donac

My sisters and I made my grandmother a quilt for her 85th birthday. It had some squares that were white and everyone who came to her party signed the quilt. Young and old signed. We made a scrap quilt so we had different color pens to sign the white squares.

I finished putting it together and I hand quilted it. When she died my mother got it and gave it to me. It hung in my family room until last year when we repainted.

deemail

i like the idea of the multiple colored pens, too... we have a 'signature' quilt from a reunion about 15 years ago... everyone who wants to take the quilt home buys $1/chance and we draw at the end of our big dinner... winner gets to take the quilt home for a year... the money just helps offset the hosts costs... we also add new babies (we have one family per square) when they are born and that has kind of become a big deal when we get together and mom and dad or grandma/grandpa get to add the new baby.

TanyaL

If this quilt is going to be for an elderly lady, you probably want all the colors of the signatures to be dark - not pastels so that they are easily seen in all lights.

Tartan

I like the Basketweave Strip/String quilt from Bonnie Hunter's www.quiltville.com site. You use your scraps but put good quality muslin every other strip. It works up quick and looks very nice. I would do one into a top and have everyone sign in the muslin strips. It all depends on how much work and organizing you want to do. The Basketweave Strips/String top you just have to take with the Pigma pens and a hard surface to sign on. If someone goofs up, just have them "do" another strip.
Each family doing their own block is a super idea BUT you have to send them out and hope they will actually do something with them before you NEED them back. Good Luck and we'll be waiting to see it!

deemail

i agree, they should be dark to last as long as possible.