It's not easy being green.

In honor of Earth Week, I have a fabulous "recycle, reuse, re-whatever" project.

OK, I admit I did not go in search of something to do for Earth Week.

I already fill up my recycle bin every week, and try to remember to turn off the water when I brush my teeth.

But for YEARS, I have been saving t-shirts. Hording them. I have shirts dating back nearly 20 years. When we got ready to move, Maris wanted me to throw them out, and I refused.

I also have my kids old t-shirts. But not just any shirts. I save the ones that have a memory.

Because I am a very visual-memory person.

I have been saving them for one purpose.

To make a memory quilt.

Or two.

Truthfully, I could keep us warm for years with all my t-shirts.

But last year, I got out a shirt and cut it and decided the shirts just may stay in boxes forever, because truthfully I couldn't figure out how I was going to do it.

Then, the other day I went to Michael's to buy some thread and a sewing machine needle (I'll show you that project later), and I saw this:

Instructions.

So I dug the boxes of t-shirts out and spent the afternoon cutting, and measuring and ironing...

And it slowly, but surely....

...that pile of shirts turned into THIS:



This is Parker's Memory Quilt...

I plan on having at least 4 of them pieced and sewn together before I go to my mom's house this summer. She has a quilting machine, and we can put the back on them and quilt them there.

I am beyond excited and thrilled.

It was hard for me to make the first cut into the first shirt, but as it actually started to come together, it became more and more fun.

I can't wait to get going on the other kid's blankets and on mine...