Signature Quilt help
 

I'm making a signature quilt for my daughter's wedding with signed blocks from wedding guests. I read were people use freezer paper on back of the blocks to avoid stretching the fabric while people are writing. Is it possible to use fusible interfacing instead of freezer paper? If I do use freezer paper will it wash off or stay on. I'm using 100% cotton fabric for the signatures. If I use the fusible interfacing is it ok to use 100% polyester interfacing? Any help will be very much appreciated.

The freezer paper will simply peel off when you're done with the signatures. You will want to peel it off before sewing the blocks together. Fusible interfacing will become a part of the quilt and will make those sections thicker and heavier.

I'd use the freezer paper. It's easy to apply and remove without residue.

Another tip - when writing on signature quilts, non-quilters will oftentimes write to the very edge of the fabric. To prevent this, put masking tape on the seam allowances of the blocks.

HTH

Thank you Peckish this is great info.

when I did an autograph quilt, i put freezer paper on the back of the blocks - I took a frixion pen and drew lines so that people knew were they could sign. I also took extra blocks in case people made mistakes.

I also had frixion pens in case people wanted to draw a straight line. I then took an iron and erased the lines.

I also use freezer paper ironed shiny side toward the fabric on my signature quilts. They iron on easily and remove easily as well. I went to Hobby Lobby and had a picture frame mat made that I could tape the quilt blocks to the back of and had them make the mats to cover 3/8" all the way around the blocks so I didn't have to worry about the seam allowance being written in. I can re-use the mats for the next signature quilt I make. I also used Pigma Pens for the guests to use to write on the blocks - do make sure you heat-set the ink with your iron before putting the quilt together and don't use steam!!! Dry iron only.

Good luck with your autograph quilt. I have made several of the (7 kids) and they are a great way to remember any special event!

Putting masking tape on would be time consuming and difficult. What I have done is prepare a "folder" from a manila folder like we used in school or a hanging file folder from a file cabinet. Cut a hole in the center of one side of the folder the size you want your finished block to be in the quilt. Draw a line around that hole so that shows when you open the folder. Open the folder and draw another line at least a half inch from those lines, as in a large seam allowance.

Cut the fabric squares at least that large, maybe a little larger.

When guests come, place the fabric inside the folder to cover those lines. Close the folder and the guest writes on only the part that shows through the "hole". It helps to have an "attendant" at the table where this is being done. You might also want more than one folder to work with when larger groups come in together.

Now you just trim your blocks to the correct dimension with a quarter inch seam allowance, and continue with your quilt.

PS With some groups it may help to say that inappropriate blocks will be rejected.

Why can't a large piece of fabric be used with strips of freezer paper on the front, to make each 'block'. That way the guests can see what others have written. DO put freezer paper on the back to make it all stable. Make enough of the large pieces, so small blocks will not get 'lost' in the shuffle of the event. You could write a sample block, in each of the larger pieces, to show what you would like others to write.

Did anyone mention that is a good idea to have a large scrap piece of the fabric prepared just as the real pieces will be for people to try out the pens before doing the actual signing? It helps the signer to get the feel of the pen and actually writing on the fabric. Also, it gets the ink flowing before the permanent signing.

A friend of mine had her husband make a few boards with fine sandpaper. He also made a frame that went around the block so that no one could write in the seam allowances.

Another way to keep folks within the writing space is to use an erasable pen and draw the 1/4" around the block. Takes a little time, but certainly worth the effort. If you make a cardboard template to trace around, the project goes pretty quickly.