Crafting with old quilts

My grandmother and I'd say all of the women in the family before her were avid quilters. Yes quilting is fun but they did it out of necessity. There wasn't a Target on every corner, but even if there had been my grandmother still wouldn't have gone.

People still quilt, quilts are still passed down but maybe they don't have the same meaning sewn into them as they once did. Like everything else a well loved quilt will get worn in spots or or worse become soiled and unable to be safely cleaned. That doesn't mean they still don't have a lot of use left in them. I personally have a chest of quilts made by my great grandmother and maybe even from before, that never see the light of day. My Grandmother, Elizabeth would be horrified, quilts are made to be used, they were after all mostly made from scraps from other sewing endeavors. So to honor those quilts beyond repair, personal or ones picked up at sales let's imagine ways to give them new lives.

We'll start with family quilts, the ones who have seen a bit too much of rough housing or who belonged to Children and were used a tug toys, camp forts or for naps in the grass. They are a part of their childhood and are often passed from kid to kid. Now they aren't in fit for the next generation, but not quite ready for the trash heap. How about making ornaments for each kid that loved that blanket? Something to talk about with the next generation and so the quilt doesn't really go away it gains a new following.

Jan  from JanMade used an old quilt to make Angels for her tree

How pretty is this and what a story it could tell. you could do other shapes as well, stars, barns, trees, hearts or any shape that fits your style. They make wonderful gifts for Christmas or any special occasion and everyone gets to take a tangible reminder of their special quilt.

If you have a larger quilt or one that you don't mind cutting into, stuffed animals are another option for gifting a quilt to numerous people. Bears, rabbits and even dolls can be made from old quilts.

via Stitch This

My personal favorite idea is one we saw while shopping in the North Carolina Mountains.

Aren't these the cutest sheep? I would think you could cut the shape out of wood and then wrap the quilt pieces and extra battling around it. The would make great decorations or even a foot stool. This idea has been hanging around for a while. I think it's time to get busy making some!

Thanks for visiting with me and my quilt ideas as I blog my way through the Alphabet with Blogging from A to Z. There are still  10 days left to go and I'm hoping you'll enjoy them as much as I am creating them. Thanks for stopping by and I'll see  you tomorrow with my R for Rags post.