Oh, I like your idea!!

This is not a tree but what about a glorified nine patch to glorify your family.

My mother would LOOOVE something like this.

What about a signature quilt with names and dates on the signature blocks, maybe the current generations could sign their own or add personal touches.

I like this idea too. We made one of these at one of my quilt meetings. I think the block was named Friendship Block.

My avatar pic is the family tree I did for my parents Diamond Wedding Anniversary in 2000.

Does anyone have a picture they can post on here so we could see the "leaves", the "apples" or whatever to get an idea of the branches, etc.

Wow! Every idea was great! I'd love to do signature blocks but I want to complete it before the reunion in June. When I was asked to do the quilt, I sent each family some muslin squares and asked them to personalize their squares for the quilt. Unfortunately 2010 was a rough year for my DHs family, with several deaths so not everyone could mail me their blocks. I plan to use the blocks I I did get in the border. I also have some digital pictures of ancestors, previous reunions and other events. Those could be used in the backing. I like so many of the ideas that I may incorporate many of your suggestions.

I'm sure I'll have to check in with you all during the project for more advice.
Thanks again- you guys rock!
Dawn

A dear friend of mine made a quilt for her family reunion. She took each of the first names and made it into a "crossword puzzle", She used a program she found on the internet where she put the names in and the program made the "pattern". It looked like a lot of work to me (she said it wasn't) but it was beautiful and very different from anything I had seen.

I have a pattern I used to make one for my cousin. It was a basic tree you applique and add leaves with the name and birthdate on them. When someone is born, I make another leaf and she uses velcro to add to the tree. 80 people will probably be the hardest thing to do.