A Wedding Quilt
July 31, 2008 at 6:00 am , by Emily
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.
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by aimee
On July 31, 2008 at 7:59 am
Welll done, Emily. That looks great. Hope my little chick’s quilt turns out as well. What a sweet gift.
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by Holly C.
On July 31, 2008 at 8:03 am
The quilt is absolutely gorgeous! What a lovely and thoughtful gift.
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by Momma
On July 31, 2008 at 8:32 am
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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by Kelly from Almost Frugal
On July 31, 2008 at 8:55 am
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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by Marie
On July 31, 2008 at 8:59 am
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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by neimanmarxist
On July 31, 2008 at 9:38 am
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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by Donna M.
On July 31, 2008 at 9:45 am
What a charming and wonderful gift of love! The newlyweds will cherish it.
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by Broken Web Host Edition | Tales from the Road Less Traveled
On July 31, 2008 at 10:05 am
[...] Bible Money Matters [...]
by Avani-Mehta
On July 31, 2008 at 10:48 am
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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by Ashley @ Wide Open Wallet
On July 31, 2008 at 11:13 am
Wow… it’s beautiful, and your sewing is awesome.
What a great idea.
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by chris
On July 31, 2008 at 12:08 pm
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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by learning the ropes
On July 31, 2008 at 1:26 pm
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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by Marelisa
On July 31, 2008 at 4:01 pm
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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by Julie
On July 31, 2008 at 5:59 pm
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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by Suzy :)
On July 31, 2008 at 6:15 pm
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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by AMG
On August 1, 2008 at 12:30 am
It’s got love sewn all over it.
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by Abundance Blog at Marelisa-Online » Blog Archive » 100 Tips to Simplify Your Life
On August 1, 2008 at 2:28 am
[...] 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 [...]
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On August 1, 2008 at 9:08 am
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by Emily
On August 1, 2008 at 9:45 am
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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by Mrs. Micah
On August 1, 2008 at 11:21 am
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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by Frugal Trenches
On August 1, 2008 at 1:24 pm
WOW!!!!!!!
You have talent!
Please teach us all!!!
Frugal Trenchess last blog post..Goals For August!
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by Melaniesd
On August 1, 2008 at 8:36 pm
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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by Lisa
On August 3, 2008 at 2:32 am
that’s awesome!
Lisas last blog post..Transient
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by Vanessa
On August 3, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Love it! Handmade gifts are the best!
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by At Home Redesigns
On August 3, 2008 at 5:32 pm
That is a beautiful and thoughtful gift. Nice job!
At Home Redesignss last blog post..I Love These Ideas! Sunday
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On August 4, 2008 at 4:07 am
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by marci lambert
On August 4, 2008 at 11:07 am
omg!! that is the most beautiful quilt. maybe because it’s filled with so much love?
marci lamberts last blog post..I don’t believe it.
[Reply]
by Finished Quilt | Remodeling This Life
On September 22, 2008 at 4:25 pm
[...] the wedding quilt my mom, aunts and I all worked on to give to my brother and his wife as a wedding [...]
by Simone
On March 18, 2009 at 11:13 am
Great work … and i think they were happy about this really personal gift they got.
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