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How to make a Memory Quilt

Memory quilts are one of the most popular types of quilts. They make wonderful gifts, heirlooms, and keepsakes to remember important events and people. Some memory quilts even document family histories. There are as many ways to make memory quilts as there are types of them.

T-shirt Quilts:
.....T-shirt memory quilts are great for people who have favorite t-shirts that remind them of special things in their lives. Children outgrow their favorite t-shirts and adults wear them out, but the attachment to the shirt keeps it out of the garbage can. Unfortunately, the collection of t-shirts eventually begins to take up quite a bit of space.

With the typical t-shirt memory quilt, the logo or picture part of a t-shirt is cut out, and then it is sewn to backing to keep the t-shirt material from stretching. The blocks are then sewn together like traditional quilt blocks. T-shirt memory quilts make it possible to keep all of your favorite old t-shirts, and the attached memories, without having to rent storage space.

Photo Quilts:
Photo quilts have gained popularity as they have become easier to make. Inkjet and laser printers make it possible to print any photo in a format that can be used anywhere. Some companies sell printable fabric kits that allow you to print your photo directly onto the fabric.

Printable fabric is an excellent tool for quilters. Photos are scanned or loaded directly from your digital camera into imaging software, which allows you to edit the photo any way you choose.

Once printed onto the fabric, you choose how you want to incorporate the photo into your quilt.

There are several ways to use fabric photos in your quilt. Make photos all the same size for uniform quilt blocks. Cut photos along the edges or leave a colored fabric border around them.   

Place different sized photos so they draw the eye along the lines of the quilt. You may opt to have the edges of your photos touching, or to scatter them across the quilt.

Other Items:
.....Other items can be used to make your memory quilt, or they can incorporated into a t-shirt or photo quilt. Quilters have used military and scouting patches, table runners, scanned Valentines, and buttons and lace as part of their memory quilts.

As an example of using more than one type of item for a memory quilt, imagine you are making a quilt for your parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. You can use photos from their wedding and photos taken during the years they have been married. Add pieces of her wedding dress and patches from the military uniform he was wearing when they met. Don't forget to add pieces of fabric from their children's first outfits, or a swatch or two of that now-tattered quilt they received as a wedding present.

No two memory quilts are exactly alike. The real trick to a memory quilt is using items that have special meaning and being creative in how you use them.