Make a Memory Blanket Out of Baby Clothes
I find it very difficult to say goodbye to some of my favorite outfits that my son wore as a child or infancy. I have had no problem selling, transferring, or donating any number of his old toys, puzzles, or books over the years, but this little camouflage sleeper? Or the big deuce shirt he wore on his second birthday? The ones I can’t bring myself to part with and that’s why they sit locked in a plastic bin in my basement are completely useless.
But my friend decided that keeping a stack of children’s favorite clothes, blankets and bibs indefinitely was too much of a waste of memories. However, a quilt made from these items would mean they could be enjoyed for years to come. Here’s her daughter’s whole new blanket:
The blanket is made from all sorts of outfits that had a special meaning or were worn at specific times, including getting home from the hospital, her newborn photo shoot, her first Christmas and birthday, and her first day of school photography. Even the patchwork edging is made from a sheet that her daughter, now 10, has been using for years.
There are many different styles to consider when making one of these quilts. As you can see in the picture above, my friend’s patchwork quilt is made up of small pieces of many outfits, blankets, and other collage-style fabrics. But I’ve also seen quilts that feature whole garments or bibs, or quilts with a more traditional pattern of blocks with a border around each individual fabric.
If you know how to use a sewing machine (or are ready for a new challenge), you can sew a patchwork quilt yourself. There are many online tutorials on how to create your own memory quilt – here’s a good one from Suzie Quilts andanother one on YouTube if you’re more into visual learning:
If you (and I, too) are not ready to do it yourself, there are many Etsy shops that specialize in such projects. Or you can do the same as a friend of mine and find a local seamstress in your area looking for additional projects to complete. This is probably the more affordable option (at least it was in her case) and saves you the hassle and extra cost of shipping all the items to the store owner.