Are you looking for a unique gift for a family member or long-time friend? Have you considered having a custom memory quilt made for them? Quilting, including the creation of memory quilts, is a time-honored tradition. In addition to being beautiful and providing warmth, memory quilts can be passed down as heirlooms, complete with the stories they tell.
A Brief History of Quilts
Were you aware that the art of quilting is thousands of years old? Its origins have been traced as far back as 3400 B.C., and include quilts made in ancient Egypt and China. The Tristan Quilt, however, is believed to be the oldest quilt still in existence, and has been dated somewhere between 1360 to 1400.
Currently, the AIDS Memorial quilt, which weighs roughly 54 tons, is considered to be the largest in the world. People throughout the United States created quilted panels, or blocks, that bore the names of friends or family members, including children, that were lost to AIDS.
Throughout the year, the NAMES Project Foundation states that the quilt is made available for display at different venues. The quilt is displayed at schools and universities as well as places of worship and galleries. In addition to raising awareness for AIDS and HIV, it is also displayed to invoke each person’s memory.
How a Custom Memory Quilt Is Made
If you would like to have a custom quilt made for yourself or a loved one, you may already have an idea in mind. Have you saved all of your adult children’s favorite T-shirts, for example? Then you can have a custom T-shirt quilt made with these.
T-shirt quilt makers can also add in additional fabric to create a variety or patterns and designs. After the quilt is nearly complete, they will join it together with a variety of hand stitches. In addition to holding the quilt together, embroidery stitches such as outlining, lazy daisy, and French knots can also provide embellishment.
Whether you have a custom memory quilt made for yourself or for each member of your family, it will be heart-warming to see a piece of each T-shirt or fabric from a favorite dress or shirt. The stories handmade quilts tell, and the memories they invoke, will make for meaningful conversations for years to come.