Clothing Quilts By Donna Sinrud

Complete Makeover Memory Quilt Made On site

I was fortunate to work with Classics Homes of Maryland, the contractors in the VIP tent at the Complete Makeover Home Edition in Poolesville, Maryland in June, 2008.  It was involved in a very exciting week and was able to see what really happens during the one week building of the house for the Jackson family.  I arrived to the construction site on Monday just in time for the march of the contractors and the tearing down of the existing home.  It was exciting to participate in both of these events.   This home will be revealed during the opening show of the season in late September, 2008.

 Seven Days, Seven Phases, Close-ups of the quilt

I was on site everyday to make the photo memory quilt for the family.  I did not take any of the pictures shown on this site.  I worked with the contractors photographers and they took the wonderful photos that I used in the quilt. The theme of the photographs was 7 days, 7 stages, 7  pictures.  My challenge was to show the seven days of the build through photos in my quilt. The homeowner wanted to be there and help with the build but took her 14 children to Disney World as they always do.  This will be a photo memory for her wall of all of the stages of the tear down and build.   Here are some close-ups of the finished quilt. 

Short Timeframe Big Project

 I realized that it was going to be difficult to make the quilt on site incorporating the entire week in the quilt and to have it complete for the family when they arrived on the bus, but knew that I was ready for the challenge.  I wanted to be on TV and for the quilt to be revealed on the show, instead I was assured that the quilt will be presented to the family when they were done filming so that they could hang it in their home. I was able to finish the project exactly how they wanted me to, in the short time period that I was given.  The family and those who asked me to make the quilt were very happy with the finished product and so was I.

 The Quilt Process

The making of this quilt is a perfect example of hurry up and wait situation.  I rushed around to design the quilt using the seven day theme and then had to quilt and bind the quilt before I had any photos to sew on. I only had one photo of the family of day one after four days.  Then we found out that the inside pictures were limited after the dry wall was up.  So the challenge was to show the progress on the building of all seven days without the ability to take pictures inside.  Luckily there was always building on the outside that we could photograph and is shown in the quilt.

I have some pictures of the construction of the quilt on site.  I decided that I needed to make the quilt using iron on interfacing where the pictures would be.  I then quilted it, squared it up and bound the quilt.  The challenge was to keep interest high  and to sell the wall placement without a finished quilt.  The quilt was given to the family when the filming was complete.

I also have included some pictures of me on site, in the VIP tent and in front of the house.

I  would participate again in this wonderful adventure, I was glad to help this family and to have the opportunity to meet all of the volunteers who were also there to help.  I was able to showcase my wonderful quilt and I was able to allow the mother in the family to see all the various stages of the process without her actually being around for the build.

I can make a photo quilt for you showing your pictures of any event that you would like, including weddings, pregnancies, and any life stages or changes that you would like commemorated in a quilt.  Please see my Photo quilt page for more examples of quilts that I have made.

Please email Dsinrud@msn.com or call 703-620-3627 before sending your pictures.  Please see my pricing and shipping page for more information.  I look forward to making your photo quilt and adding it to my web page.