Quilt Shot 150~ Alex's Memory Quilt

 

This quilt used pieces from 4 of 6 of Alex's grandmother's garments.

A loose knit sweater and a cashmere sweater were included in the bag.

It was felt they wouldn't wear well and shrink considerably

 in a quilt that would be washed often

so they weren't used.

This was the first memory quilt I made with

 knits, sweat shirt and corduroy all in one quilt.

I typically make them from cotton type garments.

My old machine couldn't have stitched these 

without stretching or skipping stitches.

My new Janome M7 worked like a dream.

No iron on interfacing was used.

  A simple square pattern was decided upon

to attempt putting together different kinds of stretch fabrics

Remembering the old fashion technique of using cardboard templates,

one was made to decide how to efficiently use the fabrics.

Didn't know what pattern would be used.

At the least would be a random pattern.

Would you believe there were exactly enough squares to make this pattern?

I only had to make a change on the top row,

but the difference doesn't show?

After the top was sewn together,

a blanket was laid on the right side,

trimmed down to the size of the top and pinned all around edge.

Pins were turned for sewing.

After stitching a 5/8 seam all around except for the opening,

the quilt was turned inside out.

Eleanor Burns of the PBS "Quilt in a Day"

was the first place I saw

 this method and called this part of the process

"Birthing the Quilt"

because big quilts pulled through a small opening

makes one think that's what's happening.
 

 

At the "hand wide" opening that was left unstitched,

the edge was turned under 5/8 inch

since this was the width of the seam

all around the quilt.

 

The Janome "Acu Feed" system 

(which I consider an advanced walking foot)

top stitched this bulky 4 layer seam 

like buttar!

The edge road along this part of the foot.

 

I made a Tshirt quilt using this "Birthing Quilt" method

and like this quilt, I felt I didn't even need to even tie the quilt. 

It actually stays together very well.

Something about the knit fabric

and the top stitching that

 keeps it all in place.