Fireman's quilt
 

A good friend of ours is retiring in May after 33 years working as a fireman/emt. I would like to make him a quilt and have all the attendees at the retirement party sign the quilt. Does anyone have any good ideas on what quilt pattern to use? I am stumped.

Thanks
Carmen

Maybe a split rail pattern, and have the people sign with a permanent marker on the light sections.............

A google search on Fireman's Quilts will give you many ideas. Maybe you could make the sashing look like ladders. Don't ask me how to do this. :)

You really don't want people to try to sign a finished quilt. You certainly can prep the blocks with freezer paper (applied to the back of fabric) to make it easier to sign the fabric. Check out these Signature quilts on Google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sign...w=1024&bih=622

Ditto to what ManiacQuilter2 said. Whatever you do, don't use a Sharpie to write with. I followed some online advice about testing markers, and used a white piece of fabric, writing on it with all the markers I could find, ironing it, then putting through the washer with a load of towels. My favorite was and is the Crayola Fabric Markers. I also tested each color in the box to choose the color I wanted to write with. If you want to see a mess, try writing on the fabric without the freezer paper backing, and a bigger mess with the Sharpies.

I believe that Marshalldrygoods.com still has available the fabric with Dalmation pups in firefighter gear, should be listed under Novelty.

Maybe have the quilt completed for the party, but have a large label for everyone to sign?

That sounds like the best way to do it. It would prevent someone accidently marking up the finished quilt in the wrong place. It would also prevent the marker bleeding through the finished quilt. You are a great person to do all of that work. I know the recipient will be delighted.

could do a scrappy and have some blocks that are so;id to sign...there are some really cute fire fabrics out there ...

I keep going back to my "ladder" sashing thought. Maybe you could have everyone sign their name on the ladder rungs before piecing the quilt.

I wonder if you could get a few of his old fire department t-shirts to incorporate into the quilt... My son just handed me a dozen of his collection so that I can make him a "fireman" themed t-shirt quilt for the bed at his station.