Memory quilts are for so many people:

• A grieving spouse, child, or friend can wrap themselves up in their memorial quilt to feel close to the one they love as they journey through the grieving and healing processes.
• A sufferer of alzheimers or dementia has been shown to find comfort and a sense of calmness from a memory quilt.
• A graduate may find comfort and a connection to home while snuggling in their memory quilt.
• A celebration of an engagement or wedding...blend his and her items together in a memory quilt to honor the beginning of their life together.
• A celebration of a new baby.  How sweet it is to snuggle a little one with a soft quilt that tells a story of the ones who love them.
• A relocation is a perfect time for a memory quilt.  Celebrate your memories and experiences of where you've been as you begin a new adventure.
• A retiree can treasure remembering their career and all the people who write their congraulations and best wishes on their memory quilt.
• A great way to honor your ancestors by turning their neckties or hankies into a memory quilt.
• A fundraiser or benefit quilt is a great way to show your support and encouragement in a lasting way.

A blanket is one or two layers of fabric that are only  stitched together around the edges and do not have batting (stuffing).

A quilt has a top layer, a batting layer, and a backing layer that are stiched together in a special pattern across the entire quilt.  This stitching holds all the layers in place so the quilt is warmer and more durable than a blanket.

Your preferences provided on the Order Info sheet and the unique clothing pieces you provide will be reviewed by Rachel Ann Quilts LLC to create your custom quilt.  Your questions and input throughout the process are encouraged.

Just about any clothing item you have can be used to create your quilt. T-shirts, button down shirts, sweatpants, handkerchiefs, neckties, sweatshirts, dresses, athletic jerseys, jeans, etc.

The future care of your quilt will be determined by the most delicate item you include in your quilt.

Dry-clean only clothing items are not recommended for use in quilts.

All clothing items need to be freshly laundered before submitting them for your order. Clothing must be free of pet hair and smoke odors.

• The number of clothing items needed for a quilt is dependent on the size and style of your clothing items as well as the size and style of the quilt you desire. 
• An approximate number of items needed is listed on the Standard Price List.  Example: A king size quilt made of all XL t-shirts might have a block size of 16” squares and a 3” sash between each block so you would only need 36 t-shirts. If you had a king size quilt made of a variety of t-shirt sizes: youth, small, XL, and medium shirts, you would need more shirts because the youth is so much smaller than an XL.
• We can create a custom quilt design to incorporate as many or as few items as you want.  Pricing may be effected by the design but will be agreed upon in writing before your quilt is started.
• We always ask for a few extra clothing items to ensure we provide you with the best quality quilt. Sometimes an item you provide will be so well loved that it would compromise the quality of your finished quilt so we select the best of the pieces you provide. You can rest assured that your items are always treated with the utmost care. Unused items will be returned to you along with your finished quilt.

You can wash your quilt following the directions for the most delicate clothing item you provide for in your quilt.  

• Always use a color catcher dye catching sheet when washing quilts to retain color brightness and clarity. 
• If your most delicate items allows for machine drying use only the most delicate cycle with a no heat.  Air dried is prefered to preserve the life of the quilt.

Quilts are typically ready for pick-up or shipment in 6-8 weeks.  Orders are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. All clothing items and 50% deposit must be received before your quilt will be added to the schedule. 

• Shipping options are available. 
• Shipping charges will be added to your final invoice. 
• Final invoice must be paid-in-full before the quilt will be shipped.  
• Quilts ship from our Little Chute, WIsconsin 54140 location.

We focus on making memory quilts which is our specialty but will consider other special requests so go ahead and ask! :)

You can find an inexpensive quilt online or at a chain store so why do memory quilts cost so much?   Don't you just sew some fabric together and it's done?   There's a bit more to it...

  Each quilt is a work of art, a handcrafted treasure carefully designed to highlight your unique memories, experiences, and preferences.  

Memory quilting is a labor intensive process.  Each clothing item has to be individually ironed and prepared for cutting, hand cut, then sewn together to form the desired pattern of the top layer.  Sounds easy enough but that all takes time. Think days, not hours).  Once the top layer is ready, the batting layer, and backing layer are prepared and all three layers are assembled to form the quilt sandwich.  The sandwiched layers are held together with machine quilting in a special pattern (or hand tied with yarn) across the whole quilt. The final step is to bind the quilt which encases the edges of the quilt sandwich.  Binding alone takes about 4 hours.

While the quilting process can be summed up in a few sentences, each step takes a great deal of time.

What a wonderful feeling it brings when you hold your finished masterpiece and know that it will bring joy and comfort for years and be treasured by generations!