One day my phone rang and a lady asked me if I made quilts. I said yep! She said she saw one of my quilts and the owner explained how I made the quilt from her daughter's outgrown clothes...
Yep, that's my gig. I try to buy only seasonal fabric. Even with Christmas I can get away with general red and green fabrics. Call it my way of giving back to this beautiful green world. I encourage people to recycle clothes and materials into a loving heirloom quilt...and pay me to do it!
That, and add the fact that Ireland has so few fabric stores and the fabrics that are found, cost an arm and a leg.
Sally said she had been saving all her son's clothes. And would I please make her a quilt? Of course. Assuming she had armloads of nice cotton shirts just waiting for my rotary cutter, and wondering whether it would be a child-size quilt or larger, I asked her, how old is your son?
She said excitedly, "Jack, he is two months old."
Oh.
I'll take a moment here to explain to the non-quilters out there the problem this presents. Firstly Jack may very well be unlike most others, but most newborns' clothes are of the stretchy, soft, expanding fabric best suit for squirming, growing, newly made babes. Not the kind suited for patchwork. Patchwork requires cloth that is stable and holds a set shape and can be pieced without pulling or bunching.
It was clear I had my work cut out for me. Literally.
Luckily Samatha was a smart girl. She quickly caught onto this quilty quandry and we agreed on a solution. From each, I cut the cute soft patch of fabric, mostly animals, lettering, toys that adorned the outfits, appliqued them to cotton squares, and made them the center of my nine patch star.
This was the result. I liked it and she loved it.
Question is, does Jack likes it?
5 comments:
Sherry, you're quilting is amazing! And I love the idea of quilting from old baby clothes. I am so going to hire you for kid #2 (no news yet, stay tuned). After all, it wouldn't be fair to let Natalie have one an not her little sibling! :)
You have been crafty? I would call it truly artistic. Love Jack's quilt. I should imagine when his friends' mums see it. You are going to be verrrry verry busy.:)
Hi!
Love the quilt...it is really beautifull....*s*
Love the new look of the blog as well...
What a beautiful job. I'm from a long line of knitting women and have done a little myself. You handled this high pressure situation with grace and came out with a winner quilt. I'm sure Jack will LOVE it. Good work!
The VSG
I was in a similar quandary with a couple of bags of clothes given to me to turn into two quilts for two sisters. In the bags were a few clothes but also an old diaper (I think it was used more like a blankey for one of the girls) and a Fisher Price baby blanket with toys attached. After holding onto the bags for a couple of years I finally talked to the dad and told him I just didn't feel that I would be able to do the project justice but if they still wanted quilts I would be happy to make them and since the girls are now teenagers they can help me with the quilts. There is a possibility they will be denim quilts made from used jeans but we will see.
Post a Comment