Friday, February 26, 2010

Memory quilt from my daughter's clothes. Step 1.(.the hard step!)

Okay, I'm back on track, which is more than I can say for my internet! As I've mentioned, we swapped from satellite to broadband because our area was now guaranteed full coverage and it was so much cheaper with a much higher download...good theory, but the hot week a few weeks ago it barely worked then stopped again yesterday, after over an hour of vital sewing time spent on the phone to the tech today, I am now getting a new modem, interesting to see if that works!!


Luckily I have a pre-paid USB I got for the snow trip that works perfectly...though at a premium rate..so i can post!


Thanks for the health wishes, I am now back driving and feeling much better, apparently it has been quite a common virus around here...and everyone worries that they have a brain problem, high blood pressure..etc etc!!


I am back on track for my girl's birthday quilt..and I have made a big decision! I have decided it is time!


Back story recap here...I was not a sewer! I could not sew a stitch in high school, I had a mother who was a beautiful dressmaker and I was a failure, until around that nesting time, 25/26 when my lovely friend Robyn, walked me through a formal dress and introduced me to quilts. By the time my girl was born nearly 12 years ago I basically knew enough about sewing to make very standard quilts..more like blankets.... and make her some clothes...VERY badly at first!


During that 12 years I have kept lots of stuff with the vision to "one day". All her beautiful and important pieces are kept in her memory trunk, a lot of stuff is given away, but some of the cotton everyday things, many that I made, or she loved....have been put in a tub in the sewing room and today got laid out on the couch. So many memories, I almost piled them back in the tub, but I remembered the song words "what am I keeping this stuff for" and persisted. I think 12 is old enough to appreciate a memory quilt made from old clothes..and, let's face it, her daughters are not going to be excited about wearing an old home made cotton sundress...but may be about sleeping under it!

So, I laid them out, did some reminiscing ...and lots of ironing...and I have actually made a cut!


The cutting hurt, my kids seem to grow another inch every week, and she's not far off my height..(with bigger feet) but there is something very healing about the start of a pile of strips. Kind of like the start of the next step-in more ways than one! The fabrics are a big range, not all cotton AND I am down to 9 days, so i am thinking a sting quilt on foundation pieces. She likes string quilts.


Wish me luck! Have a good weekend, Tracey

10 comments:

  1. Good Luck ---- and you can do it ---- yes you can

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  2. You can do it of course you can. I really do like this idea, it's going to be fun to see what you come up with.

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  3. I am sure this is going to be wonderful. I'll bet it WAS hard cutting in but hooray - you did it xx

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  4. Well done....you've started...that's a huuuuuuuuge step! I'm still trying to cut the umbilical cord from my (15yo) son's pile of soft toys...every time I think of getting rid of them, I start to go through the pile and....no, I just can't do it! It's hard...and you've done well....can't wait to see what evolves!!
    sugary hugs XX Wendy :O)

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  5. Oh Tracey, that will be such a wonderful quilt for her. It's a perfect gift for her, but I think it will be for you as well.

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  6. I've saved a great many of the clothes I made my girls...don't know if I could be brave enough to cut into them. Looks like you have a great start on a lovely memory quilt. Have fun!

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  7. Tracey,
    So glad that you are feeling better.....I have a good many saved items from my boys, with good intentions of making memory items from them. But, I can't cut into them!!! Good luck my friend on making it to the celebration with the quilt finished. ( For my sisters birthday, I had to take the quilt back and fifish it.....after she made me promise that I wouldn't keep it until her next birthday!!! )
    Hugs, Barb

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  8. go for it.............she will love having the quilt.........

    don't you just LOVE country internet........ satellite is so expensive for what you get compared to the cities and big towns..........

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  9. What a lovely idea and yes of course you can do it. Good luck!

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  10. Lovely idea, and I'm sure you will get it done.

    Can't wait to see it.

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Thanks for finding the time to comment, I'll try hard to get back to you!! Sorry, have had to add word verification step due to comment spam!