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You’re having your little ones clothes transformed into a Keepsake. The bags are down from the loft, you're ready to go, and then you think:
“Where do I start?”
“What items should I choose”
It’s a big decision, after all, they’re not just clothes are they?
Those bundles of outfits tell a story, they represent memories. You may find sorting through them quite an emotional process, but also a chance to take a trip down memory lane. Who knows, you may even re-discover that lovely baby smell lurking on the cute little vest they used to wear.
When faced with the important task of choosing what to send, here’s a few things to consider.
Firstly, set aside the ‘untouchables’.
These are any items you want to keep hold of, exactly as they are.
The tiny baby grow they wore in their first hospital photo? You may want to keep it so you can look back in amazement at how diddy your newborn once was.
The little jumper lovingly knitted by Grandma? Perhaps it's so sentimental that you just cannot bear to part with it.
Put these items to one side to keep them safe - they'll be perfect for the memory box.
Do you want to keep a couple of items back for any future siblings? If you like the idea of passing something special down, this is an opportunity to set some outfits aside.
Now choose what you do want included.
Items that work particularly well are:
Babygrows
T-shirts
Tops
Vests
Leggings
I'd recommend you ensure the majority of items you choose are from this group. Lots of baby clothes fall into this category anyway, so for most people it’s perfect.
Things which may not work as well are:
Sheer dresses
Clothes with lace or frills
Loose knits
Heavy denim.
Very well-worn items.
Having lots of delicate or well-worn items in a Keepsake may effect the longevity of it. I always advise against sending such items. However, that being said, if you have a couple of items from this category which are particularly important to you, you’re welcome to send them to and I’ll see if they can be safely included. Anything unsuitable will always be returned, uncut, along with your finished Keepsake.
That goes for a few more of the quirkier items too!
Comforters, swimwear, nighties, t-towels and even a musical pull toy!; I’ve had a fair few crazy things sent to me and I always do my best to accommodate these special items.
Feel free to send me that extra little thing and if I can include it, I will.
Separate any ‘must haves’ for the Keepsake.
Hold each item. Does it stir up special memories? If so, it’s a real contender for the 'must have' pile. When I made my son's Keepsake Quilt there were items which ‘jumped’ out at me. They included:
Outfits he was wearing when he did something for the first time.
Clothes he wore when we went somewhere special.
Items with quirky logos which mean nothing to anyone but us as a family.
Items I would never dream of passing to another child because they are just ‘Ben’
Some favorites he ended up wearing a lot, simply because I liked them!
Set aside any ‘must haves’ and note them on the form so I know they’re super important to you. You may want to ask a partner, or close family member which items they feel are special too. It’s always nice to reminisce, and get another viewpoint on things. I’ll always aim to base your final Keepsake design around any ‘must have’ items.
The ‘fillers’
With your 'must haves' to one side, go through and pick out any ‘fillers’. For my own little boys Keepsake these included items that I just liked the colour or pattern of, as well as outfits I wanted to look at and enjoy.
TIP: Patterns add tone and interest, so don’t be scared to add plenty of these.
By now you should have a lovely bundle of clothes, and you’re well on your way to having an awesome Keepsake created.
The Keepsake Service
If you’ve read my previous blog posts, you’ll know that, for me, creating your Keepsake is never just about cutting and sewing. In fact, one of the things I love about creating your Keepsake is designing it.
Designing an awesome Keepsake patchwork takes so many considerations; placement, tones, composition, colour balancing, the list goes on! It's a long and complicated process, but its also an essential part of the the Keepsake Service I provide. I want you to have fun choosing the items, safe in the knowledge that whatever you do send will be used in the best way and will be transformed into something spectacular.
A little note on colour
“I’ve got the pile of clothes but it's a random mix of colours and patterns. Is that OK?"
Yes! I find that even the craziest, most varied coloured clothes look amazing when transformed into Keepsakes. In fact, having an explosion of different colours will be the thing that makes your Keepsake so unique and special.
“What if I want the Keepsake to match my childs room?”
That’s fine too! For some customers it’s important that their Keepsake follows a particular colour scheme; pink and grey to match a little ones nursery, for example. Tonal Keepsakes are always just so beautiful. However. However, if you’d like your finished keepsake to have a particular colour scheme, you’ll need to ensure the items you send me reflect this. Making a pastel coloured quilt from rainbow clothes isn’t easily achieved!
Gruffulo Crazy?
Perhaps you’d like your Keepsake to reflect aspects your little one’s personality, e.g. their love of tractors/Disney/ballerinas/?
Whatever ideas or preferences you may have, I’m always happy to discuss them with you. The more information I have, the easier it is for me to get feel for who your little one is, and this always leads to the most perfect Keepsake.
Over to you
Your Keepsake journey has started! Sorting through their precious outfits can be an emotional time, but I hope this information helps keep it as stress-free as possible for you.
How was your experience of sorting through your little ones clothes? I’d love to hear how you got on. Which outfits did you decide were the most important to you?
Love, Hayley x