Help - Ideas for Wedding Quilt?

Grandma

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 11:57:58 AM9/15/02

to

Hi All -

My daughter loved her birthday quilt - and the engagement ring that she got
to go with it. Initially they had thought to be married in "about a year" -
which turned out to be March 15. I had intended to make her a wedding quilt
but there is no way that I will have one done for a king sized bed by March
15 - so, aiming for the one year anniversary.

I had initially thought to have her sisters and aunties do blocks, something
like a sampler/autograph/Baltimore album, but as it turns out I think that I
would like to do something where the signature blocks can be taken to the
reception so that each guest can autograph one, with others mailed around
for those who cannot attend. There will be something like 70ish autograph
blocks all together.

Anybody have any ideas? Or suggestions re what to use to autograph the
blocks that will be really permanent and still look nice?

Thanks :)

Diana Curtis

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 12:24:58 PM9/15/02

to

Pigma pens make a nice fine signature. I believe they come in colors as well
as in black. One tip I have heard is to iron freezer paper behind the fabric
to firm it during signing.
Permanent is relative of course, but I have a quilt signed in Pigma ink that
is 10 years old, washed occasionally, and only those with really timid
signatures are hard to read. Perhaps using the larger tipped pens would have
solved that.
One could embroider over the signatures but with 70 plus expected this
could turn into a 5th anniversary gift instead! :-)
You have a fun and beautiful project ahead of you. There are a lot of
wonderful signature type blocks out there to choose from. Have you found
just the right one yet?
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44

"Grandma" wrote (snipped with panache)

Grandma

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 1:54:58 PM9/15/02

to

Thanks so much for the tips about the Pigma - and the freezer paper. LQS
was closed yesterday so I'm browsing tomorrow and will hunt them up. Guess
I'll need several. Haven't a clue re the signature blocks yet. Looked
through all that I have and none of them are quite "right" for a wedding
quilt, so I'm actually thinking of doing the sigs on plain blocks, maybe
with pre-marked Prince's Feather heart quilting design so folks have a
defined area to sign in, then do some kind of patchwork or applique for the
alternating blocks.

Do you think it would be better to have just the blank sig blocks at the
wedding or the entire assembled top?

"Diana Curtis" <dben...@pressenter.com> wrote in message
news:am2c8r$r65$1...@jair.pressenter.com...

Diana Curtis

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 2:30:41 PM9/15/02

to

Youre welcome!
There are tons of blocks online to surf through, one site being
www.quilterscache.com . Let us know if you need more block ideas! Our
resident URL finder, nzl* , can find just about anything under the sun..
stars.. lol...
I think it would be lovely to have the entire top at the wedding, all
assembled, but I would be concerned if you mean to have the guests sign it
then. If thats not what you meant, and are hoping to have all the siggies
sent to you well before the wedding, then that would be wonderful! The bride
and groom would be so delighted to find that on their gift table. Give
yourself lots of time to get people to return the siggies and pens and all
will be well... (fingers crossed that your people are prompt and courteous)
Good luck with this!
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Grandma" wrote (snipped)

> Thanks so much for the tips about the Pigma - and the freezer paper. LQS
> was closed yesterday so I'm browsing tomorrow and will hunt them up.
>

Pat in Virginia

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 2:56:12 PM9/15/02

to

Hi Ms! Some suggestions. Have people sign the muslin
squares, rather than the quilt, in case of goofs. I
like the idea of alternating the signature squares with
a simple patch work. You might buy a pretty rubber
stamp with a large blank area .... a frame motif stamp
.... that would provide the defined area you mentioned.
My friend sent out muslin pressed to freezer paper and
asked people to sign with PENCIL. When she received the
squares she went over the names with her pigma pens.
(*I* was allowed to sign directly with a pigma ....
quilters get special priviledges!) This way to avoid
the wrong kind of pen. Be aware that lots of non
quilters seem to think those puffy paint pens are way
cool for signatures. HTH. PAT in Virginia

Grandma wrote:
> Thanks so much for the tips about the Pigma - and the freezer paper.

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 5:05:38 PM9/15/02

to

In article <uo9bfl5...@corp.supernews.com>,
"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote:

Well...I recently did one with that Indian Hatchet block. Take a big
square and sew a triangle in two opposite corners. People signed in the
center section. The fun thing with that block is you can lay it out in
so many ways to get interesting patterns. You can see it at :
www.peek.org/quilting it's called "karen's quilt".

Freezer paper ironed to the back definitely helps keep the fabric from
sliding as people write. Also, I put a line of masking tape around the
edge to keep people from signing in the seam allowance -- and told them
why the tape was there; some people still wrote on the tape! Amazing.
sigh.

I found that Sharpie extra fine point were easier for people to use than
the Pigma because the ink comes out a bit faster. Cheaper to buy too;
you can find them at the drugstore or office supply.

If you do signatures at the reception you also might consider just
having them sign squares of fabric and putting them into blocks later.
They could be used in the center of a sawtooth star block or the center
of an uneven nine patch. That way if someone goofs it's less expensive
to toss a 4 1/2 inch square rather than a whole block you've spent time
sewing.

Sounds like a fun project!

marcella

Grandma

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 5:05:08 PM9/15/02

to

Thanks for the tips Pat. I like the idea of sending out the blocks in
advance and the stamping - mostly because I like Diana's idea of having the
finished quilt top on the gift table and know that at least some of the
folks who would want to sign are not going to be at the reception as they
are much too elderly to travel to Arizona. Guess I'll have to see what I
can do about stealing the guest list ROFL!

Meanwhile I am attempting to hunt up just the right pattern. I collect
antique patterns so I just came home with "Mountain Mist Quilt Favorites"
and "Quilt Designs from the Thirties" hoping to find something in there.
Gotta look really good in blues and I guess it is going to have to be a
small block, even on a king sized bed! Just how big IS a king-sized quilt,
anyway? Anyone know?

"Pat in Virginia" <pat.q...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:3D84D748...@cox.net...

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 8:47:48 PM9/15/02

to

"Roberta Zollner" <rl.zo...@gmx.net> wrote in message

news:3d84...@news.scardovi.com...

> Definitely the blank blocks. Somebody's bound to mess up, and it would be
> too sad if it happened to the finished top!
> Roberta in D

I agree. I think I've settled on the Indian Hatchet mailed around over half
the universe set into that Hollyhocks quilt I found a bit ago instead of the
plain yellow blocks. That way I can do the Hollyhocks strips - all
applique - while the signature blocks are going around. The strips run the
full length of the quilt, with just a few partial appliques in squares along
the edges, so putting it all together in time for the wedding should be easy
enough. Wish I could get it quilted in time too but there is NO way that's
going to happen. Hand quilting just isn't that fast and I don't machine
quilt.

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 9:31:01 PM9/15/02

to

In article <uoaa8cc...@corp.supernews.com>,
"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote:

> EVERYONE is long distance :( - so much so that if we weren't all scattered
> across the 50 states we could just ask for a special price for a group
> charter ROFL!
>
> I'm thinking of putting together a box with enough squares for everyone plus
> some extras, pens, directions, etc. and mailing it around. But then my
> sister reminds me of how BAD some folks are about actually getting things in
> the mail (like herself!) - one forgotten mailing could gum up the entire
> works, so I guess it is going to have to be multiple mailings. Hopefully
> groom's Mom will take care of the folks in her neck of the woods and I can
> take care of the ones here, leaving me with just Nevada, Florida, Oregon,
> Louisiana, Alaska and Washington state - I think.

The people who participated in Karen's quilt were from all over. I
typed up directions for signing the block along with date to return to
me by and my mailing address. In a regular business size envelope I put
one block sealed in a snack size baggie and then folded the directions
around that. Mailed with one stamp. I put the block in the baggie
because things I've gotten in the mail have gotten wet - rain happens! -
and felt it was an inexpensive way to add a little safety.

A stamp a person wasn't too pricey - but then I only mailed 30 or so.....

marcella

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 9:33:11 PM9/15/02

to

In article <uoa9ta...@corp.supernews.com>,
"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote:

> Karen's Quilt is just lovely! Thanks for the wonderful idea. I found a
> gorgeous Hollyhock quilt in the new Mountain Mist book I brought home - long
> strips appliqued with hollyhocks in various colors with pale yellow blank
> squares between set in strips with blue sashings. So pretty, something I
> know she would love. I think the Indian Hatchet in the right colors just
> might do the trick as a substitute for the blank yellows.
>
> One question though - the Sharpies that we use in the lab sometimes run a
> tad when they get wet (not entirely, just some) - and we're using them on
> glass & plastics. Have you tested these on fabric?

I've used them for years and haven't had a problem. Be sure to get the
fine point - the regular ones have too broad a tip and will bleed too
much into the fabric. I just press everything with a hot iron and
haven't had anything blurr, smear or wash out yet. Of course, the
oldest thing I've signed with a Sharpie is my nephews baby quilt and
he's 7 now...do it hasn't been a huge amount of time. Lots of washings
for that quilt though.

marcella

Grandma

unread,

Sep 15, 2002, 11:30:31 PM9/15/02

to

Cool! I know where I can get those in a ton of colors pretty resonably.

"Marcella Tracy Peek" <marc...@peek.org> wrote in message

news:marcella-E32C25...@netnews.attbi.com...

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 8:22:34 AM9/16/02

to

Sounds lovely! Remember we'll want pictures :-)
Roberta in D

"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote in message

news:uoaah45...@corp.supernews.com...

Grandma

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 9:07:15 AM9/16/02

to

Thanks Patti. I think that I have abandoned the idea of a quilting design
to delineate the area in favor of Marcella's Indian Hatchets.

The quilt that most strikes me as something that she would treasure and
"wedding-ish" is a Hollyhocks that I found in a collection of 30's Mountain
Mist patterns. The hollyhocks are appliqued to white strips that run the
length of the quilt (with some blue on either end) that are then set between
strips of pale yellow squares with med & dark blue strips about 1.5 inches
wide between the yellow blocks.

So, I figured I could do the Indian Hatchets with the sig area in yellow and
the corners in a something flowered - maybe slightly scrappy (have to go
look to see just what), eliminate the blue strips and then arrange the
hatchets so that the pale yellow sig area forms a lattice design between
those Hollyhock strips.

Someone else mentioned marking off the area to write in, so I think I will
take extra masking tape to do that, since I can write on the masking tape to
say "Write in this box." Off to the LQS to see what I can find in the right
colors later this morning.

I'm pretty fast at applique so I'm reasonably confident that I'll be able to
get the top finished before the wedding. No way I'll get it hand quilted
though - not king sized. Does anyone have any idea what machine quilting
might cost?

"Patti" <Pa...@quik.clara.co.uk> wrote in message
news:aUqWXnTZ...@quik.clara.co.uk...

DDM

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 8:23:12 AM9/16/02

to

Marcella, that's interesting to hear about the Sharpies being OK to use. I
had always heard that they wouldn't stand up over time without discoloring
or fading so I never used them. I'd say that 7 years of use is a pretty
good indication of durability. Thanks for the info.

Dee in LeRoy, NY

"Marcella Tracy Peek" <marc...@peek.org> wrote in message

news:marcella-E32C25...@netnews.attbi.com...

-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

Bernadette Noujaim Baldwin

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 10:59:17 AM9/16/02

to

Only problem with sending out blocks in advance is that you have no idea of
how long it takes people to get it done, they worry, think about it and
loose the block.

If you have the time I like the idea of the finished top and getting people
to sign them at the wedding, that would make the whole thing even more
special because the bride gets to see people having fun signing, or at least
signing the block. That way you get photos of it and you know that the
right pen is being used.

You could just bring the blocks and decide later if you want to sash.

What fun.

For my parents 50th anniversary quilt, I got everyone in the family, kids
included to do their own blocks. The kids used fabric paints, some of the
adults sewed and some painted. I got two quilts from it. And they are
wonderful/

B

"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote in message

news:uo9tfug...@corp.supernews.com...

Grandma

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 11:39:50 AM9/16/02

to

Of course! Which reminds me that I have to get my daughter to shoot up the
rest of that roll of film so the bday quilt pics can be developed. And I've
got to make a label for it to take to NM to sew on (didn't have time to get
it in the mail for the bday and get the label on too!). Off to the quilt
store to get at least some of the fabric for the wedding quilt so I can
start putting mailings together. Now, how do I steal her address book?
ROFL!

"Roberta Zollner" <rl.zo...@gmx.net> wrote in message

news:3d85...@news.scardovi.com...

Patti

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 1:34:32 PM9/16/02

to

Further to Bernadette's idea, perhaps the individual blocks could be
pinned to a large sheet or to a large piece of muslin - the size
(roughly) of a quilt. The signable pieces could just be tacked or pinned
to this and then signed. This way, the effect of a quilt could be seen;
the signable pieces would still be individual and not irrevocable (in
case someone did make a mess of one - as they do!):
BUT
you could save the surprise of your hollyhock strips to put in/on later
so that, although the couple had seen everyone signing their 'quilt' -
and they would think that was what they were getting! they would get
the lovely surprise of your setting the signed pieces among the
hollyhock strips. I don't think anyone would notice the size difference
'in the heat of the moment'.

In article <am4s7o$sh9$1...@pheidippides.axion.bt.co.uk>, Bernadette
Noujaim Baldwin <bernadette.n...@bt.com> writes

--

Monique Reed

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 3:51:22 PM9/16/02

to

The best advice I know of for things like this is to iron the signable
bits to freezer paper so they're easier to write on. You can also
outline the space in which you want someone to write (use washout
marker or watercolor pencil), so no one writes in what will be a seam
allowance.

Monique

Don/Gen

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 8:46:55 PM9/16/02

to

I don't know about Grandma, but I like this idea.
Gen

"Patti" <Pa...@quik.clara.co.uk> wrote in message

news:UtGFZENo...@quik.clara.co.uk...

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 9:06:38 PM9/16/02

to

In article <uoak26r...@corp.supernews.com>,
"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote:

> Cool! I know where I can get those in a ton of colors pretty resonably.

Really!? The ultra fine point? I may have to hunt through the office
supply store than, I've only ever seen them in black. Different colors
would be fun!

marcella

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 9:02:59 PM9/16/02

to

Sorry, reposting because I didn't see my earlier one. It was mentioned
that someone had seen the Sharpie markers in lots 'o colors. I've not
see the Ultra Fine markers in colors other than black. You will really
want the Ultra Fine ones or you will have rather um...BOLD ink on your
fabric!

Another person mentioned that they had heard that the ink in Sharpie
pens does bad things to fabric. Honestly, I hadn't heard that before.
I used to use the sharpie laundry marker on my sons uniform sweatshirts
so we could find them again and so when a quilting teacher (nationally
known, writes books and patterns etc) told us in a class that she loves
those pens I figured I'd try them. Like I said, I've been signing
quilts with them for 7 years and so far haven't seen or heard about any
fabric damage, but maybe I just have the pen fairy on my side. I did
look at the store today and the package says to not use the pens on
fabric. So....at a minimum I would test the marker first to see if you
like the results, permanance etc. You would then need to make your own
decision about using the pen on your quilts. Maybe the Sharpie company
has a website with more information regarding their pens on fabric?

marcella

Marcella Tracy Peek

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 9:36:35 PM9/16/02

to

In article <uoak5uc...@corp.supernews.com>,

"Grandma" <gra...@nospam.interdial.net> wrote:

> Did you have them sign with Sharpies or use a pencil and then trace over it
> yourself?
>
>

I suggested fine point sharpies in the directions. Some were done with
the regular more broad tip ones, one lady did puff paint (ugh) and one
lady printed something from her computer onto transfer paper and ironed
it on. Still turned out nice, and the receiver loved it and that's what
matters.

marcella

Grandma

unread,

Sep 16, 2002, 11:51:03 PM9/16/02

to

Back when I was in college & spending 20 hour days in the lab I used to get
packs of ultra-fine sharpies that came in about 8 colors per pack. They
were kind of hard to find, so when I did find them I'd get several packs.
I'll rack my brain and see if I can remember where I fetched them from.

"Marcella Tracy Peek" <marc...@peek.org> wrote in message

news:marcella-DE76EE...@netnews.attbi.com...

Charlotte Henson

unread,

Sep 17, 2002, 12:29:57 PM9/17/02

to

I can confirm that we have extra fine point Sharpies in many colors in
our supply room. I'm holding a red one (well, it is on the desk now). It says:

Not for letter writing or cloth
Nontoxic, Conforms to ASTM D-4236

Whatever that is.
Boyfriend uses a different fine point in his lab. Marks-A-Lot DualSharp
2 Tip Permanent Marker. Made by Avery. Has an ultra-fine tip and a
regular tip. Might be better for fabric.
-Charlotte