Add an easy care label to your memorial quilt.

Memorial quilts are made from clothing and most clothing items have care labels. On shirts, for instance, the label is usually attached at the back of the neck or sewn into the seam toward the bottom of one side.

You can easily add a care label to your memorial quilt by selecting the label from the garment within the quilt that requires the most delicate care.

Rather than just cutting the label from the garment, remove the thread that attaches the label so that you have plenty of extra fabric above the laundering instructions.

Stitch across care label under quilt binding.

Bind across care label.

Binding finishes the edges of a quilt.

Quilt binding is the fabric folded over the sides of your quilt and sewn to both the front and back to cover the raw edges and create a nice finish. You can buy quilt binding or make your own. I suggest you make the binding for your memorial quilt from the backing, sashing or border fabric. Or you can use any fabric that complements both the back and front of your quilt.  

I’m providing instructions here for a simple quilt binding so that even a beginner can bind their memorial quilt. Please note that this is NOT the method I use on the memorial quilts that I create. Instead, I make continuous binding and sew it to the quilt with mitered corners and a seam rather than an overlap where the ends meet for a smooth, professional finish.

Simple Quilt Binding Instructions

1. Cut your binding fabric into strips 2½ inches wide. You will need two strips that are the same length as the sides of your quilt and two strips that are two inches longer than the top and bottom of your quilt. Sew fabric strips together to get the needed lengths, if necessary.
2. Matching the raw edges of the fabric, fold each of your four strips in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
3. Matching the raw edges and the ends, sew a binding strip to the front of your quilt on each side, using a ¼-inch seam.
4. Fold each of these two binding strips over the edge to the back of the quilt and press. Sew the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt, preferably by hand using a blind stitch.  
5. Matching the raw edges and extending beyond each end by one inch, sew a binding strip to the front of your quilt on both the top and the bottom, using a ¼-inch seam.
6. Fold the binding strips to the back of the quilt and press. Tuck in the excess binding at each end so that it wraps around the sides of the quilt and vanishes behind the binding on the back. Sew the folded edge of the binding to the back of the quilt, preferably by hand using a blind stitch.

Examples of Various Bindings

Quilt binding matches border.

Quilt binding matches sashing.

Quilt binding matches backing.

Quilt binding complements both front and back.

Quilt gently blowing in the wind.

A lap quilt made from ten cotton shirts, Love Remains the Same measures 56 x 70 inches. Edge-to-edge quilting secures the layers for stability and sturdiness. Fleece replaces batting for lightweight warmth. Easy-care machine wash and dry, this quilt can be used daily without worry.

Edge-to-edge quilting secures the layers.

Custom label on back of quilt.

A Gift from Doug

This beautiful quilt can adorn a bed or grace a wall. A true keepsake, the entire quilt top was created with Doug’s clothing. The central blocks feature favorite outfits, business and casual. The double border includes over two dozen button-down and polo shirts. The sashing and binding are each fashioned from a pair of slacks.

Doug had a rich sense of humor as evidenced by his tie collection featured on this throw pillow. What you may not be able to see due to picture size and angle are the novelty prints - Scotty dogs, snowmen, sheep and whales. Two dress shirts were used to create the ruffle and pillow back.

Pillow front made from silk ties.

Pillow back features a button closure and pocket.

 A hanging sleeve can be any size you like as long as it fits over a rod stout enough to support the weight of the quilt. If your memorial quilt is lap size or larger, or if you think there’s any possibility it might ever be entered into a show, add a 4-inch wide hanging sleeve just to be safe. Use the same fabric as your quilt backing for a nearly invisible sleeve, and follow my instructions to create a professional-quality hanging sleeve with a little fullness to ensure that your quilt hangs straight.

Hanging Sleeve How-to

1) Measure the top edge of your quilt from side to side.

2) Cut a strip of fabric 10 inches wide and the same length as the top edge of your quilt.

3) Measure in 1 inch from each end on one long edge of the sleeve strip and mark a dot. Draw a line from the dot to the corner. Cut on the line to create a slight angle on each end. 

4) Fold over 1¼ inches of fabric on each end of the strip and press. Then fold the raw edge in to meet the crease and press again. Stitch close to the inner fold.

 

5) Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. Then sew the full length of the sleeve ¼ inch away from the fold.

 

6) Lay the strip out flat and trim ½ inch off the shorter side. Rotary cutting tools make this easy but you can draw a line using a ruler and pencil and then cut with scissors, if necessary. Also, trim off the excess fabric at each end on the long side of your sleeve.

 

7) Align the raw edges of the sleeve with the top of the quilt, and sew it to your quilt when you attach the binding to the front. Make sure that the wider side is facing out and the narrower side is against the quilt.

8) After you hand stitch the binding to the back of the quilt, pin the bottom edge of the sleeve in place, and blind stitch it securely to the quilt.

 Need clarification or have additional tips? Please leave your questions or comments here.

Design your quilt on graph paper.

Creating a to-scale drawing of your quilt allows you to see ahead of time how the finished quilt will look. You can use colored pencils or crayons to add color to your mock-up, but pieces cut from the actual fabrics are so much better!

Before you decide this is just too much work, consider that color, texture and pattern placement can be tricky. What seems to work perfectly as individual parts may be absolutely horrible when seen as a whole.

Taking the time to plan your quilt on paper allows you to play with fabric placement to see how each works with all the others. Also, you get the distance perspective without having to step back.

Trust me – you need to do this! (Seriously – you don’t want to learn this lesson by personal experience.)

Create a Scale Drawing

I always start with graph paper, a pencil and a ruler but you could create your quilt diagram on the computer and print it out if you have the software and know how to do so. (Which I do but I still prefer to draw mine the old fashioned way.)

Make your scale drawing as large as the paper will allow. I recently discovered quilt designer’s graph paper that is 12 by12 inches, but regular 8½ by 11 inch graph paper works, too. Choose a scale that works easily with your quilt. As my quilt design is all in multiples of 3, I went with 1 square=1½ inches. Please note that had I used regular graph paper, I would have had to change the scale as my design took the full 12-inch width.

Add the Primary Elements

There are usually set elements in a quilt design, so add these to your diagram first. I used a colored pencil for the sashing and then added fabric pieces cut to scale for my six focus blocks. In this particular quilt, the focus block placement was already determined so I just put the fabrics where they belonged. If placement is flexible for your primary quilt pieces, play around with the fabrics. Use double-stick tape to hold each piece in place. And if you need to move one, just peel it gently from the paper and re-stick it elsewhere.

Time to Play!

Cut fabric pieces to scale for the remaining blocks. My quilt’s double border required 50 pieces and I had 28 fabrics from which to choose. So I cut 2 to-scale rectangles from each fabric. I noted the fabric priority (either 1 or 2) on the back of each piece and added an arrow to show the correct orientation for plaids and stripes.

Now the fun begins! Stick a piece of double-stick tape in the center of each open spot and start arranging your fabrics. Move the fabrics around, adding new tape if the stickiness wears off. Rearrange until you are satisfied. Then walk away for a day or two so you can look at your quilt design with fresh eyes. Once you’re totally satisfied with the fabric placement, begin making your quilt.

Some Final Thoughts

Getting the memorial quilt design just right may take several tries – that’s why you’re doing it on paper first. Then you can use your mockup to easily create the quilt you envisioned.

Remember to take as much time as you need to perfect your design. My final quilt, for instance, underwent several more changes after the photo at right was taken. Over the course of a couple of days, I repositioned fabrics repeatedly to get a better balance between the plaids, stripes and colors. And I’m glad I did – not only was it fun, but the finished quilt is awesome!

Memorial quilt backed with floral jersey knit.

Quilts are usually backed with 100% cotton but there are many other options, especially when creating keepsakes from clothing. With proper handling, most any large piece of fabric in good condition can be used to back a memorial quilt. So if you have a sheet, table cloth, throw or other large item with sentimental value, consider whether it might make a nice backing for your quilt.

Compatibility

The first thing to consider is whether the prospective backing is compatible with the quilt. Will the finished quilt hang on a wall or be placed on a bed or sofa? Who will use and care for the quilt? Will it be washed at home or dry-cleaned? Be realistic when answering these questions and make sure that the backing can withstand the use and care the quilt will receive.

Purpose

A second consideration is whether the backing will merely finish the quilt or if it is needed to provide stability for the front. Memorial quilts often include stretchy or delicate fabrics that need the support of a stable backing. Keep in mind that you can always stabilize the backing fabric by quilting it to muslin before attaching it to the quilt top. While this involves extra time, it is often time well spent when creating keepsakes from clothing.

Quilt Assembly

Consider the Quilt Recipient

What age is the primary recipient of the quilt? Are there other potential quilt-users in the home? If so, take the age and habits of secondary users into consideration, as well. For instance, a lap or bed quilt destined for a home with children or pets should be machine washable, regardless of which family member is the primary recipient.

Determine the Likely Use and Care the Quilt Will Receive

How will quilt most likely be used? Will it hang on a wall for display only? Or will it be used daily for warmth and comfort on a couch or bed? Will the recipient launder the quilt at home? Be realistic and err on the side of caution when predicting how the quilt will be treated. If actual use and care are uncertain, create a sturdy quilt that can tolerate rough treatment.

Choose Specific Garments Based on the Care Labels

Use the care label in each garment as a guide to select appropriate clothing for the memorial quilt. Choose durable, machine washable fabrics for quilts that will receive frequent use and save the delicate fabrics for decorative items, such as a throw pillow or wall hanging.

These are just a few of the preliminary considerations when choosing clothing for a memorial quilt. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. Just leave a message below or use the contact form  - I’m here to help.

Soak fabric in water.

Some dark or bright colored clothing fabrics, especially red, may release dye (or “bleed”) when washed. Even clothes that specify machine wash on the care label may bleed color. If there is any question whether a specific garment is colorfast, run this simple test to avoid a ruined quilt later.

You will need:

• Small white bowl, tepid water and mild detergent
• White paper towel on small plate or tray

1) Cut a small square or rectangle of fabric from the garment. Choose an area that won’t be needed for the memorial quilt or companion items, such as a facing or along the hem.

2) Place tepid water with a little mild liquid laundry or dish detergent in the bowl. Submerge the fabric and soak for 20-30 minutes.

Dry fabric on a white paper towel.

3) Gently squeeze out the excess water and lay the fabric on a white paper towel to dry.

4) Check the water for color after removing the fabric, and check the paper towel for color transfer after the fabric is dry.

Always set aside any garment that bleeds color and use only in items that will not be washed, such as a wall hanging. Do not use clothing items that bleed in your memorial quilt.

Color from stray fibers.

Please note: Although the silk in my test appeared to bleed while soaking, this was more an illusion created by reflection rather than dye loss. The slight pinkish tint is mostly just stray fibers floating in the water and will not be a problem in the finished quilt. If there had been any color transferred to the paper towel, however, this fabric would not become part of the quilt.

Want more info on dealing with unstable dyes? See Unstable Dyes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln website.