Xmas present for widowed mum...

annaangeluk_2

My father died suddenly and unexpectedly at easter aged just 53.

Normally in my house the xmas preperations start on the 1st August so i wanted to get cracking, even though no one really feels up to it this year.

I'd love to be able to do somthing really special for my mum this xmas as understandably, I think she is going to find it extremely hard.

I'm a working single mum with a 5yr old dd. Time and money are very limited, as are creative skills!

I have a sewing machine and can just about sew in a straight line! I was thinking of making mum a patchwork quilt (have a massive box of fabric squares!) I would love to be able to some how copy photos onto plain fabric to include pictures of my dad as well as my siblings, grandchildren etc. Also to take some of dad's shirts (had quite a large collection of v awful Hawaiian shirts - these were a family joke!) and include squares of this into the quilt.

Which is the best way of getting photos onto fabric? Printing directly onto the fabric or using iron on transfers?

How would i x stitch or embroider everyone's names and birthdates onto the quilt?

Do i need a pattern for a quilt or would just rows of co-ordinating squares look okay?

Any other ideas instead of a quilt would also be much appreciated. I had thought of making a "collage" of family photos but this doesn't seem very original!

Thanks in advance for any help - sorry this post is so long!:o

Stacey

Poppy9

I don't think your Mum is going to be up for Christmas this year. I think the best present you could give her is time to grieve at Christmas and to occupy her at New Year. For some reason I found NY really hard after my parents died as it took me a year away from them. Perhaps you and other family could club together and book her a short break away.

woofwoofwoof

annaangeluk wrote: »

My father died suddenly and unexpectedly at easter aged just 53.

Normally in my house the xmas preperations start on the 1st August so i wanted to get cracking, even though no one really feels up to it this year.

I'd love to be able to do somthing really special for my mum this xmas as understandably, I think she is going to find it extremely hard.

I'm a working single mum with a 5yr old dd. Time and money are very limited, as are creative skills!

I have a sewing machine and can just about sew in a straight line! I was thinking of making mum a patchwork quilt (have a massive box of fabric squares!) I would love to be able to some how copy photos onto plain fabric to include pictures of my dad as well as my siblings, grandchildren etc. Also to take some of dad's shirts (had quite a large collection of v awful Hawaiian shirts - these were a family joke!) and include squares of this into the quilt.

Which is the best way of getting photos onto fabric? Printing directly onto the fabric or using iron on transfers?

How would i x stitch or embroider everyone's names and birthdates onto the quilt?

Do i need a pattern for a quilt or would just rows of co-ordinating squares look okay?

Any other ideas instead of a quilt would also be much appreciated. I had thought of making a "collage" of family photos but this doesn't seem very original!

Thanks in advance for any help - sorry this post is so long!:o

Stacey

Hi annaangel, your quilt sounds like an absolutely wonderful present. Rows of squares would look fine (no doubt there will be a professional quilter along soon to give some proper advice!) - if you make it I'm sure your mum won't care if it is not perfect, sounds corny but it really is the thought that counts.

Lillibet_2

HI

I think the quilt sounds like a fab idea, especially using your dads shirts as a memento.

My mum makes quits, based on her experience (she is self taught & started where you are now) I suggest :

Make the squares quite big, at least 10 by 10 cm, 12 by 12 if you have enough fabric as it is much easier to learn on bigger squares.
Double seam all the edges, they tend to come apart in washing otherwise.
Alternate a pattern square with a planer square then off set the next row.
To create the quilt effect, sew the squares together in straight lines & when big enough add thin padding/wadding by hemming all around the outer edges, then when complete sew in a contrasting colour thread long diagonal lines across the length of the quilt (through the wadding) (from diagonal corner to corner if you see what I mean?) so that the square become divided into triangles.
Buy the wadding from a market if you can, it is usually half the price of John Lewis/fabric shops!
To back the quilt cheaply look for good condition duvet covers or sheets in a chairty shop!

Good luck & HTH;)

Edit : Forgot to say, try to stick with similar fabrics, cotton works best or a cotton mix which can be washed at 40 degrees. Mixing in silks & satins etc can make it very difficult to wash & restore to pristine condition! Avoid anythgin wool based.
HTH

floss2

Don't be offended if your family don't feel up to Christmas this year - you have to get one of everything without the person who died out of the way and Christmas may be very hard for you all.

I know, i've lost both my parents, and my 3 brothers & I really didn't want to bother with Christmas at all after Mum died in July 2005.

sammy_kaye18

annaangel - firstly sorry to hear about your dad, its really sweet of you to want to make soemthing so personal for her. I know in our local fabric shop they have like this paste that ou can put over any picture then you flip the picture over and iron it and it tranfers the photo onto the tshirt if that makes sense. Also for the letters why not cut out letters form a contrasting shirt of spare square and just sew round the edges of the letters. You could alwys look for a rememberance cross stitch and when you get it finished get it framed for her. so that she can always have it - maybe embroider your dads name and dates on it too somewhere

lisa76

this is one of the most beautiful ideas for a xmas present that i've heard in a long time

i am so sorry to hear of your loss and i know the family might not be up for xmas this year, but i think the quilt will be well received

and although you may not feel like celebrating you do have a 5 year old that's going to be excited so you can't stop xmas, you can tone it down a bit though if that's how you feel - as long as father xmas brings her something i'm sure she'll be ok

stokegal

I'm sorry to here about your loss - I lost my dad suddenly on the 6th December last year, 4 days after he was diagnoised with cancer and Christmas was really rough. I tried to keep my mum occupied and I wanted to give her the world unfortunately I was broke and my mum had no money as she wasn't working and the bank had frozen all my dad's bank accounts (as they weren't married she struggled prove that were together - they had been for 17 years thogh!!)

The best gift that I could give to her was just to be there for her and be positive - you don't need to be sitting next to her every minute of every day as your mum will need time to be alone and grieve (as will you) but just let her know that you are there for and maybe you could do something together that you can both show off on Christmas day - my mum and me have joined the gym and can't wait to show off toned bellies on our hols (I wish) maybe you could go to a cookery class so that you can both set a new tradition on Christmas day of having something different than boring turkey... or join a dance class then show your moves off at Christmas

Whatever you decide I'm sure you will know what's right for her and she will apprieciate it

Good Luck and remember to be strong

Stokegal