Monday Musings - Making Memories...

This morning's blog post is a request, of sorts.  Many of you know that my younger son - the baby! - is getting married next weekend. Mike and I prefer to think of it as we're getting another daughter. Mothers of the groom don't traditionally have much to do with wedding planning, but this is one way in which I'm not traditional...the wedding quilt.

I had a friend message me on Facebook last night about the details - and I'm a big believer that I want Andy and Kayleigh to see it first.  But here are 5 tips for you to ponder if you're thinking about doing something like this.

• Inspiration doesn't have to come from the traditional sources...it can come from anyplace. You will know you found your inspiration when you feel it. I do a lot of surfing on  Pinterest. This is the inspiration that struck me for this quilt.

•  Talk to the happy couple to see what they want in the way of a Memory Quilt...that will play into the design process. You want to know that they will appreciate your efforts, and that this will have an honored place in their home for years to come. In this case, they have a stated preference for something that they can use...not a wall hanging.

• Once you have an inspiration and direction, you will be looking for ways to simplify it as much as you can. I'm a big believer in taking a simple idea and executing it beautifully...ask me how I learned that, and I'll tell you sometime.

• In the case of a signature quilt - which may or may not be the way you want to go...you are dependant on others (who may or may not pay  close attention to detail).  Simple is better.

• Use the best materials you can...specifically the pens being used to sign the blocks.  There is a lot of research out there about what works well over time, and you really don't need to reinvent the wheel.  There's a blog called Freckled Whimsy - the link is here - that did a comprehensive analysis back in 2010 that I used as a jumping off point.

A final tip - give yourself a deadline to work with...or this can become another 'sometime' quilt. In the case of my older son, I gave them the completed quilt on their first anniversary...which would seem to be a good goal for this one as well.I hope this blogpost helps you plan your next Celebrations quilt. If you have questions, please let me know. I'll keep you updated on this project. Cheers!