Wedding Signature Quilt help needed
 

I would like to make a "tree of life" quilt for my son's wedding. I would like the guests to sign the leaves which I will then applique onto a tree trunk. I am having trouble deciding how to present the leaf for a signature. 1. I have thought of ironing a square piece of freezer paper with the leaf cut out of it onto the right side of the fabric. Then guest could sign where the opening is. 2. Or cutting out the fabric leaf and ironing it onto freezer paper, but am concerned that writing would encrouch on the seam allowance. Has anyone ever done this? Does anyone have any ideas to make this happen? Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Iron freezer paper to the wrong side of the fabric to stabilize. Get file folders and cut out the *finished* leaf size from the front cover. Tape freezer paper backed square behind file folder cut out (experiment with painters tape and masking tape to see which works best both in terms of stability and for ease of swapping out the old fabric for new). If you set up a table for guests, have a stack ready for people to use. You can swap out fabrics in the used folders and recycle them. Basically the folder cutouts ensure guests will not write into the seam allowance. Freezer paper stabilizes the fabric so it doesn't move as they write. Have extras on hand for mistakes. The fabric is hidden inside the folder along with the tape.

I have done this for showers, weddings, retirements, family reunions, graduations. It's always nerve racking, because of the concerns your have indicated. Prism's suggestion is excellent if you are having the signatures obtained at the wedding. Downfall is it's best to have someone babysit the table to answer questions and try to catch mistakes before they happen., guests will still be confused as to what to do. We quilters think that everyone understands what we do and most people don't know which side of the fabric is up!

Be sure to wash the fabric of the factory sizing, which impedes the ink from setting into the fabric. And most important, purchase good ink pens, not cheap ones, they leak, splatter, and later fade.

I also found it best to have a fabric sample available to try writing before they put pen to your leaves. Signing fabric is very different that paper, and most people will press to hard and cause the ink to bleed. If they try a practice signature they are less likely to make a mistake. I just iron a large piece of muslin onto freezer paper and let them practice.

Good luck, it's a wonderful gift for your Son & wife. My daughter just celebrated her 19th anniversary, and her shower was the first signature quilt I made. It still hangs in her bedroom.

Pat

Makes total sense. Thank you so much.

i think your FP idea is good. you can affix a piece of sandpaper to some cardboard to place under the fabric when the guests sign tio keep it from slipping