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Last year, I used fabric from my MIL's 60 year old wedding gown to make a baptism gown for the first great grandchild. It turned out wonderful but I have a lot of fabric leftover and was trying to come up with something I could make for all of my husband's sisters (all in their 50's) and maybe the female neices. My MIL passed away 3 years ago and I thought it would be nice for them to have something to remember her by.

Someone suggested handkerchief's but I'm not sure if I want to do that or not. Does anyone have any other ideas??? Oh, there is only satin fabric, no lace left. That dry rotted.

How about a pillowcase... or embroider a square of the fabric, maybe 8 or 10 inches and make them a keepsake pillow.

How about some Christmas decorations, maybe an angel for a Christmas tree topper??? I used scraps from DDIL's wedding dress to make one for her and she loved it. I also used scraps from bridesmaid dresses to make little stockings to hang on tree.

MaryLou, you are so creative. Thanks for ideas.
I was thinking maybe a cq block using the satin and maybe some other embellishments to remind them of her??then frame it.

I like the ornament idea, but if you chose to frame a cq block, can you find a picture of her in the dress and another one of her as people remember her (later in life) and have them printed to include in the block?

I made a friend 3 pillows made from CQ blocks out of a fancy tablecloth that I thought was her DMs. She donated it to the library's Friends group because it was stained. I cut it up for napkins to use with our catering and used part of it to make the CQ blocks.

Well...it turned out to be her DMs but not the "good" tablecloth. And instead of keeping one pillow and giving the others to her two sisters, she put them all on her bed. LOL

I took old lace from my mil dress and made my neice hankies with her name embroidered on them.

I used leftover scraps from my wedding dress to make angel ornaments for my DM, MIL, DS & SIL.

I like the idea of either an embellished pillow or a wall hanging. I don't know if you are into Crazy Quilting or not. Simply embellishing a square of fabric as a memorial block is what I would do.

I will be starting a Memorial block for my Step-mom in memory of my father. I am embellishing it with things he enjoyed doing and putting his picture near the center.

If you have pictures of each sister with your MIL you can print them on the nicer quality photo fabric and attach it to the fabric would be very beautiful. You can purchase some lace appliques and trim to jazz it up a bit.

Someone posted a "memory bear", I think on this site. It was a stuffed bear made with old clothing from a "dearly departed someone". I thought it was a great idea. I think that the pattern was from Animas, but I am not sure.

Thanks everyone for the wonderful ideas. I really really LOVE the idea of the angel ornaments. ALL of my SIL's love angels. Maybe I will make the hankie for my neices who are not yet married.

Love the angels too, even small ones to hang on the tree. Something different is using leftovers for a Sunday bookmark. Crochet an edging or use nice lace.

You could save the hankies for those nieces for them to use at their weddings.

Thanks. I think I'll make hankies for the un-married neices AND my 3 daughters. I am torn between some type of angels (have no clue how to make them) or some type of fabric ornament like in the picture, but in all white fabric from the dress.

I like the ornament idea, they can get this out each Christmas and think of their family.

the embellished pillow is nice too. It would be neat to see it passed on down the generation line.

I found this one I think it cute


http://www.favecrafts.com/Chri...ed-Angel-Statue/ct/1

That angel is beautiful but I'm not that good. I need something very simple because I have 14 of these to make.

you could make those angels without the ruffles, afterall you are wanting to be able to see grandma's dress fabric. Just give them a plain skirt and add a touch of lace at the bottom or neck, and sleeves. Some nice ribbon on the back for wings and you have it.

Have fun.

If I still had the pattern I used, I would share - but I lost it several years ago. Here are a few things I found online. Maybe one of them will work for you or give you ideas for designing your own.

http://craftycollege.com/webofangels/spool.htm

http://www.sikut.com/dishclothangel.htm You could substitute a piece of fabric for the dishcloth.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/angel-ornament.html

http://crafts.kaboose.com/clot...-angel-ornament.html