This is a tip for people into quilting, or just into family heirlooms. When my son was about two years old he wanted to build a tent. I got out an old white sheet and hung it between two chairs. We used this same sheet to be his tent for many years, and eventually we began to color, draw pictures, make designs, or write sayings or just whatever, with permanent fabric markers on the sheet. Everyone had to sign their drawings and date them. All the grandparents, friends, and relatives drew on the sheet over the years. In fact, it kind of became a tradition.
Before the sheet got too old, we took it and had it made into a quilt top. My son is seventeen now, and this quilt is one of his prized possessions. Now that all of his grandparents and great grandparents have passed, he can look back at the pictures he drew with his "best friends" and he can still even recall some of the stories that went along with some of the drawings. The quilt is priceless to me as well. I love reading some of my parents' and grandparents' quotes and wishes to my son for his life, seeing their drawings and signatures and recalling those wonderful times we all had together.
By Delene from Portland, TN
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My husband and I lived on a farm and through the years he wore and wore out many flannel shirts. I saved them all and finally made a crazy quilt from the best parts of them, including some pockets and buttons.
I made a memory quilt of my son. I cut out pieces of some of his tee shirts, and also transferred pictures of him at different ages and put them on cloth, then put it altogether as a lap quilt.
Give each member of your Thanksgiving family/friend dinner a square of cloth and ask them to write the year and what they are thankful for. Do this each year until you have enough to make a quilt.
