MelissaNH Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Hi Everyone, I have been commissioned by a friend to create a signature quilt for a wedding. I have done this before where the blocks are signed and then set in to the top and quilted. My friend would like the entire quilt premade and quilted/bound so they may bring it to the shower and have guests write on it. I have never done one in this order before. Is there any reason it shouldn't be done this way? I know that the pen will need to be heat set so wool batting won't be used LOL. I figured that a cotton batting would provide a bit more substance to write on. I'm still at a point where I can back out and not do it, so I wanted to get some opinions before I commit. Is doing it this way an invitation to disaster? Thanks so much for your help! Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 You'll be fine. Hints you may want to do: use 2 layers of batting. Leave written instructions safety pinned onto the quilt when its done explaing that ALL signature must be used with a certain pen, and then heat set. Maybe even provide a pen for her?! Leave the signature blocks unquilted, but dont make them large. You'll be fine!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 If it's an invitation to disaster, it'll be after you finish the quilt and wouldn't be your fault. Let your friend know what can go wrong and assure her that something will go wrong. Someone won't be happy with their signature. A child will be at the shower and of course want to sign it without supervision. Marks will get on the quilt in unintended places. If she can provide 100% supervision/custody of the quilt by a helper who can hold the area flat while the person signs, go for it. A practice sandwich would be helpful so guests can see what it'll be like to sign on the fabric. If the bride (and the friend) are happy with a memory quilt with bloopers (which may be charming!), go for it. The usual signed wedding quilt is pieced with pre-signed blocks so the signer can "practice" writing on stabilized fabric and any bloopers can be tossed. You won't have that luxury---it'll be one-try all-in on a finished quilt. Good luck to all involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Omagosh! I had a brilliant (?) idea. Making sure the fabrics don't bleed, have them sign with a fine-point blue wash-away pen. If there are oopsies the marks can be removed right there, let dry, and that block is ready for another signature. After the shower, someone can trace over the signatures with a pigma pen or other heat-set pen. Then remove the blue marks and heat-set the writing. Make sure the blue is completely gone before you iron. Test on a sample to make sure it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaNH Posted May 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Sheri, thank you for the words of encouragement! LOL, I don't usually make quilts on commission so I feel a little out of my element. Yes, that is one thing I was worried about, not using the correct pen. I can certainly provide the ones they need (LOL, but even that doesn't guarantee only that pen will be used). So far I don't even have a plan. She saw something on Pinterest and got the idea (LOL, thanks Pintrest). I suppose, that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger right?? I think I just want to keep it simple. she suggested a block with their names and date in the center and blocks to put signatures around. sigh, guess the names and date will have to be hand embroidered. Maybe some plain and printed charm square sized blocks. I still need a lot of info. I have no idea what size she wants, does she want to hang it or actually use it (probably not but these days, you never know), colors etc. Linda, thank you also for your wise words. LOL sometimes I think my middle name is Murphy because something does always go wrong. I love your idea about the practice sandwich for them to get the feel for it and then the blue marker idea is great too. I'm a pre-washer, so fabrics shouldn't bleed (knock on wood). Goodness, when she said she was thinking of having people sign the finished quilt, I almost got hives LOL. Writing on blocks doesn't seem wrong. Writing on a finished quilt... yikes, I have the memory of all the White Glovers I've ever seen at a show haunting me LOL. Thank you both for your advice. I will keep you posted (and post a pic of the finished quilt if it ever gets finished. I'm bad about doing that LOL). Have a great day! Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qltnbe Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 I agree that once you are done with the quilt, it is not your responsibility especially if you have given her all the instructions of what or what not to do; but and that is a big "but", from the prospective of the owner of the quilt, I would think twice about a signature quilt especially for a wedding. I just covered signatures on a wedding quilt because of a divorce and that wasn't pleasant. I would never do that again. I didn't want to throw the quilt out as it had won awards (ribbons and $$$), but the second wife was none too fond of the signatures from the first wedding. Thank goodness these signatures were on the back of the quilt, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted May 25, 2016 Report Share Posted May 25, 2016 Lots of good advice but I also see mostly negatives. They're going to have to use a Script Fabric Marking Felt tip or another Fabric pen to write on the puffy blocks. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaNH Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Oh! I hadn't even thought of putting the signatures on the back Qltnbe! I can suggest that to her. Yikes, sorry about the whole divorce issue. how did you cover them?? Gator, yes, I'm a little worried about the whole thing actually. I may just bow out (LOL, or price it ridiculously high so she bows out....). she still hasn't told me how big she wants it or any other details. we'll see how it goes I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qltnbe Posted May 31, 2016 Report Share Posted May 31, 2016 MelissaNH, I covered all the signatures by appliquing fabric over them. Maybe this wasn't the best choice to do, but paint and ink just didn't seem to be doing the trick and I wanted that quilt out of my house and back in his house. It doesn't look bad; I am just not sure how well it will hold up since there is no quilting to hold down the new blocks on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted June 2, 2016 Report Share Posted June 2, 2016 I made quite a few "signature quilts" over the years. On the first one (for a retirement at work) I mailed squares to various buildings with instructions and a Pigma pen, and they were then incorporated into a quilt, if/when they were returned by the deadline. But, the others were pieced tops that I serged around the edges and took the tops to the showers. I sat at a side table (or the customer appointed someone to do this) with the quilt top and the pigma pens and instructed each person where to sign within the blocks. Usually I make a Rail Fence quilt, set on point. It is fast and easy to make. I make the center strip white or light and that is where the people should sign. I figured that if I had to remove a block due to a problem, it could easily be done and not ruin the entire quilt. Usually the quilt top went home with someone to collect additional signatures from neighbors, relatives who could't attend, etc. After all the signatures were on it, I would get it back to quilt and bind. And, yes, I did replace blocks on several quilt tops due to inappropriate messages (teenagers) or food stains. Just my thoughts.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaNH Posted June 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2016 Wow Qltnbe. That sounds like a big job for sure. Sandra, ooo I like that idea. I may borrow that for sometime in the future. For now, I guess I'm off the hook. I gave her a price and I guess it was not what she expected because it has been over a week and she hasn't replied. That's ok though. I have plenty of my own projects to do (bed quilts for my sister's triplets as well as a challenge for a retreat in September), so some stress is off. Would have been nice to at least get a thanks but no thanks reply rather than just a leave me hanging though. Thanks to everyone for the advice and encouragement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kkey1030 Posted June 7, 2016 Report Share Posted June 7, 2016 I made a quilt as a going away gift for a family leaving our church for a few years of missionary work. I left the back a pastel color and everyone at the going away party traced their hand and then wrote their name across the palm. I had them use Crayola brand fabric markers because they don't need to be heat-set (and they could use their choice of colors). It turned out beautifully and went home with the recipients that night. I saw it again a while back, and it's held up nicely to repeated washings. Their little ones liked to lay on the floor with it and put their hands in the handprints of folks they remembered from "back home." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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