I have had this happen before too, however I sent the quilt(and a couple Pigma pens with instructions to sign on the large back label) to my daughters Army Reserve Unit for them to sign at their Christmas party, it was a Home of the Brave Quilt that I made for the daughter and mother of a soldier killed while he was serving with my daughter in Afghanistan. they signed all over the front of the quilt with Sharpie markers and when I got the quilt back a lot of the signatures had bled. The FRONT of the quilt. I was sick. I pressed with a hot iron and sent the quilt off to our Home of the Brave Coordinator with apologies and instructions that the quilt, which was for his 4 year old daughter, probably should not be washed.
Some people are just ......... not real bright!!!
I hope you can salvage the quilt signatures!!!