PAST PROJECT

Norman Swanton

These three memory quilts were made from men’s suit jackets and pants – beautiful wool, wool-silk blends, and linen – in honor of my client’s late husband, who was a passionate lover of life who she describes as always having “a devilish twinkle in his eye, a turned-up collar, or socks to die for that made you want to know more about him.”

It is my hope that through these quilts, his family members will always be able to remember and share his stories, so generations to come are able to know more about him and smile along with the memories.

The client says:

“My darling Norman passed away on Sept 9, 2020. I adored him. He was an amazing man with great style and an elegant persona. As you can imagine his loving family and I felt a deep loss, an emptiness without him. Norman was a custom suit kind of guy, with exquisite taste and stylish flair! I was left with a closet full of gorgeous tweeds, wools, and silk ties that I couldn’t imagine donating to a thrift store or selling on eBay. I had heard of people making memory quilts from t-shirts and other items, but when I inquired about a similar concept in Norman’s suits, no one would consider the project. The different weight of the fabrics and how they would react to each other was very challenging. Just the deconstruction of such a garment took specialized expertise! Then I found Diane!! WOW! She captured the essence of Norman perfectly and executed the project with precision and grace! She honored Norman to a tee! She was able to create 4 quilts from his garments. One for each of his nephews and one for me. She created personalized labels for each quilt, making them even more special. She also had the brilliant idea of incorporating a pocket with the pocket scarf/fob into each one, as well. This is the most heartwarming personally touching tribute to this gracious man I could ever imagine. Thank you, Diane, for warming our bodies , our hearts, and our souls with your art.”