OAK CREEK — An Oak Creek mom honors lost loved ones by making memory quilts from their t-shirts.
“When they get their items they usually give me a hug, and they’re really happy about getting it, and that makes me happy making others happy," Natalie Stremlau said.
Stremlau began quilting when she was 11. She was crafting quilts for her friends and family for years. Eventually, she decided to make her passion her profession.
“I like making things. I’m very crafty," Natalie Stremlau said.
The 25-year-old started her own business, NRS Quilting. She makes custom quilts and pillows that can incorporate nearly any design. They range from about $100 to $700 depending on the level of detail and size.
One of her specialties is memory quilts which are often made from a person's t-shirts to celebrate a graduation, commemorate a special occasion, or honor a deceased loved one.
She recently made a memory quilt for a Sheboygan man who died this past summer. Each stitch is special. She knows how important quilts like this are to families and friends.
“I’m really honored to be able to do quilts for people especially made out of clothes from a dead loved one. I feel like it means a lot and being able to turn it into something they can cherish means so much more," Stremlau said.
Watch to see the special moment when someone receives a memory quilt from Natalie...
When she finally hands the quilt over, usually, she can immediately see just how much her work means to people. She gets "tears and a hug" each time. That was no different with the quilt made for the friend of the Sheboygan man who passed.
“I appreciate you so much," Stephanie Park said as she received the quilt. "It means a lot to me."
Park wanted the quilt made from her friend's shirt to honor his memory.
“(He was) just a genuine human being. Just a really good person. Elementary school teacher. Just kind dad jokes that made you groan internally, she said.
Even though he is gone, he will always be with Stephanie providing a special kind of comfort only a quilt can.
“Because he was taken away from us so suddenly, and there’s just that void. So I just wanted something that was his that could be re-purposed and useful that I could cherish for the rest of my life, and I will," she said.
With each quilt Natalie makes, she is preserving a memory. They are stories stitched with love and care.
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