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Need your advice

General discussion of the quilting world, and topics that don't fit in other categories.
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Susie
Posts: 3726
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:52 am

Need your advice

Post by Susie » Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:02 pm

You all may think this is a stupid question but since all of you are fellow fabric lovers I would sincerely love some advice. I have saved things likey prom dresses from 1967-68 (one of which my mom made), one of my dad's Pendleton wool shirts, one of my dad's 1950 suits - three piece (he was a mechanic, never wore a suit unless he had to) , one of my mom's old flapper dresses from the 20's which is starting to fall apart except for the lace..... You get the picture. I have always taken good care of this stuff but have been wondering about it all since I never see it except once in a blue moon. Should I 1. Keep everything as is and continue to care for them and store them? 2. Cut them up and make something out of the fabric that I could see every day (such as couch pillows out of the wool) ? I don't really want to leave my kids or grands a big burden as I know these things won't mean as much to them . Am I obsessing or what? Any advice will be sincerely appreciated. This time of year is a bit difficult for me and I do tend to start obsessing!!!!!

MainelyMe
Posts: 1680
Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:56 am

Re: Need your advice

Post by MainelyMe » Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:47 pm

Susie, I can only tell you what I have done and you can decide if it's what you would like or not.
I have made a wall hanging for a friend with clothes left behind by their dad that even included one of his hats. She loves it because she says she can look at it every day, since it's not just in a box or in the closet.
I have also made whole bed sized memory quilts with clothes. One from a very young mother for her daughter, and another for a grown man from his mother's things.
I even made my Dad a quilt using my late Mother's wool skirts, jumpers, etc. and Christmas stockings for my sisters with it too.
Those are just a few of the things I've done with clothes over the years, and am actually working on another right now for a lady.
Hope you can figure out what will be best for you.
Joan
PS. There are NO stupid questions!

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purrfect-lady
Posts: 24041
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:01 am

Re: Need your advice

Post by purrfect-lady » Wed Dec 10, 2014 1:17 am

Susie, I remember my mom had a beautiful crazy quilt made from all sorts of fabrics. I don't know if she made it or if her mother-in-law made it (my dad's mom.) but I remember that it had velvets, satins, cottons, organdy overlaying another bit of fabric, laces, rick/rack, buttons, etc. it was obviously a memory quilt - or at the very least a scrap-using-up quilt. Hers was bed=sized, but you could make one that hung on a wall, or a tiny one that fit into a shadow box. Or not even a quilt, but perhaps a tiny replica of each garment and put them in a shadow box.

You could make a small project - whatever you decide - and give one to each of your children as a memento of their grandparents. Not so bulky a thing to save and treasure as a fading wardrobe.

what a treasure you have!

Irishgram
Posts: 6797
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 1:46 pm

Re: Need your advice

Post by Irishgram » Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:11 am

Susie, you've really been given good advice and what every you do, will be special......With my son passing recently, I had 2 of his flannel shirts made into teddy bears, 1 for each of his kids....They really, really turned out nice and I'm sure will be treasured forever......

Becca
Posts: 12194
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:30 am

Re: Need your advice

Post by Becca » Wed Dec 10, 2014 6:28 am

Wow You have been given great ideas.I love them all.I have made several teddy bears from old clothes.For Christmas this year I made the great grandboys teddy bears out of their Papas overralls he wore years ago.

I would do sometthing as they mean alot to you....Becca

scrapquilter48
Posts: 6550
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:32 pm

Re: Need your advice

Post by scrapquilter48 » Wed Dec 10, 2014 9:32 am

Frame for your wall.

Susie
Posts: 3726
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:52 am

Re: Need your advice

Post by Susie » Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:40 pm

Thank you all so much for helping me. I love your ideas and will let you know what I decide to do! Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in "stuff" although most people would describe me as being a neatnik! I appreciate you taking the time to answer my call for help! You are the best friends!

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