Now, back to quilting. Upcoming project, words of wisdom/advice?

Becareful about mailing pens - ask me how I know about this!!

Leave plenty of fabric around the block for a clean cut and tell them to use a laundry marker. Not delicate but permanent.

We got nearly all blocks back from UK and USA within three weeks when we did this for a friend's mother! We even scanned some of the accompanying letters and photos that came back and printed them on fabric to add to the back of the quilt.

Good luck.

I did something similar for my parents 50th anniversary quilt. It took two years to get all the blocks back, pieced and quilted. My only word of advice is to make sure that participants know if the blocks are to be on point or not. It's an amazing venture- I received some pictures, some maxims and some sentiments. Several of the "writers" died before my parents anniversary so the quilt took on even more importance. Good luck!

I have also had things chewed up, and lost, due to using padded envelopes. I was trying to send a very small piece, which was broken on my machine, back to the Cotton Patch, Birmingham. The piece was ripped out of the padded envelop, and the envelop (emtpy) arrived at the shop. The man on the phone said, use a flat envelop next time. These things are sent through machines these days, and it chews stuff up. A flat envelop with a bulge in it, is more likely to be hand stamped. That was his advice.....

-- Jo in Scotland

I did a sig quilt for a friends wedding, however I had the fbric signed at the reception.

I would suggest putting masking tape around the edge of the area where you want them to sign, that way they are less likely to go outside the box. Always cut the fabric a bit big, then trim it after - it is going to be handled quite a bit.

I did send out about 10 letters afterwards to people that the happy couple wanted in, but wasn't there at the wedding. I did not get _any_ of my pens back. But they did just go in the normal UK mail in padded envelopes, then again, pens go in the mail in _normal_ evnelopes all the time in the UK, and nothing happens (many charities sends a pen for you to sign up for regular giving?!?!).

For me to make it work with the number of blocks I had, I put a square

2 by 2 times the size of my pieced blocks in the middle, using some themed fabric, and freemotion quilting it. A picture could be nice, but I'd wait and see how the maths works out :-)

Hanne in VA (normally in London)

I would suggest that you cut the square a little larger than you need. Draw your space with at least 1" around it. Somehow people sometimes manage to fray the edges because they handle the fabric too much. If you are sending return postage add to the note that the postage is enough to cover the cost of the return of the pen. Sending that many pens will cost you more than the fabric. Be specific if you only want names or don't mind messages.

I made a signature quilt as a wedding gift for my son's college room mate. It was all Civil War fabric using the album block because the groom was a Civil War historian. The blocks came back with signatures all over the block in addition to the center area where the tape had been. Several people drew little cartoon characters. It has been two years and I haven't had the heart to finish it. I know I was wrong to send the finished blocks. I must face this project and finish it.

I have made several other signature quilts that have been great success stories. I f>A good friend of mine is turning 50 next August. Her daughter is my

How about backing the signature place with freezer paper, and then putting another freezer paper on the right side with a window cut in it where they should sign?

That would make sure they don't go beyone the boundary, and should completely take care of fraying.

susan kraterfield see my quilts:

That should work. I did once have a project with seam allowances masked by freezer paper. Most came back fine. One had the freezer paper removed because more room is needed. One had the freezer paper glued on, one had it taped on.

I don't say this to discourage you. This is a wonderful idea and will be very much appreciated. Just be aware that, despite all precautions, requests and suggestions, people will do it their own way, sometimes!

Mary