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Signature square question

The long-time co-moderator of PubLib, the public library listserv, is stepping down from that position. I'd like to honor her years of service by making her a quilt. What I have in mind is a bookshelf quilt -- with signatures from PubLib participants. There are over

10,000 people on the list. It's a pretty sure bet that about .01% (=10) are quilters.

Here is what I had in mind: people who want to participate can cut pieces of woven cotton fabric (bedsheet, old shirt, whatever) 2.5" x

5". They can sign in a line: name, library, town. [I can provide a picture of a sample signature.]

I do not want to mail fabric to anyone. I will be going to the ALA Annual Conference this week and will see some PubLibbers. I can take fabric with me.

For those who would mail sig squares to me: what kind of pen? Few people will even know what a Pigma pen is, let alone have access to one. Can they use ballpoint pens? Can they use gel pens? Can they use Sharpies?

I would heat-set each signature. This quilt will NOT be washed. As an alternative I can make one of my 'standard' bookshelf quilts

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it would be fun to have a whole bunch of signatures fromPubLibbers.

Thanks for your opinions!

Nann

Reply to
Nann
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Would you be willing to trace over pencil signatures with a Pigma?

IME, lots of people have trouble with the concept of cotton. They think something with maybe 40% cotton qualifies. Also, if you encourage them to use "recycled" fabric, there may be no label left to guide them. Just a warning so you won't be surprised. I've been doing a friendship quilt every year for a long time, and I've given up beating my head on that particular wall!

This sounds like a lovely idea, as l>The long-time co-moderator of PubLib, the public library listserv, is

Reply to
Roberta

I just went thru this with a quilt I am making. I was standing right there collecting signatures on fabric squares and still had to explain to everyone why they couldn't take a square with them to get someone else to sign one or to think about what to write and bring it back later. If I ever do this again, I think I will have people sign a piece of paper and use my light box to trace their signatures on fabric. It would eliminate a lot of headaches! ;-)

Leslie & The Furbabies > The long-time co-moderator of PubLib, the public library listserv, is

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

My thought is to make the bookshelf quilt for the top and have people sign a single piece of fabric to use for the back. You can make it the right size for your top and masking tape the edges so the signers stay out of your seam allowances. or see if you can get the signatures so that they can be the spines of the books. A lot of trouble for sure. I did a signature quilt once and somehow people still signed onto the masking tape. The light box and tracing the signatures sounds like a good idea but probably a lot of work for you. Best of luck and it's sure to be lovely. Donna in Bellevue

Reply to
ddean

Taking prepped strips to events where participants will be is really good. You are there to help - and it's amazing how much help intelligent people need with this.

You can try sending instructions out. Be prepared that some will just not work. The last quilt I did this way I got some really un-useable puffy paint signed blocks that had that puffy stuff EVERYWHERE. There will be astounding fabrics of all variety. There will be a great variation of what constitutes 2.5" x 5"

I agree that mailing is a waste of time. It's a ton of time for you to get everything ready plus the cost of mailing and the percentage of return isn't high enough to justify.

Pigma or sharpie or other laundry marker will work. You might try to clarify by adding words like archival and scrap booking as more people are familiar with that. Gels really depend - some do wash out. You could have them sign in pencil and trace over it if you don't mind that effort. Trustworthy friends can help with the tracing job as well.

Will the quilt be presented at a well attended event? If so, signatures can be added after the quilt is completed so more or all could be gathered then.

Never make the assumption that the quilt will never be washed. When it's out of your hands anything could (and likely will) happen to it. Even a steam iron ("to get the wrinkles out before I hung it on the wall") can cause some fabrics/inks to bleed. Belts and suspenders you know.

marcella

Reply to
Marcella Peek

I appreciate everyone's suggestions. I ironed freezer paper to muslin and cut pieces 2.5 x 5. I have about 50 rectangles. I have packed all my Pigma pens (about 6) plus two fine-line Sharpies. (Side note: I want to use up all the Pigmas and get new ones....I am a pen-user-upper, not a pen-pitch-outer.)

In addition I found a name-badge pouch from a previous conference. It has a fold-over top (imprinted with vendor name). I wrote, "Sign a block for Karen...ask me" on a piece of muslin, zig- zagged that to a scrap of bright fabric, and zig-zagged that to the flap. I will use that for my name-badge at the conference and anticipate many queries!

The moderator of the "Best of PubLib" blog (you can look it up) obligingly reprinted my call-for-blocks. He created an illustration of a block and included drawn-in margins!

Off to New Orleans this a.m. (No fabric shopping. The Quilt Cottage in the Garden District is now closed. Other shops are farther out, requiring a cab. I won't have time. Besides, I'm still not buying: since 11/1/10 I've bought only

18 yards of fabric.)

Cheers,

Nann

Reply to
Nann

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