Quilt in a Day Forums

How do you define a "memory quilt"? Is there an official definition or description of what constitutes a memory quilt?

My definition is what ever makes a memory for you or who you made it for. Most of the memory quilts that I have seen include photos of the family. Blocks could be made of children, grandchildren's handprints or even drawings. The ideas are limitless! Have fun designing a one of a kind quilt. Be sure to show us when you get it done, we love to see them.
Jana

I made a memory quilt out of mu father-in-law's T-shirts. For my own father I am making blocks that commemorate different aspects of his life.

The memory quilt I made for a friend's birthday. Used the Friendship block pattern. The 5" center squares were passed around to family/friends with the special pen, they wrote few words, went back to pick up, boxed the squares. She was thrilled to have the quilt.

Now, people do picture quilts which I think more effort to select, take to printers and really more designing goes into it, since pictures not always same size..

Then, my mother's memory to me, was different swatches of our old clothes. Never believed memory quilts can be so cherished. A keeper for life. Mine now, helps me with my past history that I couldn't understand so young. Parents, and grandparents have been gone, but I can relate to the economic period era of their times in my own life.

I'm a little late to the party here but, like Jana, I think a memory quilt is whatever invokes the memory for the recipient of the quilt. It might be photos, it might be special blocks (there is a block called by my maiden name), it might be special print fabric, or made from clothes, shirts, ties, old quilts, gramma's curtains, etc.

I have made several memory quilts. Some for family, and some for people I didn't know. I've used pieces of their clothes, pictures, and little treasured I items, on them. I have made everything from wall hangings to queen sized quilts. I think of memory quilts as being something tangible the people can look at, touch, and hold, that bring back warm, loving thoughts to them of the person they can no longer do that with.
Joan.

oops wrong area for my question