Memorial Quilts and Pillows

Over the past two decades, I have worked with many grieving families to create comfort items from special clothing. Those items that actually wrap around our loved ones are often the most painful things to deal with in the aftermath of loss. 

Image Caption: A beloved gentleman’s clothes were turned first into one twin size quilt. A year later, the scraps were used to create two four-patch throw quilts and then four more grid pillows, all for the same extended family. Some of the shirts were used in all seven items.

In my courses, More Than a T-Shirt Quilt and T-Shirt Pillows: Upcycled Keepsake Decor, I show students how to assess clothing piles and create quilts or pillows regardless of whether the clothing is a conventional T-shirt or not. I can use most anything that can be washed, sewn, and made to lie flat. This is particularly true when creating memorial quilts and pillows. Grandpa’s favorite flannel shirt or tie, Grandma’s blouse she wore for every family event, Mom’s favorite bathrobe, Dad’s wild Hawaiian shirt, these are all things that should be honored and preserved.

Image Caption: This pillow was created out of this veteran’s favorite shirt for his love after he passed. She holds onto it.

Here is some of my advice to you when starting on these projects:

1. Keep it simple. This is not the place for intricate designs. I prefer to honor memories by sticking to basics, mostly squares. My job is to frame the memories, not hide the clashing fabrics or turn them into something they are not. I like grids particularly for memorial quilts and pillows because they frame very well. This is especially important when using items that have a pattern vs. a logo. Clashing patterns can create a visual mess if they are not framed and contained in some way. Grids of large squares with sashing fabric, sometimes using four patches, are my preferred way of preserving most patterned clothing. Using four-patches in particular allows me to stretch single items of clothing among many projects.

2. Use quality materials and preparation methods. I use high-quality quilting cotton in my quilts and pillows. I also interface nearly every clothing item. My favorite interfacing is Stabili-TEE which I use on 95% of the clothing. Even flat cotton and flannels that technically could be used as material on their own get a layer of interfacing. Unlike cotton we buy off a bolt, clothing has been worn and washed many times. Deterioration may or may not be visible so I stabilize everything. 

Image Caption: Stabili-TEE is my interfacing of choice for all my quilts and quilted pillows.

3. Keep the scraps for a while. I have made quilts and disposed of the scraps at my customer’s request. Then a family member wants their own quilt or pillow made long after the scraps have been sent to the textile recycler. Make sure that all quilts, pillows or other projects are finished for every member of the family that wants them. Save the scraps for just a little while until you are sure the projects are all done.

Image Caption: Using the scraps from the larger pillows, I was able to create smaller pillows for more family members.

4. Set aside perfection. These will not match. They may not lie flat. They may not hang straight. There are many different materials mixed into one item. It’s OK if it’s not perfect. Can you wrap up in the quilt or hug the pillow? Does it bring comfort and remind you of your loved one? Then it’s a success. 

Image Caption: Mixing logos and patterned items is not ideal but framing the items with simple fabrics highlights the memories, not the quilt layout.

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Over the last twenty years, Beth Sullivan has made over a thousand memory quilts and pillows. She teaches and lectures about these unique quilts and says that she can use anything that can be washed, sewn, and made to lie flat. As someone who loves a challenge, she fearlessly launches into creative problem-solving mode when a client says, “You probably could not use this, but…” Beth lives with her husband and children in Bellingham, Massachusetts. She is an audiobook addict and used to love to crochet and scrapbook until she found quilting. 

Beth's Creative Spark Courses: More Than a T-Shirt Quilt and T-Shirt Pillows: Upcycled Keepsake Decor