Gift ideas for mothers and fathers

Gift ideas for mom and dad get harder and harder to come by as the years go by. Try taking a walk down memory lane. A memory tie quilt is a unique gift any mother would love. How about a memory totempole for dad. What are these you might ask? Good question, let me explain.

Memory Quilt

There is a harder version and an easy version to this quilt. If you are a quilter or like to sew you may want to try the harder version. If you are anon sewer or don't have access to a sewing machine you may want to try the easier version. Or you could try a combination of both hard and easy.

Easy Version

Material list:

Scissors

One white flat sheet twin size

Thick pile knit (get enough yardage to make it as long as the sheet in your choice of design)

Embroidery thread color of your choice

Iron on transfer paper for printers

Photos of the past

Large eyed needle

Large safty pins

Iron/ironing board

*Note: If you don't have access to a printer or photos write "remember when" messages on the quilt with a permanent marker. You might want to get other relatives, friends and neighbors to write a memory as well.

Wash your sheet to get any sizing out that may ruin the bond of your transfer and to pre-shrink it. Next make your transfers. You might need to go to a print shop if you don't have a printer or do not have access to another printer. Decide on the layout of your transfers then iron them in place following the instructions on your transfer paper. Now it is time to put your layers together. Lay your backing face down. If you don't have a table large enough to lay it flat then place it on the floor. Now lay your top (white sheet) on top of the bottom layer face up so the photos are showing. Even up the edges. If the white sheet is larger then the backing do do not cut it down to size. Just center it over the backing. If needed square up the straight edges of the backing. If the backing is bigger then the sheet then you have the option of trimming the backing down to the size of the sheet or leaving an egde showing around the top layer. Using the large safty pins pin the layers together approximately every 12 inches. With this done you may now pick up the quilt off the floor or table. It is easier to do the next part if you work over a table of some sort. Thread your needle with the embroidery thread. Starting from the top side of your quilt put your needle thru all layers of material and come back up about a quarter inch from where you inserted the needle. Leave a tail of about an inch and a half . Also cut the thread on the other side the same amount. Tie these threads into a knot and trim down to approximately 1/4 inch. Continue in this manner about every 6 inches working around your photos. Remove safty pins as you go along. Now do a running stitch around the edge of your quilt making each stitch about 1/4 inch, finishing off the edge of your quilt. You are now done.

Variation

Do a mixture of written memories and photo memories.

Harder Version

This version of the tie quilt requires a bit more skill to accomplish. The eqipment list is slightly different from the above easy versions list. And this one will take more time to make so plan accordingly.

Material List:

Sewing machine

Scissors

Material in selected colors and patterns cut into 12 in squares*

White material also cut into 12 inch squares*

Batting large enough to fit the size of quilt you have chosen to make

Backing material; a flat sheet may used or you may sew a backing together from your choice of material

Embroidery thread your choice of color or colors

Large eyed needle

Iron on transfer paper for printers.

Photos of the past

Large safty pins

Iron/ironing board

*Note: Preplan the design you want your quilt blocks to make. Cut enough squares to make the desired size of quilt that you want. Also cut enough white squares for each photo. More then one photo can be used to make a transfer. You can do a sort of mini collage with two or three photos. If you don't have access to a printer then do a written memory quilt using a pemanent marker.

Wash all material before cutting into squares to preshrink and to get any sizing out that may interfer with the transfer paper. Cut selected materials into squares. Make transfers out of your photos and apply to white squares. Now sew your squares together acording to your planned pattern. It is easier to first sew them into strips and then sew the strips into the quilt top. If your backing needs pieced together do so now. Now it is time to assemble the layers. First lay your backing down face side down on a table or the floor. Next lay the battiing on top of the backing and then the quilttop face up so the photos are showing. Even up the edges and trim any excess batting and backing to fit the quilt top size. Pin together with the safty pins about 12 inches apart. It is easier if you work over a table. Thread your needle with the embrodery thread. Starting from the top side of your quilt insert your needle thru all layers material, near a corner where the materials meet, bring the needle back up about 1/4 inch from where you inserted it. Clip thread leaving approximately 1 1/2 inch on each side. tie these ends into a knot. Repeat this process going from square to square until you have tie the whole quilt together. Remove safty pins as you go along. After the quilt has been tied then you need to add a binding to finish off the edge of the quilt. This can be pre-made bias tape or you can make your own from the left over material that you used to make you squares. Sew binding around the edge of your quilt to finish it off.

Variations:

You can combine parts of the easy and hard versions by eliminating the batting and backing in the harder version of the memory quilt and use the thick pile knit material of the easier version. Or if you wish for a lighter quilt eliminate the batting and use flannel instead or even lighter quilt use no center batting at all. You can also do a mixture of photos and written memories if you wish.

Memory Totem Pole

This ia a unique idea for the dad who has everthing. It doesn't take a lot of equipment. First you will need a pole of some sort. Square or round fence post would work great. Other options are a dried and debarked log or a discarded telephone pole. If you are handy with drawing then starting at the bottom of the pole, don't forget to leave enough pole to be put into the ground, drawing a picture that depicts something from the persons early life. If you are not handy at drawing then get a picture of the object you wish to draw and using carbon paper or something that will transfer your image to the pole by tracing. The next picture should be again something associated with the person but a few year closer to the present day. When your pole is finished the early years will be at the bottom and the later years at the top. These images can later be painted. You can add a date beside the picture under it or over it if you wish.

Ideas of what you can depict on your pole:

significant events- birth, starting school , graduation, first job, wedding, childs birth. retirement, 25th wedding anniversary, 50th wedding aniversary etc.

Associated objects: motorcycle, car, house, money, family, something depicting their hobby

Or you can do a mix of events and associated objects.