Memorial Quilt

Here's the quilt that has inspired the name of this blog, the style and reason for some of my sewing, and making it was an act of worship, grief and healing. That's all I will say about its raison d'être.

The quilt is designed (all by myself, first design and it worked!) to represent Noah's ark. The design of the blocks is Le Moyne Star. So the coloured blocks (apart from the middle one) are designed to represent all colours of sky, including pinks and purples, grey and white. The middle block is the one that represents the rainbow - God's promise - and the points of the star are in order of the colours of the rainbow with a bit of artistic licence - required, because I made the blocks entirely out of recycled shirts. The white in the rainbow block also represents the dove. Dove of peace, and God's messenger.

Most of the shirts used are mine, Matthew's, or other family members but I did have to buy a couple from a charity shop in order to complete the rainbow block. The buttons dotted around the quilt at the end represent stars. The buttons were of course harvested from the shirts!!

Works for me anyway! :)

I made a very special label from the back - borrowed Little Miss H's birthday double rainbow to print on a dedication label on the special ink jet printer fabric you can buy (not cheap but a perfect finishing touch to a special quilt).

Technically speaking - the blocks were difficult - I have started my quilting career breaking rules before I have properly learned them (Life's too short) so the shirts were not all 100% cotton. The Marks and Spencer oxford weave shirts were an absolute dream to sew with. The more 'vintage' inclusions were a nightmare: flimsy and frayed easily. I will learn from this and when I am over it I will use fusible web next time to strengthen thinner fabrics before I cut them  - will have to do this on the next memorial quilt I have waiting for my next big project.

I have since made a Le Moyne Star quilt and (tho its not completed yet, still have to finish the actual quilting!) it was much quicker and easier for the experience of having practised the blocks with much harder materials first time around!

This project was very special to me though because it was designed, pieced, and quilted in prayer. An interesting experience and one I believe God has tangibly worked through in my life, though I pray He has done more than just that - not that  I need to know about it - I have let this one go.