A WEDDING QUILT

Last winter I had an idea for a wedding gift for a very special couple who I knew would cherish a quilt made from fabric sent to me by the entire guest list. I wanted to create a unique quilt with fabric chosen by family and friends that reminded them of the bride and groom. Early spring an email was sent out explaining my idea asking the wedding guests to send me some fabric. Here is a portion of the letter.

To help me create this gift, I'd like to ask you to send me a piece of fabric that you'd like to include in the quilt. Here are some parameters:

• It can be almost any kind of cotton, linen or wool.
• Unless it's a particularly sentimental piece, please don't send tulle, sequined fabric or silk, because these fabrics don't stand the test of time.
• The pieces of fabric can be as small as 6"x6" and as large as a half yard, from which I will use multiple cut pieces.
• If there is story behind the piece of fabric that you'd like to share with Erin and James, please include a note about that, as well.

The fabric can come from anything or anywhere. I've included some suggestions below, but I welcome others, too!

• clothing (shirts, pants, dresses, socks, etc.)
• a towel
• pieces from an old quilt that you're not using any longer
• a tablecloth
• cloth napkin
• a purchased piece of fabric in a color you love (ask for a "fat quarter," or 1/4 of a yard)
• lace doily
• t shirt
• curtains
• sheets
• if you live in another country, send a piece of fabric from that country
• You can also design a piece of fabric with paint, applique, embroidery or any other technique! (You can design and create anything you would like, about 6"x 6," just please make sure it is machine washable)

I stress almost any textile will do! The goal is to use fabric that you love, have used, created or that reminds you of Erin and James in any way.

I received all types of fabric with very sweet notes explaining why a specific piece of fabric was chosen. When I gave Erin and James the quilt I gave them the notes which they poured over and enjoyed! While I didn't get any sequins or tulle, the most challenging piece of fabric was the neoprene. It was too stiff to use in or as a square so I cut out little sea turtles and attached ...a very important memory to Erin and James.

The quilt includes pieces from memorable t-shirts, lyrics from love songs embroidered by the bride's mother, upholstery fabric from a chair once in the home of dear friend, many versions of blue as a connection to the oceans where hours were spent researching sea turtles, childhood memories embedded in small ways, some family photographs, a man's shirt, and a special piece of fabric used by the bride and her sisters to hide the torn ceiling in their very old, but very dear, car.  There is fabric from France, Canada, India and Japan. Each square was touched and admired... all with a big smile and a full heart!

Designed by Linda Zimmerman