Upcycle or Recycle: Deciding Which of your baby’s Clothes Belong in a Keepsake Quilt

the best keepsake quilts come from special clothing

I have a confession: I did not upcycle most of my own children's clothing. Don't tell anybody! (Just kidding). I have good reason. The best keepsake quilts come from meaningful clothing, the clothes with a history or a feeling behind them. Most of their baby clothes were not meaningful to me, and they were in excellent condition when my children outgrew them. It seemed a shame to hold on to them when they still had life left in them and could be worn and enjoyed by other children. So we passed them on as hand-me-downs through the family and among our friends, or we gave them to our local consignment and secondhand shops.

But there were a few outfits that met one or both of the criteria I mentioned.

• Either they were MEANINGFUL to me or my children, or

• they could not really be worn and enjoyed by other children.

They aren’t done yet! They’re ready for their second life.

why upcycle baby clothing into a quilt?

Clothing can hold deep memories. My philosophy as a quilter is that the things that survive become beautiful, and by that I mean that their history is what makes them beautiful. Your baby’s first steps are a historical landmark for you. The T-shirt they were wearing as they first wobbled across the kitchen floor holds that moment for you, and can tell you that story again and again.

• keep the memories alive

  • You want to hear the history of your child’s first days of school for years to come, but you aren’t going to strew their old clothes around your living room. A quilt captures the essence of those memories, but gives them new life in a beautiful and function piece of art that is perfectly at home on your bed or your livingroom sofa.

• sustainable and eco-friendly

  • Let’s face it, most clothing ends up in a landfill, even with our best donating intentions. Upcycling your clothes into quilts is a stunning way to make sure that sentimental clothing is given new purpose and a new lasting life.

• custom and personalized

  • Even if all your children’s clothing comes from big box stores, a quilt made from that clothing is entirely one-of-a-kind. Even if their soccer shirt originally matched with everyone on the team, you can turn it into a unique creation that fits your style but retains the story.

Cherished items from my children’s closets

Among those items that fit the first category, meaningful memories, we have a knit Chewbacca shirt that my son just adored and featured in many family portraits from his first year, onesies with the Rush and Van Halen logos on them, so that my son and daughter could wear matching outfits with their dad, and a gorgeous purple dress that was a gift for my daughter from a very dear friend.

From the second group, clothing that was unsuitable for donation, we had lots of things that were unlikely to be worn and enjoyed by other children. This included some shirts and onesies with holes or tears, but with the main graphic or text still intact, and some personalized clothing. Of course there may be children with the same names as my children, but these items are unlikely to find a proper new owner, and are much better utilized in an upcycled creation where they can serve their original wearers in a new way.

That second group also qualifies as meaningful memory clothing. Honestly, they wouldn’t have been quite so worn and full of holes if my kids hadn’t ADORED wearing them. (And if babies weren’t so active and messy. That’s just how the memories get made, I guess.)

so when should you donate your baby clothes?

While I obviously believe that upcycling clothes into quilts is an amazing way to preserve memories and craft an heirloom for your family, there are times when donating clothes is the best option. Here are some reasons you might choose to donate rather than upcycle:

• The clothing is too worn or damaged

  • Some holes can be patched or mended, some stains can be cut around, but some clothes are in a fragile condition that would make for a fragile quilt. Best to choose clothes that will stand the test of time, and upcycle threadbare items for a different use.

• You have a large amount of clothing

  • Only so much fabric can fit in a quilt! Unless you’re looking for a giant quilt, best to select the most personally meaningful items for this use, and donate the rest.

• You know someone in need of your generosity

  • A keepsake quilt is only one way to preserve memories. If you know a new parent in need of clothing, or a family who is struggling to afford the basics, donating your baby clothes to them is stitching meaning and memory into their very fibers.

final thoughts on recycling or upcycling baby clothes

As you sort through your baby clothing, deciding whether to keep or part ways, the important thing is that you’re making a conscious choice. You’re choosing to either send an item back out into the baby eco-system to clothe someone new, or preserve your meaningful item in a new way with a new purpose.

so many memories! one serene color scheme.