sammi357 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 a friends' 50th is this coming week, and we've been busily planning a surprise party for him on Saturday. (I'm goin' ta he!! for lying! I've told him we're playing cards at my house!) Well, it occurs to me that this gathering would be the perfect place to gather signature blocks for him for a 'to be finished later' quilt. He's the BEST guy and really does appreciate hand made gifts. He was the recipient of my second completed quilt. (Only because the first was baby sized and the second was a full.) So, this is last minute and I haven't a clue where to start! No pattern chosen, so I'm thinking a simple 'split rail' size. Open to suggestions.... I understand that there are fabric pens that are permanent (I won't be re-embroidering the sigs) and that they work better if there is some kind of backing on the fabric...ie, freezer paper, or is there a better idea? the downside... a VERY limited budget, and about 100 expected guests... Thank you in advance! I know you all will have lots of ideas! sammi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Here's what I did at my Grandfather's wake. I had people write memories of him in a journal. Then I scanned them and printed them on fabric which I used in a quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 If you decide early on the block size you want, you can cut the fabric (muslin or even WOW or light beige on beige) for the signatures. If a rail fence, the strips would be name only, if you are doing a diagonal strip in the block you could have more space for writing. I would make the strips wider than pattern calls for just because then they can be trimmed and the frays cut off and it is easier to write on a bigger piece. Freeze paper is pressed on many fabrics for this, I think even using a basting spray might be better. Freezer paper doesn't always hold tight in my experience (maybe I don't press it well enough). We have signed quilts and tableclothes at church and the pigma pens work, a .08 is the bigger size, the .05 is okay, but .005 is so small the point is sharp instead of rounded for smooth writing movement, they keep getting stuck on the fibers of the fabric. We have used the scrapbooking pens from Creative Memories and they work great. Are permanent and the points are rounded so the writing just moves right across the fabric. Pigma pens have the nib more square and the others are a rounded end. You wouldn't need to have many pens if they are signing at the party--Teach them to share!!! Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 My cousin prepared muslin blocks on freezer paper and handed them out at the reception for people to sign. I sort of did a mini-version at a baby shower. Some people colored the whole sheet, some just signed names. The big ones were 12 inches, the little ones 4 inches. Be sure to allow plenty of room for seam allowances, and even mark with blue pens or else you'll get ones that you have to crop. If you use colored permanent markers, I would recommend washing them in a fixative and pressing with a hot iron before piecing them into a quilt. The picture of the larger quilt is set on top of the picture of the smaller quilt. The little ones were put in the outside border. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryM Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 When my son got married this past summer, i had the guests write a note to the Happy Couple on plain paper, and then I will scan it to fabric paper. I will make a 1st Anniversary gift for them over the next year. The Photo fabric is expensive so if you are on a limited budget, you might want ot stick with the Muslin/freezer paper option. Either way it will be great! Holly have you had a chance to scan and piece your memories yet? How did it turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 my dad threw my grandmother a surprise birthday get-together and he had everyone sign a white sheet (he didn't ask me first) with sharpies and then he sent it to me and i piced some charm sqs togther for a quilt top and used the sheet as the backing. she LOVED it! and it was very cost efficent....and easy for party goers to understand at the party- no explanations on what a seam allowance is. just tell them to start in the center and work their way out with the signatures...yes, the signatures weren't perfectly centered to the top, but it's a great memory piece for my granny, not a show piece... just another way to skin a cat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 My siblings and I threw a party for my mother's 80th birthday but I forgot to get a guest book. I handed out 6 inch blocks of white muslin to the guests and asked them to sign the blocks instead. I put them together in a window pane design and gave the quilt to her for Christmas. She has it hung in her living room, except for the times she drags it to family occasions to show it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Kerry, I did mine a few years ago and it turned out wonderful. Actually, I did a couple of them, one for my mom and one for me. In my mom's I used fabric from my grandfather's shirts. I don't have any pictures of them here at work. The advantage of this method is that you can size the signature blocks any way you want and you don't have to worry about people signing in the seam allowance or in one small corner of the block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 My sis bought the yardage used for quilt labels. It had tons of different but matching bordered areas and she had pigma pens available for the sentiments and signatures. Then she used it for the backer, but you could easily cut apart and make pieced blocks with them. The bordered areas kept signers from straying into seam allowances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 The mqr group made one with rail fence. Muslin in the center and print on the outside. You could use manly prints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebm Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I've made 3 - 2 for friends retiring and 1 for uncle & aunt's 50th. The 50th anniversary quilt was completed and used as a guest book at the celebration party--it was harder to sign because it was finished--but not a big problem. The other two were finished following signing...blocks cut to size were pass around with signature pens and there was actually no problem with staying inside seam lines or using wrong pens--I included instructions and had lots of help! I actually think the idea of signing the backing is fabulous! SO much easier!! Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammi357 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Wow, great idea to do the back instead of the blocks! I was thinking of the WoW, on freezer paper, and doing the disappearing nine for the block pattern...another treasure that I found on this forum! But, the back is another great idea...hmmmmm... Thanks so much for all the really quick replies! s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calicoquilter Posted September 24, 2009 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Sammi, You can also use the peel and stick labels on the back of a piece of fabric to stabilize it for a signature. I have used them before and they do the trick. They are just heavy enough to stabilize the fabric and sticky enough to stay in place. After the block is signed, you can just peel them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammi357 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 that's brilliant...peel n stick! I like that idea a lot, since I have those and no freezer paper. :cool: You quilters are a clever bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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