" (So Fine 50 #405) thread on the front of the quilt.

Quilt Stitching, Thread: I used "Mushroom" (So Fine 50 #404) on the quilt back.

Label: I sewed on a purchased custom label, made from textile ink printed on cotton fabric & backed with a laminating layer.

Click the above photo to view the creation of another quilt also made from this loved one's clothing.

💚Special Details included in both quilts:💚

💚PROGRESS PHOTOS:💚

Construction - Blocks:

This project began with a few T-shirts, a cotton button-down shirt, polo shirt sleeves, and even a silk university sash.

I began by cutting the front and back of each shirt apart, and ironed interfacing onto the back of every shirt piece.

Once I discovered there was going to be a limited number of shirt pieces to work with, I looked through my strips, scraps and novelty fabrics to be sure I had several choices to use for additional piecing, since I wanted the end result to be two oversized lap/couch quilts. I chose colors and prints that reflected the loved one's tastes, interests and hobbies.

On two of the T-shirt pieces (one for each quilt), I embroidered a special little poem I like to use for memorial projects.

I then framed the poem with squares of applicable novelty fabrics (gardening, sports, home, nature, etc). This was the first "block" I created for each quilt.

I placed the main building blocks on my design wall. I just loosely placed them up there, focusing on color balance, and paying much less attention to spacing or block sizes.

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Initially I was designing both quilts at the same time, but then I shifted focus and completed the layout of each quilt separately. I wanted them similar, but not identical.

I made more building blocks by repeatedly surrounding shirt pieces with fabric.

With the sizing added to the back of the T-shirt material, it is much easier to attach fabric pieces.

I used as many parts of each clothing piece as I could.

I still wasn't focusing too much on perfecting block sizes yet, as I knew I could add to any block to make the pieces work together.

One of the ways I built-up the shirt pieces was to surround them with four-patches and nine-patches (see yellow markup)

Four-patches and nine-patches have several seams, so pinning them to the blocks before sewing them together is paramount.

I continued to add sections of pieced fabrics, moving around the shirt pieces and adding fill-in fabrics as I went along. It was a very organic and enjoyable process!

I ended up with 3 vertical columns that contained all of the memorial shirt pieces, but I needed to increase the quilt's overall size (both length and width). So I added strips of scrappy picket-fence blocks (see yellow markup on photos).

Quilting:

I load the backing fabric (face down) onto my longarm, and then roll the fabric back and forth between the front and back bars a couple times, which helps even tension.

After the backing is loaded, I drape a layer of thin batting over the backing, and then float the pieced quilt top as a final layer. (I use a thinner batting because the interfacing adds an extra layer to the t-shirt fabrics, and I didn't want the finished quilt to be too heavy).

I used my ProStitcher software to resize, repeat, and wrap the edge-to-edge "Don't Leaf Me" by Wasatch Quilting.

Starting the first of 8 rows (each row is slightly less than 10" tall).

Wrapping up with final row, #8 of 8.

Trimming:

When trimming, I lined up my rulers to cut exactly 3¼" from the outer edge of the quilt center. This helped the quilt remain square.

Binding:

I joined together several 2.5" strips of Free Spirit's Lighthouse Windows by Tula Pink (Sea Grass-Floral Reef), making a total of 310" of binding, which I ironed in half lengthwise.

First I attach the binding strips to the back of the quilt, using my domestic sewing machine and a 1/4" seam.

I join the binding ends on the bias to reduce bulk.

Then I wrap the binding around and attach it to the front of the quilt.

For precise edges when machine sewing binding, I like to use my Bernina 240's blind hem foot.

Old fashioned corsage pins help me create nicely mitered corners.

Washing:

To absorb much of the dark fabric dyes, I machine washed the finished quilt (cold water, no bleach) using dye trapping sheets (I use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers).

After washing, the quilt's beautiful texture and soft scrunchiness is ready to be enjoyed!

💚QUILT SUMMARY:💚

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 75" x 75"

Front piecing: Twelve pieces of fabric taken from various memorial shirts, using fabrics from my stash to fill in between the blocks. Surrounded by a 3¼" border.

Back: Connecting Threads' "Faux Gauze - Grass" (wide backing fabric).

Binding: Machine sewn Free Spirit's Lighthouse Windows by Tula Pink (Sea Grass-Floral Reef).

Quilting: Edge-to-edge "Don't Leaf Me" by Wasatch Quilting. "Cashew" (So Fine 50 #405) thread on the front, "Mushroom" (So Fine 50 #404) on the back.