Interview - Lavivi Love Quilts

Many of our clients have a difficult time parting with their items, this is especially true when it comes to keepsakes. We spoke with Harlan Sexton of Lavivi Love Quilts about some new options.

For the busy person, what is Lavivi Love Quilts?

Photo credit: Ray Singh

Lavivi Love Quilts is a studio that makes memory quilts on commission. These are quilts made for a client using clothes - and sometimes household textiles - from a loved one who has died. So each quilt is unique and has deep meaning. These quilts help the family tell their story of love.

A quilt is basically three layers: the top, the back, and the batting in-between. The quilts are made traditionally, even though the top “fabric” is composed of shirts, dresses, ties, table linens, etc. At Lavivi Love Quilts, we are inspired by the best of historic American quilt patterns. Our quilts have a classic look… like they’ve always been in the family. You can expect an heirloom quality quilt, but without the fragility of an antique. Please - wrap up on the couch, layer it on your bed, display it on the wall.

That said, sometimes a client will want a quilt that is more of a tribute or mile-marker quilt - the toddler who is now in kindergarten, an important year or season, a special trip that yielded memories of colors, sights, images that the client wants expressed in fabric. Then we work with outgrown clothes, uniforms, or other mementos. But even these mile-marker quilts have the same mission as the memory quilts: to tell someone’s story. 

What is your background, how did you start the company?

Photo credit: Carmen Salaberrios

Quilt-making and I discovered each other about 10 years ago. At first I made quilts for my family. Once I knew what I was doing, I added making quilts for the Quilts of Valor Foundation. At a certain point, I knew I could design a quilt myself and work with non-traditional fabrics. There is a joy in creating something new, based on classic patterns, for someone else.

The business began as many artisan businesses do… making gifts for family and friends, passing along to them various experiments that turned out successfully. Then it grew organically into paying clients. I decided this year that the business needed a website and an Instagram page. I have exhibited at two conferences for professional organizers affiliated with NAPO.

Sometimes people want to know how I learned to sew. When I was in high school, my best friend and I took garment sewing lessons. This was one of several plots concocted by our mothers for us to learn basic life skills. I hated garment sewing - so many tears! - but I’m glad I learned my way around a sewing machine. It’s a great power tool for creativity.

What is the process for someone who would like a quilt?

Call me or send a message via the Lavivi Love Quilts website. We’ll start by talking about the person you are remembering. We’ll talk about the garments and textiles you have from her or him. We’ll take a look at the quilt tops on the website (more patterns will be added this spring!) to see which ones speak to you. And we’ll talk about who the quilt is for, which garments have the most significance, which can best be used to make a sturdy quilt or wall-hanging - it’s a pretty wide-ranging  and sensitive conversation about something that can be difficult for the prospective client.

Once the client is ready - and this can take anywhere from a few weeks to months - the client sends me the selected garments, and I get to work. Completion generally takes 8 - 10 weeks. During this time I stay in touch with the client.

What is the Quilts of Valor Foundation & Quilters by the Sea QOV?

Photo credit: Carmen Salaberrios

QOVF is a nation-wide organization of volunteer quiltmakers. Since 2003, the Quilts of Valor Foundation mission has been to award Quilts of Valor to service members and veterans touched by war. These quilts are entirely made by volunteers to honor, comfort, and give thanks to our Armed Forces. We are part of a long proud American tradition of civilian-made quilts for those who fight and serve. Over 240,000 Quilts of Valor have been awarded in military hospitals, in Iraq and Afghanistan, in all 50 states, to veterans of all wars and conflicts. I have been a QOVF member since 2016.

In 2017, I joined the American Legion Auxiliary in my community. My unit has been hugely encouraging of the Quilts of Valor project. After I explained at one meeting about the quilts I had made (one to a WWII veteran living in Iowa and another to a VA patient in New York), women came up to me to tell me they really wanted to help, but they didn’t know how to sew. At first I was stymied because I couldn’t see how to make a quilt if you didn’t know how to operate a sewing machine. Then I told myself to snap out of it… how often do you get volunteers begging you to show them how to help? I had to figure this out.

Fast forward two years. We have a wonderful group now, an official local QOVF group called Quilters by the Sea QOV because we are a nautical community. We get together four times a year in a modern version of the old-fashioned quilting bee: some members prepare the fabric, some sew, some iron, some do the layout. We have awarded eight Quilts of Valor to local veterans. I’m so proud of our group! And the veterans and their families are deeply honored.

Can you discuss some of the most interesting quilts you have created?

Photo credit: Harlan Sexton

Recently an extended family commissioned me to make a quilt in memory of the matriarch. She had died before the next grandchild was born. They gave me some of her dresses to make into a baby blanket for this one who would never know her. One of them is a scrapbooker - so she made an album to tell the grandmother’s story to that grandchild - she even found some photos of the grandmother wearing the clothes that went into the quilt. The memory quilt will be part of the family’s story-telling when they talk about their matriarch and how her love even now surrounds this last grandchild. 

Interview - Artkive

Many of our clients have children at home and a common question we get asked is, what do I do with my kid's artwork? We turned to Jedd at Artkive for one possible solution.

For the busy parent, what is the easiest way to explain what Artkive is?

Artkive solves the problem of what to do with all the art and school work kids bring home. Parent feel bad throwing it away and it usually ends up stuffed in a box. With Artkive it’s easy to turn all those memories into beautiful keepsake books by using the Artkive app and doing it yourself or the Artkive Box service where we professionally photograph it all for you.

What is the Concierge/ARTKIVE BOX service?

For parents who don’t want to Artkive themselves, the Artkive Box is a great solution. We’ll ship you a box to fill with your art. Use the UPS shipping label we provide to send it all back to us and we’ll then professionally photograph, edit, tag, and load all the art to your account. One of our designers will create a book proof for your review and when you’re happy, the book will be printed and shipped to you.

What are products one can create from the saved artwork?

Artkive images can be turned into books, calendars, beach towels, aprons, mugs, puzzles and more.

My child doesn't just have flat paper art, but large sculptures and over-sized posters, how does that work?

If using the Artkive Box, depending on the size of the art, you can either carefully wrap and ship it to us, or you can take pictures of the art and load them directly into your Artkive account to be combined with the art you send us.  You can also just email us pictures you’ve taken and we’ll take care of the rest.

Does someone at Artkive inspect the photos to identify the next Picasso?

Millions of pieces of art are loaded into Artkive so we’re not looking through them for the masterpieces, but you never know which young artist will turn into the next Picasso, Rembrandt or Basquiat.  Imagine if Picasso’s mom had been able to use Artkive to store his childhood art!

I assume Artkive is a play on the word Archive, does anyone offer other thoughts on the subject?

Nope - people do seem to like the name as it tells you exactly who we are and what the company does.

Interview - Campus Quilt Company

Our clients are always asking us what to do with their vast number of old t-shirts, so we asked Megan with the Campus Quilt Co. for some solutions.  

For busy homeowners, how would you explain Campus Quilt?

Campus Quilt takes all of those sentimental items that are just taking up space in a closet and transforms them into something homeowners can use every day, a custom t shirt quilt! We understand the difficulty of parting with so many special t shirts, which is why we love transforming them into something brand new that holds all of those wonderful memories in one place. 

What is the process, how do people get you the T-shirts?

To start the process, you can go on-line to www.campusquilt.com or call us at 502-968-2850 to place the order. We will take a $100 deposit per quilt and email you a design kit. We will charge the remaining balance when your quilt is complete. The kit will include an order form, some instruction sheets, and an optional layout guide. The customer is then responsible for printing off the order form and shipping the shirts to us. We ship via UPS, but customers can use whatever mailing service they prefer. However, free return shipping is included with the final payment of the quilt. 

Is there a limit, any concerns about cleanliness or stains?

Not at all! Some customers prefer that we cut out stains so they are not included in the quilt, while others love the shirt because of the stain, and ask that we ensure it is included. We do ask that customers wash the shirts before sending them, but we can certainly work with shirts that have stains. For older shirts that are particularly thin, we can always add backing material (usually extra t shirt material) to ensure that the shirt is strong enough to endure the quilting process. 

Are there other products available in addition to quilts?

In addition to quilts, we also offer t-shirt tote bags (using 1-2 shirts), small pillows (1-2 shirts), and large pillows (4-8 shirts). 

Can people use items other than t-shirts?

We are certainly able to use a variety of materials! Essentially, we can use any material that we can get a needle through! 

You must see a ton of either ugly or amazing t-shirts, any projects that stand out?

I may be a little biased, but I love every quilt we complete! Some of my favorites are the ones made from baby clothes! 

The Brave Little Toaster

Linda reflects on organizing sentimental items.

The Brave Little Toaster movie is responsible for you having a job,” said my 27 year old son. First, I think WHAT? Then I read the comments on a facebook post.

Jennifer:

“I had a huge obsession with saving all kinds of junk after watching the movie…

I was a complete pack rat! I was convinced that something like a piece of plastic might have life in it, and might even talk!”

Christina:

“Totally used to be the same, LOL. Don’t throw it out, it has feelings!!”

Risa:

“SAME”

Lindsay:

“Yes, I got way out of hand”

For those of you not familiar with the movie, The Brave Little Toaster was released 30 years ago as an animated movie. A favorite among families it centered round five extremely likeable and cute talking household appliances; Toaster, Blanky (the electric blanket), Radio, Lampy (the goose-neck lamp), and Kirby (the vacuum cleaner). They miss Rob their owner and live in an abandoned cabin in the woods. One day they decide to reunite with Rob, so they set off on a dangerous trek through the forest to the city. They work together and make it to Rob’s apartment only to hear from Rob’s newer appliances that they are old and useless. They end up in a dumpster in which one would assume there would be no way out. Not going to spoil the ending, but let’s just say the appliances with their wonderful personalities are heroic and all is well that ends well.

As silly as it sounds the movie was a favorite in the 90’s. It was something the whole family would watch on movie night and by the end of the movie how could you not LOVE the “Brave Little Toaster”? He and his friends had to be alive, right?

OK, so clearly as adults we know that not to be true but how many of us still have a stuffed animal or blankie hidden in the closet from our childhood. That animal/blankie talks and understands us plus knows all our childhood secrets.

This leads us to the discussion of keepsakes and sentimental items. OK, we know they are not alive but still they have a special place in our heart. When on jobs our clients are confused about what to do with keepsakes. Maybe it is a stuffed animal, framed photos of grandparents, sentimental jewelry, artwork made by children, first cellphone, collection of theatre tickets, baseball cards, the list is endless.

First and foremost we want no regret. If an item may have sentimental value we will suggest finding a way to store it safely in your home. If it is too large to store, we may suggest taking a photo before letting it go. The key to storing keepsakes is to put like with like. For example, all sports collections together, toys together, jewelry together etc… Once you determine quantity you purchase appropriate size clear plastic bins to store the items. Clear is key so you can see what is inside, we want no barriers. Label the outside and store on a shelf in a remote location.

But what if you don’t want to keep all the items? If you believe things are of value, maybe take them to be appraised. Sterling silver, stamp collections, antique collectibles may have monetary value. A professional organizer can certainly help find dependable appraisers and suggest ways for you to sell your items.

Sometimes we think keepsakes will be valuable and are surprised when after appraisal they are not worth much. For example, this is common with silver plate and many baseball or comic book collections from the 90’s.  If not of value then it maybe time to donate to a good charity like a local women’s shelter, veteran’s association, or rescue missions.  Maybe these items can be used by someone or simply put a smile on another person’s face.

Getting back to the Brave Little Toaster below is a picture of “Dodo Snoopy, “

He lives in my closet in a clear bin. He is 54 years old and a special keepsake. Clearly he is not alive, although similar to the “Brave Little Toaster” he used to talk to me when I was a little girl. Can’t ever throw him out, he too has feelings, Hmmm…

Brave Little Toaster animated comedy released July 1987. Adapted from the novel “Brave Little Toaster: A Bedtime Story for Small Appliances” by Thomas M Disch.