Why get a custom quilt made out of old clothes?

It is easy to go to a store and buy a mass-produced quilt for a fraction of the price, so why get a custom quilt? Several ideas come to my mind:

• quilts made from old clothing hold stories and memories we can’t buy from a store

• you can have confidence that it will be made with you and your home in mind

• you will be the only person on the planet with that quilt

• your generosity supports an artist

• you’re investing in the future

There are custom details that I often add to my quilts that you can’t find from mass-produced quilts:

• swatch panels

• embroidered names

• thematic backs

Memory quilt, 2020

Keep the stories with the quilt: detail shot of fabrics used in a swatch panel

And it’s that intention I believe that sets memory quilts apart from other other quilts. All quilts can provide warmth and comfort, but memory quilts provide a kind of spiritual solace in addition to that. They help us preserve the stories and presence of loved ones.

That, in my mind, is what makes a memory quilt such a powerful and special piece. If you’d like to talk more about memory quilts, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to email me.