I was asked to make a lap quilt for a girl that was just diagnosed with leukemia. She started treatments this week. They asked if I could take squares and cut them so they can write messages on them. Then piece them together and quilt it. I was thinking maybe doing a Trip around the World layout with the blocks. There will be 20 blocks that are wrote on. I thought I would do them 2 or 3 different colors then pick up some corridinating prints to finish it out. Does anyone else have any suggestions for layout? I'm open to any ideas but it needs to be fairly quick and easy since they want it done by the end of the next week. I won't get the fabric squares with the messages until Thurs. So I will have to put it together Thur afternoon/evening. hopefully the rest of the parts for my LAQ will be here otherwise I will be doing FM with my regular machine.

What a nice idea and how generous of you. One idea you might continue is doing some easy heart blocks to use to add interest and to tell her everyone loves her. I've helped make lap quilts for a church group and they use a simple pattern of four patches separated by simple blocks. I guess the signatures could be on either, depending on block size.

Warm Wishes is a quick quilt to put together. You could use the center blocks for the signatures. Google Warm Wishes is you don't know the pattern. I think we may have had discussion of the pattern on here also

Pat

I'm in the process of making a signature quilt. The signature blocks are 5" unfinished, and are very colorful having been drawn on and signed with multicolored fabric pens. what I discovered, the hard way, is that the coordinating blocks need to be simple. I made all the blocks for a scrappy nine patch and fence rail (from a pattern called Sticks and Stones), but they competed in an unfriendly way with the signature blocks. So I am back to the drawing board. Had decided to, instead, make a non-scrappy irish chain quilt... but am now considering a simple star quilt (signature blocks would be the center of the stars with flying geese in the same fabric for the points). Don't know why I'm in such a state of indecision... but I am! :-D good luck to you, and I will keep an eye out for photos of your quilt. What a lovely thing for you to do.

I took in a couple of samples to the class today. They picked a disappearing 9 patch pattern. I'm going to to use a solid for sig blocks, solid for center blocks and for the other color a small print.

Did you do anything to set the signature blocks? I'm wondering if they will run when washed? I think I'm going to test it when I buy the markers. If they run I was thinking maybe a soak in vinegar.