Turning memories into quilts

Posted

Diane Swartzlander helps others hold onto memories of loved ones, sporting teams, achievements and even childhood memories with her gift of quilting.

After making a t-shirt quilt for her best friend’s daughter, she was inspired to make more memory quilts by the reaction to her work.

Swartzlander started quilting in 1981 with a hand-pieced and hand-made quilt which sparked her love for the art. After retirement from teaching middle school in 2020, Swartzlander started her business, Quilts to Remember, with a goal of providing long-lasting memories to items of sentimental value to her customers through her quilts and wall hangings.

She works out of her basement and lays out items that she has been given, separates them and hand grids the patterns for the quilts. As a former math teacher, she draws the grid for the quilt on a piece of paper, numbering each item and writing down the color coordination to make sure the quilt turns out the way she wants.

She has made quilts out of pillowcases, sweatshirts, jerseys, tea towels, hats, t-shirts and is even able to print photos or newspaper articles on fabric to use. She also can include a label on the quilt and is open to trying new things that her customer's request.

Swartzlander does all the designing, sewing and quilting for the business.

“I use as much of the clothing item that you provide to create a memory that will endure,” Swartzlander said on her website.

She is open to her customers’ input on the design of the quilt and what part of the fabrics to use so the quilt is as customized as it is unique.

Swartzlander has a list of questions that she asks customers to make sure the quilt fits what they want. This also allows her to hear the stories about the items she is turning into a quilt or wall hanging.

“I just enjoy helping people hang onto memories,” Swartzlander said.

For more information or to ask about a memory quilt or wall hanging, visit makingmemoryquilts.com or email diane.swartzlander@gmail.com.

Completed quilts can be viewed on the website or @quiltstoremember on Instagram.