Hello and welcome!

I’m Chris Tingay, founder of Patchwork Castle, and it’s my absolute pleasure and privilege to share the amazing world of memory patchwork with you.

We love creating gorgeous baby clothes keepsakes, adult clothing memory quilts, memorial quilts, keepsake cushions, t-shirt quilts and more. We can use your baby clothes and children’s clothes, loved one’s clothing or other special items like cub scout uniforms, band or sporting t-shirts or even a wedding dress.

Handing over your precious clothes, full of memories, to a quilter is a pretty big step of trust. Our small team (Millie, Carol and Lucy) take great pride in creating your keepsakes. We know there are no second chances with your treasured clothes, and we take the trust you place in us very seriously.

Want to create your own memory quilt or keepsake cushion? Our Baby Clothes Quilt Tutorial is a fabulous, easy to use resource, and there are articles, resources, product reviews and inspiration on our blog.  I hope you’ll come back again and again as we grow to pick up new ideas and join in the discussion.

We also offer a bespoke patchwork quilting service for that special patchwork quilt that can’t be found in the shops.

Soft, beautiful, unique and practical, our top quality products will provide you with years of delight and keep those special memories close at hand.

Please do get in touch if you have any questions, and enjoy looking around

Chris x

How it all began…

When she couldn’t bear to part with her children’s treasured baby clothes, Chris Tingay looked around for a service that would transform them into something lovely that would hold the memories forever.

Finding nothing of the quality and design she was seeking, she decided to revisit her old hobby of traditional patchwork and quilting and give it a try herself. The result was quite magical – a wonderful quilt, full of the precious memories of her children’s first years. Beautiful, practical and a solution to the bags gathering dust in her loft, Chris knew that this lasting heirloom would appeal to many.

Grasping the opportunity to leave her career in the civil service, Chris set about launching her business, Patchwork Castle, to make keepsake memory quilts full-time. Whilst her children were young, a home studio meant she could spend the day creating beautiful things that bring people joy, and be around when the children returned from school to continue making their own family memories. 

As the number of commissions grew, so the team has also expanded. Over the last few years, several extremely talented, local women have worked with Chris to produce the quilts and cushions. However, the team is always kept small so that each quilt gets the dedicated love and attention to detail it deserves.

In 2018, Millie joined the business as a partner and now leads on the creation of all the beautiful keepsakes.

The team’s expertise in blending together the differing fabrics and irregular shapes of baby clothes to create a harmonious and stunning piece means the orders have been coming in thick and fast since day one.

Ten years on, the range now includes keepsake cushions and memory quilts made from adults’ clothing; customers tell her that these bring a special comfort to people wishing to remember a loved one, and a brilliant way to preserve memories of special times in their lives. The talented team at Patchwork Castle can also create bespoke patchwork quilts from new fabrics, or undertake special projects. Recent commissions include a patchwork quilt with appliques of London landmarks and icons, and recreating a stained heirloom crib blanket into a quilt for the next generation.