Today I’ll share three more quilts created from the fabrics of life. All are significant to their owners because the repurposed garments used to make the quilts held personal meanings and memories for them. One is made of shirts collected while working at a camp for sick children. In another, the interests of a recent high school graduate are displayed. And there is a wedding gift quilt made from fabric donations from 67 guests. What special garments do you have that might be transformed into a quilt?
Camp Fantastic
A camp counselor has a t-shirt quilt made for benefit auction for Camp Fantastic.
This project was a win-win-win all around. The client who ordered this quilt had been a long-time counselor at Camp Fantastic, a summer retreat for serious ill children. He cleaned out his closet and supported an artist with a commission. The he donated the resulting quilt to a benefit auction to raise money for Camp Fantastic. Thanks, C.B.
T-shirt quilt – “The Life Guard”
The interests and activities of a recent graduate are celebrated.
A t-shirt quilt is an ideal gift for the young person who is heading off to college or adult life. It revisits the highlights of their youth, and it sends them into the world with the protection of a blanket and the memories of those who love them at home.
Celebrating a new family
67 wedding guests sent fabrics to be made into a quilt for the newly weds.
When faced with the task of putting together 67 different quilting fabrics into something coherent, my thought was “Keep it simple.” I made 6″ half square triangle blocks with light/dark contrast between those two fabrics. Then it was a matter of laying out the blocks so a secondary “Around the World” pattern emerged. Thank you to the organizers of the quilt who created their own list of who donated what. The border fabric was a dress belonging to a recently departed grandmother. It represented to them her binding the family together.
The quality of these images is not what it could be. My focus in the past has been on making great quilts for clients and the photos were not my first thought. It my hope that you will look beyond the blur and be encouraged to try your own transformed garment quilt to celebrate the lives around you.
