| A memory book celebrates your baby or child's life in | | | | wall hanging. You collect items of clothing as your child |
| a visual way. You can do anything you want when | | | | outgrows them. You cut the clothes into squares of |
| you make a memory book. The easiest start to make | | | | the same size and save your collection until you have |
| one is merely to get a three-ring notebook or photo | | | | enough to make a blanket or wall-hanging. You can |
| album and make pages of photographs of your child | | | | also use pieces of blankets or sheets. Be sure you cut |
| and your family. Show a record of her or him growing | | | | a sample that is not worn thin. On blankets and sheets |
| up. You may also want to add some extras like a | | | | the outside edges are usually in the best shape. For |
| snippet of hair from the first haircut, their hospital | | | | clothing you would avoid the area covering the knees |
| bracelets or footprints, first samples of their drawing, | | | | or the seat of the pants. |
| pictures of their friends, report cards, certificates and | | | | Another way to make a memory quilt is to use all new |
| awards from school, etc. You could also write little | | | | fabric with a different approach. You could make each |
| anecdotes of things your child did or said. | | | | square a representation of some part or event of a |
| With a memory book you need to make a decision at | | | | child's life. Each square would be embellished by |
| what point you will pass it on to your child. You can | | | | appliqué, embroidery, scanned pictures, iron-on |
| avoid this decision by having two memory books – | | | | letters, fabric paint or whatever you like. You could ask |
| one for you to keep always and one for your | | | | important people from the child's life to contribute a |
| grown-up child. Another way to do it is to wait until | | | | square or two and to sign their square with their name. |
| your adult son or daughter seems to be settled in their | | | | Whatever you decide to do, you should have fun with |
| first house after college or after their marriage or first | | | | it. The value of the gift of a memory book or memory |
| child. | | | | quilt is not in the expense of the materials or the |
| Another way to preserve memories is to make a | | | | expertise in its construction. It is about creating a gift of |
| memory quilt. A memory quilt can be a blanket or a | | | | memory and showing your child you love them. |