Creating a Family Heirloom

We were recently commissioned to create a family heirloom from a set of handkerchiefs that belonged to the woman's grandmother.  This project created a few challenges since the handkerchiefs were all different sizes and colors, and because they are not made from sturdy 100% cotton fabric.

You can see from this picture how we solved the problem of size and color.  We chose handkerchiefs to go with three different colors of sashing and we trimmed them all to be 7 1/2" squares.

To solve the problem of the flimsy nature of handkerchief fabric, we ordered stabilizer from Joann on-line and used it to create a backing for the handkerchiefs.  Hopefully this will ensure the longevity of the quilt!

From this close-up, you can see that we created a center square from four monogrammed handkerchiefs with the letter "E" (the first initial from the grandmother's name).