My brother got married in January in a courthouse with a friend as their witness. No big ceremony or party to celebrate. No rings, no dress for her and no tux for him. Just two people as they are, promising to spend their lives together.
When I heard about the wedding, just as with any wedding, I started to think of ideas for a gift. Nothing seemed quite right that I could think of.
My mom and a few of my aunts and I all decided to make them a quilt instead of bombarding them with boxes of kitchen gadgets and breakable china that they don’t want.
When my brother and his wife visited in February, my mom took them to a quilt shop to choose fabric. They had just been to my house and loved all the bright bold colors we used so they took that as inspiration and chose a bunch of bold whimsical fabrics.
My mom sent the fabric to the other five of us and we all got to work making blocks to be put together into a wedding quilt.
I had not sewn in a very long time. Like 20 years. I was a little rusty. I did all of my sewing by hand. I had a few glitches in the beginning and had to redo some of my first block but I had the hang of it by the second block. Then, I found out that a cousin of mine who was supposed to have sewn a block didn’t do it, so I decided to do yet another one. It was fun challenging myself to something “new” and being part of a unique, sentimental masterpiece.
And here are the three blocks I did. Staying true to myself, they’re not ironed.
This house block is full of imperfections and mistakes but when I told my brother I was going to redo it, he got mad and said to leave it just how it is, that is how he wants it.
My mom and one of my aunts are doing all the putting together and quilting of the different blocks this week. Here are the blocks all laid out a few days ago.
This was a really fun way to do something for them without any of us spending a lot of money, they didn’t get a bunch of gifts they don’t need, and instead have a handmade with love quilt to honor their marriage.
Welll done, Emily. That looks great. Hope my little chick’s quilt turns out as well. What a sweet gift.
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The quilt is absolutely gorgeous! What a lovely and thoughtful gift.
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Last year, I made hand made photo quilts for my stepdaughters. I printed family and childhood pictures of each of them on fabric sheets and sewed them into the quilt blocks. They both have taken the quilts off to college with them.
Thanks for sharing those pictures. It definitely brought back some happy memories for me.
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That’s a beautiful gift. My best friend’s family makes the same sort of quilt as baby gifts, and I was lucky enough to get one for my first son. It’s the sort of thing that will be loved forever.
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PRETTY quilt! I haven’t sewn in what seems like forever. I made a few quilts in my day… mostly twin sized or lap quilts, but hey! I did it! lol I should pull out my sewing machine again some day. Hmm.
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what a wonderful gift. we got a handmade afghan from my aunt for our wedding. it is beautiful and we will treasure it always. so much more meaningful than… a rice cooker.
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What a charming and wonderful gift of love! The newlyweds will cherish it.
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Wow, this is really thoughtful. Nothing could be more precious and cherished than a hand made gift from people you love.
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Wow… it’s beautiful, and your sewing is awesome.
What a great idea.
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Ok, you know when you’re getting too old when you get choked up after reading a quilt making story on the internet. Very nice and poignant.
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This is just soooooo beautiful, your family has some really good quilters. I have never really been able to get those blocks right so I’m all the more amazed by your work.
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What a great tradition: creating a quilt when someone in the family gets married! I also like “Momma’s” suggestion of printing photographs on fabric for the quilt.
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What a heart-felt gift! Such beautiful work with so much love… Your brother’s family will treasure their quilt for generations. Homemade gifts of all kinds and sizes are always so precious because there is heart in them. Thank you for sharing this!
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Hi Emily!
That is such a great idea, your family came up with, to honor your brother’s marriage. The newylyweds were able to be involved to make it even more personal. Lots of happy colors to remind them how they felt when they first married.
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It’s got love sewn all over it.
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[...] I’m not planning to start churning my own butter, or even to take up quilting—although I admire people who have these abilities—but I am taking steps to reduce my carbon footprint and to try and show reverence toward the [...]
[...] A Wedding Quilt at Remodelling This Life [...]
Thank you all for your compliments on the quilt! It sure was fun to be part of. I can’t wait until my mom sends photos of it finished.
I, too, love the idea of a photo quilt!
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That’s beautiful! My in-laws made us a quilt as well. It’s really sweet and was worked on by everybody in the family (some did more than others, of course). It’s a crazy quilt, though, so it doesn’t matter if the squares look a bit different.
Unfortunately, someone sewed a pin into the quilt and I’m still working on digging it out.
I don’t want to cut the fabric, but I may have to and then just stitch it back up. I’m sure I could make it look like part of the craziness. 
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WOW!!!!!!!
You have talent!
Please teach us all!!!
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That has to be one of the most thoughtful gifts! How lovely for everyone to take part in it.
My husband & I received a quilt as a wedding gift and it is so dear to us. It was made by one of the groomsmen’s SIL. It was a lovely suprise!
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that’s awesome!
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Love it! Handmade gifts are the best!
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That is a beautiful and thoughtful gift. Nice job!
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omg!! that is the most beautiful quilt. maybe because it’s filled with so much love?
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[...] the wedding quilt my mom, aunts and I all worked on to give to my brother and his wife as a wedding [...]
Great work … and i think they were happy about this really personal gift they got.
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