There are several types of memory quilts and just like crazy quilting there are no set rules one must follow-REALLY-I’m serious! One can look at quilting as being a medium of art, but it is so much more. To many people, a quilt serves as a necessity and not a luxury. To others, it is a palette of color, a geometric display, a landscape, still life, or something else totally. It’s quite different than a drawing or a painting, but the finished product is a canvas (literally) that displays what the artist desires. There are designs and patterns from which to choose, but the artist/quilter does not have to follow these. Remember that we cannot confine ourselves to only a set way of doing things. Creativity is important in all aspects of art.
One type of memory quilt is called a friendship quilt. Perhaps someone is moving away, retiring from a job, or leaving a designated group. Friends may want to make this person a quilt so the individual can remember the group and the times they have shared. There is no limit to what can be done including adding names, photos, and mementos of past times together. This type of quilt can also be assembled as a thank-you gift for a job or service, or it can be used to raise donations. In the book I have, Memory Quilts in the Making (Leisure Arts), there is a lovely fan quilt that was put together to raise money for a church charity.
For each donation, businesses or individuals could have their name stitched in a block; think – fabric advertisements. The quilt was later auctioned off to raise even more money. What a great idea to make a quilt that can be displayed for a period of time (perhaps 3-6 months or more) so that all will see it, and then auction it off after the allotted time. Today, we are more apt to buy inscribed blocks/bricks or leaves of gold, silver, etc or other things that are more concrete. I like the quilt idea especially with a church because names are not sprawled everywhere on the building, but I’m peculiar like that.
Next memory quilt posting: Honoring and Remembering.
Happy Gardening!
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Garden2day 
I have a wonderful memory quilt, which started as a block exchange and then I made the quilt. I lived in Asia and the exchange was with quilters on the Compuserve quilt group. Each quilter made a square that represented where she lived at the time (some of us were Expatriots). I did the exchange twice; my squares represented Singapore and then Shanghai. I have a wonderful quilt with squares made by women I never met! I organized memory quilts for my mother’s new life, two fellow teachers getting married and for my niece’s wedding.
Hi, Deb! What a great idea to make a memory quilt that becomes a type of cultural exchange. I am sure you treasure it. I hope you don’t mind if I contact you if I have a question for my memory quilting project-S. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with your UFOs, other projects, and classes. Take care!