Memory Quilt Tips

Let's save you some time with these quick tips to making a memory quilt. As a quilter when you find out someone is getting married, having a baby, or moving the first thought is, "I should make them a quilt!" 

Then your ideas just start going all over the place. LOL I found out less that two months ago our pastor would be transferring to a new church and I knew I wanted to give them a gift they would cherish and actually use. 

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant, in the middle of hosting a 14 week quilt along, and about to release a new pattern so my time is very limited. 

So that brings me to my first tip! Choose an easy and or quick design so you do not get overwhelmed with the process. I chose a saw tooth block after seeing Emily from Homemade by Emily Jane's wedding quilt. I used a tutorial and size chart from Amy Smart with Diary of a Quilter. 

My second tip would be to make the blocks ahead of time. Yes you heard me right make the blocks ahead of time because no one besides quilters will observe the 1/4" seam allowance so you will have to do what I had to and appliqué all of the notes onto the quilt, which will take more time. 

My third tip is to use a roller ball pen to write on the fabric instead of a felt tip. The felt tips are so much harder to write on fabric with in my opinion. Everyone that used the roller pens I offered said how easy it was. I used a Pentel Gel Roller for Fabric 1.0mm. I found mine on Amazon. 

To make it easy I used ziplock bags and printed labels with instructions. I stuck the labels, a charm square (or your block if you make ahead), and a pen in each bag.  That way people could take them home and then bring them back for me to piece. 

Last tip is to please for all the love add a quilt label! These types of quilts will be used and loved on so much. They will want to always remember who made them for them! I just made one by hand with the pen and love how it turned out. I actually found the text I like on the computer then printed it off and traced it onto the fabric up against a window. Shhhh don't tell anyone I really can't do hand lettering! 

 

 Here are the links to all the tutorials I used to put this bad boy together and all the other details regarding this beauty! 

Memory Quilts Tutorial from Homemade Emily Jane

Sawtooth Star Tutorial from Diary of a Quilter

Print fabric is from an older Dear Stella line I think the name is Wee Gallery or at least thats what's on the salvage. 

I used a Bella Solid by Moda for the background and honestly don't know which one. 

I quilted it with the Tidal Wave quilt design from Urban Elementz using Glide thread for the quilting and Glide cotton for the piecing. 

I hope all of this helped and as always feel free to reach out to me on any platform with your questions. I am always happy to help. Until next time happy quilting!!!