aborning

I just did this for my daughter's wedding in September and I still have to assemble the blocks to make the actual quilt top now. I cut 4 1/2" squares of Kona "Bone" colored fabric for the center of the block. My daughter wanted various prints of burgundys for the outside of the blocks. So from each burgundy print I cut 2 strips at
2 1/2"x 4 1/2" and sewed them onto each side of a "bone" square. Then I cut 2 more strips at 2 1/2" by 6 1/2" and sewed them onto the top and bottom of the square. Now I had a completed block with the "bone" color in the middle for the Guest to sign on. I made 100 blocks so many were made with each burgundy print. I just had fine tipped permanent markers at the table for them to sign the blocks. I used green floral tape to tape a flower onto each marker and put them into a can so it looked like flowers in the can. The markers didn't "walk away" this way. The blocks (to be signed) were stacked in a container and we had another container for the Guests to put the blocks in after they signed. I did iron a 4"x 4" piece of freezer paper to the back of the "bone" center fabric on each block. This made it much easier for the Guests to write on the fabric. We did have someone standing at the Guest Book to advise the Guests what to do. Most people did more that just sign their name. Some drew pictures, some gave funny marriage advice, etc. It was fun to look at all the blocks the next day. Now I need to actually sew the blocks together to make the quilt top. I am a longarm quilter for Customers and I knew I did not want to have any kind of unfinished block because I quilted a signature quilt for a customer once and the blocks had been unfinished blocks that were at the wedding, and many of the Guests wrote right out to the edge of the fabric so that when the blocks were actually sewn together, the writing was sewn into the seams so you can't see it all. I do not know how to post pictures on here so am unable to put a picture on here. PM me if you want more info and I can them send you a picture on facebook if possible.

DJ

Good ideas. People just don't understand the seam allowance thing even if you draw lines and request them to write inside the lines. You have to make it impossible for them to write in the seam allowance. Ask me how I know this!

Still Sew N

I'm just throwing this out there - what if the quilt was finished? That would eliminate the seam allowance issues. Thoughts?

Iceblossom

The problem then is when you have a big blob of mistake/ugly right in the middle of the quilt. Things happen, pens run out of ink, people hold the pen for a bit or drop the pen and the ink blobs in, etc. When you put it together you can balance out the bold John Hancocks from the Timid Tillys. Some of our names are just longer and more involved than others... In my case we had a few unsigned blocks, I put those around the outer edges, some got signed later but it is a different experience writing on a backed square than on a empty piece of fabric.

As the others have mentioned, it is hard to get some people to "write in the middle of the fabric" -- surprisingly hard for some!

Fastpedal

I made this signature quilt for my daughter's wedding 23 years ago. I had only the blocks at the reception. I had a young girl at the table telling people how to sign but people wanted to write a message to the young couple as well and some writing went into the seams. However, when put together it was fine. My daughter enjoys reading those comment now from long ago friends and family members who have passed away.

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cindi

Not a good idea. Let’s think of the person who mis-spells and scratches out their error, or the child who decides this is the Perfect coloring book!

Still Sew N

That's really a great quilt and I do love the handwriting. Thanks for posting picture. I'm sure getting lots of ideas. Thank you all so much!!

d.rickman

[ATTACH=CONFIG]602902[/ATTACH]Here is the signature quilt we did for the grandsons wedding, lots of room to sign and pretty at the same time. Easy to construct

ppquilter

Great ideas! Thanks

Murphy224

What a fantastic idea! If possible, I would get the blocks or signature area together as soon as possible and then as you see family or close friends before the wedding, get them to sign then. Make a list so you know who has signed a block. At the actual wedding/reception, you will just need to get those people you didn't see to sign....out of town guests for example. This would give the guests the opportunity to give some thought to what they would like to say, you would have more control over the placement of the signature, and it would save some time at the actual event and maybe not miss someone special. Enlist the help of someone on the groom's side to get his family/friends signatures too.