Friday, September 30, 2016

another finished memory quilt top


Here is another finished custom t-shirt memory quilt top.  
More custom quilts can be seen in my shop.  

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Friday, July 29, 2016

Memory quilt ..... my days at UCLA

I'm finally hitting the point in my sewing/quilting where I feel I may reach my long time goal of "sewing for a living" sometime before I retire.....:)  After having made a t-shirt quilt for a local customer and receiving much attention and praise I have been receiving custom orders for more quilts from customers all over the country.  Personally I never thought I would enjoy custom orders. They can be quite unnerving, never knowing how to price for your time/materials,  unsure if the customer will happy with the end results and a load of insecurities that hit when cutting up special, memory loaded t-shirts and clothing.  I am hitting my stride. Finding a routine. Enjoying my simple dream of sewing for a living.

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This particular quilt started with 11 very rough cut t-shirts and a pillow cover.  mmmmmmhhhh how am I going to use 12 pre-cut squares and turn them into a nap quilt that will please the customer?  It turned out better than I had imagined. The customer is "WOWed". This weekend I will be making a 2nd quilt for her using t-shirts from her childhood. Look for that posting next week.    

Friday, July 8, 2016

Improv t-shirt quilt

I've been swamped with custom t-shirt quilts after posting the "Tyler" quilt and having local customers see it in person as well. I've not been able to keep up with blog posts, IG, FB or Pinterest. Hopefully I can catch up........soon.  

Here is the latest quilt I was able to squeeze in between orders. It is made primarily with t-shirt scraps from all those custom quilts. I still have a growing pile of t-shirt sleeves, if anyone would like them please contact me. I am giving the bottom half of the shirts to my sister who has taken up crocheting and I've shown her how to make her own t-shirt yarn.  I currently have a large box full for her to make yarn.
I like how this turned out.  

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Saturday, December 26, 2015

Tyler's quilt

What's a mom to do with all those team t-shirts 
when the kids go off to college?  
Make memories. 
Here is the latest memory quilt I made for a local young man.
Another memory quilt done with 4+ more to go.
If you are interested in having a memory quilt made
for yourself or a loved one 
please contact me at 
simpledream2@hotmail.com
please use "memory quilt" in the subject line.

Tyler's memory quilt by simpledreamquilts.com:

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Fabric Frenzy Friday

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Mady's quilt....."It's pink"

I haven't posted to my blog in a while.  I've been busy with life, work and trying to catch up with sewing projects.  During the summer I don't sew that many quilts or do much sewing of any kind.  Yard work seems to keep me busy. I did make more bow ties and pumpkins that were listed in my shop. 

Now that cooler weather is here I can spend more time sewing some of the custom quilt orders I have waiting and begging for my attention.


Here's the last quilt I made, it was for a dear friend.  It is a memory quilt made with Madison's clothing.  Madison was not even two years old when she lost her battle with a brain tumor. I made two memory quilts, one for Mady's mother Rachel and one for her grandmother, Teresa ... my dear friend. This quilt turned out so nice, just the right size for a nap, 71" x 55".  A nose to toes quilt. Just right for those naps on cold winter days.  

A funny story about this quilt.  I had it hanging on my shelves in my sewing room waiting to stitch on the binding.  I asked my son to step in and take a look at Teresa's quilt.  He walked into the sewing room, sat down on my chair, looked at the quilt and said, "It's pink", in a serious tone. I had to remind him it is "Mady's quilt" made with Mady's clothing for Teresa.  The whole idea behind a memory quilt is to evoke memories, and well pink will remind Teresa of the sweetness of her little Madison. 

I have 3 more memory quilt orders; one from a group of elementary school teachers wanting a memory quilt made with t-shirts from years of school events as a gift for a retiring teacher.  Two more memory quilts for a customer who has all of his high school coaching shirts that he wants made up into lap/nap size quilts.  I think I will be busy this winter keeping the wood stove stoked and sewing/quilting. My plan is to gather photos of current and past memory quilts to post listing in my Etsy shop and my website for custom memory quilts.

I had to share Mady's quilt........."It's pink".  

Thursday, October 1, 2015

todays pumpkin harvest

Here's the next batch of pumpkins in the shop. 


Bottom right set of pumpkins are SECONDS SALE for the minor flaw in the seam.  See more information in the shop.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

more pumpkins

Life has kept me busy lately.  My daughter surprised me with a trip to NY.....and she had invited my dearest oldest friend and her husband there as well.  Between work, a wonderful trip and keeping up with life I've let other things slide.  At least I have my pumpkins.  


Latest harvest now in the shop .