Anyone made a quilt out of a wedding dress?

[Paula D.]

I hope this is not unusual, but I am looking for ideas on how to take a wedding dress and use some or all of it for a quilt/coverlet. It's a bit intimidating as it is my sister's dress, but it is something she has asked me to think about for the last few years..... I'd love to see any ideas/pictures if anyone has ever done something like this!

rr

[Paula D.]

There's a small wallhanging under my profile called Remembrance 20th Anniversary. It's a feathered star block I made from a piece of my bridesmaids dress at my friend's wedding. I will say that needle-turning the polyester/cotton/whatever it was was no fun, it shreds and is slippery. So if I were you I'd look for a pieced pattern, keep the applique to a minimum!

Kathy B.

P.S. -- Think about a stabilizer on the back of your fabric if it's slippery or flimsy. Also think about washing or dry cleaning the dress before working with it -- I wouldn't be surprised if there's a mystery stain or two on the skirt! Might also be fun to embellish with any beading available -- that brings up another thought -- large fused flowers with beading in the center? Let us know how your project goes!

[Damaris E.]

RR,
I am glad that Kathy posted a suggestion for you!! The only thing I can think of is if you make it into a crazy quilt like the ones that Judith B. Montano makes on Episode 201 and 507!! Have fun, it sounds like something that will truly be treasured by your sister!!

[Jules M.]

Not sure if you ever did your project or not but I just found your original post now.

I read in an OLD quilt magazine about someone making a quilt from their dress. Ideas like using some of the embroidery or lace for a medallion, come to my mind now.

I had a very plain dress that my aunt made for our wedding. I like the fabric but there isn't much lace and no embroidery. My daughter didn't fit it in 8th grade! :lol: Plus she is now a fashion designer (09 grad of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago) and whenever she marries will design her own gown. So... I plan on making a quilt from my dress. I will probably do some machine embroidery on blocks with a cream on cream color scheme. I have already purchased some cream satin to go with the fabric in my dress. That is all the farther I am.

[Connie W.]

This is exactly what I want to do with my wedding dress, but not sure what type of pattern to use. I don't want to add any other fabric to it and there is little embellishment, so it should be challenging. :-) I haven't made it a priority yet. I would like to have it done for our 50th Anniversary so I have over 7 years to accomplish this.

I saw somewhere that a christening dress was made from the mother's wedding dress and there was enough to make a small quilt also. I really like this idea.

My cousin made me a satin throw pillow a few years ago and quilted the front side with a circle feather design, so this is another suggestion to use some of the wedding dress.

ConnieJean

[Connie W.]

How about something like a whole cloth with trapunto work? If piecing, definitely use a stabilizer.

[Judy B.]

My mother took the left-over fabric from my wedding dress and made a baby quilt. It was beautiful.
Unfortunately I forgot that the fabric was not washable and the 45 x 60 quilt shrank to fit a small
baby bassinet. ops:

[Jill B.]

I made a christening dress from my wedding dress 37 years ago and it turned out lovely, I just could not see the point of a wedding dress left in a box at the back of the cupboard rarely ever seen again. To me this way it would be used over and over again and become a "family heirloom christening gown". It was very simple and what I would call an A-line style of dress with raglan sleeves. But alas not long after our first daughter was christened in this gown we went through a cyclone and the gown was lost never to be seen again. But I think it's a great idea.