Quilts as collectibles

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Like anything else, handmade quilts are collectible but how collectible, or valuable, depends on several factors. Handmade quilts are collected for a variety of reasons including pattern, color, history, quilt maker, memories. Most private collectors save handmade quilts because of memories. They were made by a grandmother, mother, other special family member. Favorite handmade quilts include fabrics remnants from favorite clothes. Or each quilt block was made by a different friend. Maybe the handmade quilt marked a special event, such as a wedding, anniversary, graduation. Bottom line is, looking at a handmade quilt brings back wonderful memories.

Handmade Quilt Patterns Can Be Collectibles
People also collect   handmade quilts  based on  favorite quilt patterns and designs such as red and white quilts and double wedding ring quilts. Some collectors specialize in fabrics. Handmade quilts made by a certain family, or areas of the country, can also be collectibles.

All-time favorite handmade quilt patterns over the years include crazy quilts, Baltimore Album quilts, and double wedding ring quilts followed by applique floral quilts.

Oh, The Stories Handmade Quilts Could Tell...
Some focus on collecting handmade quilts  connected with a major historic events or historic tie. Civil War era quilts  are highly valued because few survived. Handmade quilts usually associated with a family history are also collectible. When an interesting quilt design is added to the mix, along with who made it, the handmade quilt's value increases.

Feed sack quilts  from the 1930s (photo) have become collectible because they were utilitarian quilts used every day so few survived. These practical handmade quilts made during the Depression were recycled flour, sugar and other "feed sack" materials made into handmade bedding, clothing and even underwear.

How Much Are Handmade Quilts Worth?
Determining value  is a combination of craftsmanship, age, uniqueness and overall appearance. It's also when the  latest work  was completed on the handmade quilt. Those vintage quilt pieces that you finally make into quilts will date the quilt from when you finish it, not from the date of the original pieces.

Valuing Handmade Quilts for Insurance
The easiest way to value  handmade quilts  for insurance coverage is to keep receipts of what you paid. If the handmade quilts are family heirlooms, try to find similar   handmade quilts for sale  on online auction sites to determine a possible comparable value. There are also appraisers who specialize in valuing handmade quilts. Make sure they are honest, experienced and recommended. It's also a good idea to take photos  of your vintage and handmade quilts and keep photos in a safe deposit box with whatever other information you have on the quilts: who made it, when, where, how you got it such as through purchase, gift, etc. It's also helpful to have the name of the quilts but remember  quilt names do vary  across the country.

I do not offer quilt appraisals.

Clothes Quilts

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Re-Purpose Clothes Into Custom Quilts
Recycling clothing into quilts is a good way to preserve special memories and reuse clothing. Over the years, we've made a number of quilts out of clothes including wedding dresses, favorite khakis, shirts and blouses, baby and children's clothes, handkerchiefs, table cloths - if it's made out of fabric, it can be made into a custom quilt. Because these quilts are custom, no two are exactly alike. We offer these custom clothes quilts as ideas to get you started thinking about what kind of custom quilt you would like us to make for you. One of Bluebird Gardens customer favorite combinations is to take a few favorite clothing pieces and add photos printed onto fabric. Custom Clothing Quilts have also been made into quilted wall hangings when we've added a sleeve on the back so the finished quilt can easily be hung on a wall for a room focal point.

Custom Patchwork Block Quilts
Customers have also sent us men's suits, shirts, t-shirts and ties we've made into custom patchwork block quilts. On the back side, we added ties with embroidered names of the individuals getting the clothing memory quilts. These custom patchwork block quilts feature patchwork blocks on the front and variable sized clothing blocks on the back, making these quilts easily reversible.

Custom Wedding Dress Quilts
Wedding and bride's maid dresses are good candidates for custom quilts and throws. Depending on fabrics in the dresses, many can be preserved in custom patchwork quilts. Some dresses, made out of organza and silk, may not be the best candidates for custom quilts.

Custom Baby Clothes Quilts
Whether it's saving favorite baby clothes, or making quilts out of baby clothes pieces, we can make custom baby clothes quilts  that can be charming and unique home decor.

Custom Baby Clothes Dreams Quilt was a birthday gift for a Dad who loved the idea of a quilt made out of his kids clothes spread all over the bed!

And No Need to Pick Anything Up!

Are Handmade Baby Quilts Little Quilts?

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I always smile when I think of the little girl at a craft fair who asked me about "baby quilts" being "teeny tiny."

Baby quilts certainly can be smaller versions of bigger quilts; they more often are  little works of art made just for babies!

Receiving Blankets Baby's First Baby Quilt
Receiving blankets  are often a baby's first quilt.
Receiving blankets are usually square,  either 30x30 or 36x36 inches. If baby is lucky, grandma will  crochet a baby quilt  that keeps baby warm on baby's way home from the hospital. Our receiving blankets  are very soft; made out of fleece, cotton flannel or brushed cotton, all which are soft on a new baby's skin.

Standard Crib Quilt Size
Standard crib baby quilts are  36x48 inches  and fit standard baby crib sizes. Crib baby quilts  easily fit under crib bumpers  without overlap over mattress sides.

Baby Crib Quilts Handy Home Decor
Between their design and size, crib quilts make  quick quilted wall hangings,  which can easily change a room into a baby nursery. Some ready made crib baby quilts  have sleeves on the back  that can quickly be used to change crib baby quilts into quilted wall hangings. When not in use, sleeve lies flat against the crib quilt back. I try to add sleeves to  Bluebird Gardens crib quilts  whenever we can!

Handmade Baby Quilts Also Throws
Handmade baby quilts can vary in size, depending on the quilt design.
Some baby quilts are made in  standard throw sizes 50x60 inches.Those larger baby quilts work well for older babies  developing a theme or character interest.

Even though they are larger than standard crib quilts, baby quilt throws are also great candidates for wall hangings to quickly change a room into a nursery. Some ready made throws, as well as baby quilt throws we make, come with either loops or sleeves on the back so you can easily hang them once you get them.

Welcome, Baby!

Are Baby Quilts Little Quilts?

/ Bluebird Gardens/

I always smile when I think of the little girl at a craft fair who asked me about "baby quilts" being "teeny tiny."

Baby quilts certainly can be smaller versions of bigger quilts; they more often arelittle works of art made just for babies!

Receiving Blankets Baby's First Baby Quilt

Receiving blanketsare often a baby's first quilt.

Receiving blankets are usually square,  either 30x30 or 36x36 inches. If baby is lucky, grandma willcrochet a baby quiltthat keeps baby warm on baby's way home from the hospital. Our receiving blanketsare very soft; made out of fleece, cotton flannel or brushed cotton, all which are soft on a new baby's skin.

Standard Crib Quilt Size

Standard crib baby quilts are36x48 inchesand fit standard baby crib sizes. Crib baby quiltseasily fit under crib bumperswithout overlap over mattress sides.

Baby Crib Quilts Handy Home Decor

Between their design and size, crib quilts makequick quilted wall hangings,  which can easily change a room into a baby nursery. Some ready made crib baby quiltshave sleeves on the backthat can quickly be used to change crib baby quilts into quilted wall hangings. When not in use, sleeve lies flat against the crib quilt back. I try to add sleeves toBluebird Gardens crib quiltswhenever we can!

Handmade Baby Quilts Also Throws

Handmade baby quilts can vary in size, depending on the quilt design. Some baby quilts are made instandard throw sizes 50x60 inches.Those larger baby quilts work well for older babiesdeveloping a theme or character interest.

Even though they are larger than standard crib quilts, baby quilt throws are also great candidates for wall hangings to quickly change a room into a nursery. Some ready made throws, as well as baby quilt throws we make, come with either loops or sleeves on the back so you can easily hang them once you get them.

Charlotte

Hoppy Spring!

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It's spring, and spring to me means, among other things, rabbits.
One of my younger brothers used to call them "bun buns."
This charming custom quilt featured at a recent local quilt guild show is a tribute to those "wascally wabbits" and their favorite treats. What I love about this charming custom quilt is how the big ears of the applique rabbit on the right covers the ninepatch block, making it look like the rabbit has stepped out of the quilt.
Carrots, anyone?

Giving Thanks.

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Sandy is an amazing person.
She loves to make quilts to honor and thank Vietnam Veterans for the sacrifices they made to protect our country.
The quilted works she creates are breathtaking.
Each of the blocks in these flag quilts are 4 inches square; those are small pieces of fabric to make the overall patriotic design.
Thank YOU, Sandy!

"Go Tigers!"

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I don't have the mascot correctly identified but you get my drift.
When you're in college, the mascot is a part of the whole experience.
So is the name of the college.
For a daughter's college graduation gift, Mom had us personalize a throw.
It was very simple. Her daughter's name. Year of graduation. Name of the college.
It's just a guess but I'll bet Mom didn't know a thing about "Miss Rev," the Texas A&M college collie mascot or she might have added her to this personalized throw.

Personalize Quilt with Toy

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Isn't this lamb adorable?
He looks like he could have jumped right out of our One Sheep,
Two Sheep Baby Quilt!
Adding a complimentary toy to a baby quilt is an easy way to personalize the gift. It also makes a nice connection between the child and quilt.
Over the years, we've received dozens of notes from customers who like their quilts and get an even bigger kick out of the toy!

Charlotte

Embroidered Garden Dreams Throw

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If you've ever told yourself your simple embroidery stitches aren't enough to make a custom gift, think again.
Elaine will be the first to tell you she's not accomplished with hand embroidery.
And yet, when all the embroidered quilt blocks were put together, there's a decided charm to this garden dreams throw. 
Simple embroidery stitches - a back stitch and a few french knots, and she's created a whole charming custom quilt garden. Love the yellow honeybee fabric tying them all together...

Charlotte

Aloha, Pineapples!

/ Bluebird Gardens/

One of the wonderful things about visiting Hawaii is tasting fresh pineapples.

Our customer was a recent resident who had fallen under the pineapple spell and wanted a custom throw to celebrate. What I loved about this custom throw was the range of beautiful, hand-dyed fabrics our customer selected. In order to showcase the fabrics, we made each pineapple in the custom throw just a little different.

See the fabric shading around the edge? Very much like a Hawaiian sunset.

Mahalo!

Charlotte

Once Upon a Time Custom Quilt

/ Bluebird Gardens/

Every custom quilt has a story. It's one of the reasons why I love quilt shows. Besides being inspired by beautiful work, I love to read the back story of why the custom quilt was made.

This charming wall hanging throw was one of the custom quilts at our last local quilt guild show, made for the quilter's little daughter. As a former little girl, I thought the quilter did a nice job of capturing the basic elements in a fairy tale.

And this, boys and girls, is how a custom quilt becomes a wall hanging and lives happily every after!

Charlotte

Aloha, Pineapples!

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One of the wonderful things about visiting Hawaii is tasting fresh pineapples.

Our customer was a recent resident who had fallen under the pineapple spell and wanted a custom made tp order quilt to celebrate. What I loved about this custom quilt was the range of beautiful, hand-dyed fabrics our customer selected.

In order to showcase the fabrics, we made each pineapple in the custom quilt just a little different.
See the fabric shading around the edge? Very much like a Hawaiian sunset.

Mahalo!

Charlotte


Personalized Cherry Tea Time Throw

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Looking for a creative way to pop the question? This customer planned to ask his girlfriend to marry him on Valentine's Day.


It was our job to get the personalized cherry time throw to her in the mail; then he was going to fly out to surprise her. After sewing on an embroidered felt heart, I added the card with a poem he wrote her, gift-wrapped it, and timed it so that it arrived two days before Valentine's Day.

The card had only part of the poem written on it. He was carrying the other part in a larger fleece heart pillow we made for him with a pocket where he had the engagement ring.

In case you were wondering - she said yes!

Charlotte

Good Golly Miss Molly

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Just as flowers have special meanings, so do names. One way to make a gift special is to add information about the meaning of someone's name.

This customer had us make a custom double wedding ring for her best friend and wanted it to be "extra" special. Besides picking fabrics that matched her bedroom decor, we added the meaning behind the bride and grooms' names printed on fabric next to each other in the custom quilt center.

Since the friend was a bridesmaid, we also had inside information about the wedding flowers, which we custom embroidered on each of the custom quilt corners. Any one of these would be a great way to customize a quilt; this one had lots of personal touches from the bride's best friend!

Charlotte

Once Upon a Time Custom Quilt

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Every custom quilt has a story. It's one of the reasons why I love quilt shows. Besides being inspired by beautiful work, I love to read the back story of why the custom quilt was made. This was one of the custom quilts at our last local quilt guild show, made for the quilter's little daughter.

As a former little girl, I thought the quilter did a nice job of capturing the basic elements in a princess fairy tale. And this, boys and girls, is how a custom quilt becomes a wall hanging and lives happily ever after.

Charlotte

Note to Mom in Custom Made to Order Quilt

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One of our custom made to order quilt orders included this well-worn card.
The customer insisted the card needed to be printed on fabric and placed in the center of the custom quilt.
This is inspiration for all of our customers who want suggestions on what to embroider on a quilt for their Mom besides "thanks, Mom!"

Charlotte