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Congrats on your nephew! I got married over the summer and compiled some of my thoughts on wedding signature quilts on my blog - maybe it will be a little helpful. My one big take away is to recommend having people sign blocks that are trimmed with masking tape/artists tape and backed in freezer paper vs. having them sign a finished quilt. I was able to square up the blocks and make them look a lot neater I think especially since some of the signatures were a bit party-influenced.... ;)
Another thing is I thought I would need a block for every guest, but I really only needed a block for every family, since most people signed in groups - so I had extra blocks. http://waterpenny.net/how-to-make-a-...gnature-quilt/ |
One thing to consider - try to make sure all sizing and starch is out of the fabric for the block that will be signed. I completed a signature quilt last summer, and many of the signatures faded, some badly, after the first wash - which thankfully I did so that the recipient wasn't horrified the first time the quilt was washed. I had heat set every signature before washing, and used the appropriate pens, but I think it was the sizing and starch that did me in.
Ironing freezer paper onto the back of the blocks definitely made it easier for people to sign the blocks. Cheers, K |
If you are going to make blocks to be signed, then you definitely want to back them with freezer paper. You also want to put 1/4 tape on the front around the edges so that signatures do not get written in the seam allowances. Obviously this means that the quilt will not be completed at the wedding.
I did a signature/photo quilt for my parents 50th wedding anniversary as a surprise. I started about 2 years before the anniversary. I picked a pattern and cut the light squares. Backed each one with freezer paper and taped the edges. I then shipped a bunch of them to family/friends out of state with the Pigma permanent fabric pens and instructions to use those pens only. I also gave a bunch to a friend at their church and asked them to be signed. I caught some people at my dad's 70th birthday party. In the meantime, I gathered photos from their lives and printed them on fabric. When I got the signature squares back I constructed the quilt top and quilted it. I did discover that at least one person did not use the pens I provided. I discovered this when I sprayed the square with starch and the ink ran - ouch! Luckily I was able to fix the problem. The quilt ended up as a queen size quilt. I did a presentation of the quilt at the anniversary party. |
i would select a light color for the backing and have guests write on it. Plenty of space and leave the front without the writing. I believe the quilt is more useful and attractive this way.
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Remember that starch and sizing will wash out of the quilt and therefore any pigments from pens, markers, or adhesives will wash away where they adhered to the sizing/starches. Same thing with any photo printing.
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I am in the planning stage for a quilt for my daughter, as she is planning a wedding next summer. I think instead of a real difficult pattern, I am going to use the scraps I inherited from my mom and work in scraps from my wedding dress that my mom made for me and kept all of these years. This waythe content of the quilt has more than the block pattern. Just an idea.
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What wonderful helpful idea's I appreciate them all. I did plan to have the top done. They were going to put it on a table for people to sign. I was than going to be taking it home to add the batting, backing and do the quilting. Now thinking twice of that. I will at least add the freezer paper and be sure to wash and iron the fabric before I make the squares. wish I could mail the blocks to people with the pens but to be honest I'm not finically able to do that.
Just love all the ideas keep them coming LOL!!! this is the first time I have ever done anything like this. I so want it to be special. With all the deployments he's had and Jennifer too I just want them to feel all the love around them |
Originally Posted by Quilt Mom
(Post 4986920)
I think your idea is a great one. We did something similar for my daughter's wedding last summer. She chose to use the wedding colors in the quilt. Together we made 9 patch-blocks. Those are set with plain blocks in pale version of the colors. On the plain blocks we have, since the wedding, appliqued photos from the wedding. Guests signed the white squares in the 9-patch blocks. The couple enjoy looking at the quilt and remembering the fun they had at the wedding and all who were there. (We chose a 9-patch because my daughter was also doing the sewing, and is not as experienced a quilter. It was a fun memory-building time.)
If you want to use a more complicated pattern, why not choose a signature block of some kind? Do you have a chance to talk with the bride-to-be as to colors? If you are close, perhaps you could offer her the choice of patterns, as well. They look like a very happy couple. Congratulations! |
sure would love to see pictures of some of the quilts made as signature quilts HINT HINT
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Considering a pinwhel quilt. each block trimed with a thin gray stashing. Than on the outside borders appilque branches with birds and flowers. yep still palnning.
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