BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Quilting Teacher's Quilt? Signature Quilt?

In 4 weeks my family is having it's 25th annual camping weekend. Because we have managed to do this for so long, I have wanted to do something special. I couldn't come up with an idea until I saw the Teacher's Quilt that Judie did. I think I'll do a family signature quilt. So I have two questions:

1) Should I made the blocks before the signature is added so that each person will know where to sign (and then make extras in case someone forgets how to spell their name)LOL? Or should I just mark rectangles of white and make the blocks later?

2) Especially because we have so many children, should the signatures be done with crayon? I know that the crayon can be pressed and set. Is the quilt then washable, or does it become a wall hanging? If I don't use crayon, what would I use for permanent signatures?

GrannyH

I think you are going to be a busy lady to get this done! Sorry, no suggestions....Connie

Yes, but..... if I only cut the fabric now, I'll have a year to finish it. And I've got two sisters who quilt so I may get help.

LOL....that's thinking now isn't it?!

Hi GrannyH, I like your idea of just taking pieced blocks with you. The whole idea of a "family" quilt is that the family contributes to it's making. Plus it will be easier for everyone to sign their name. As for what to use, I'd use a Microfibre pen, something that is waterproof and has different thicknesses for adults and children. Have fun!!
Cheerio for now

GrannyH, I love your idea. One trick I have found that helps you write on fabric with a Microfiber pigma pen (the pens scrapbookers use) is to put a piece of sandpaper behind the fabric. Some people iron freezer paper to the back to stiffin the fabric. However, my original quilt teach used sandpaper to mark sewing lines and such and I still use it. It is great when making labels for the back of your quilt. Try both and see which one works best for you and for children.

Let us know how it turns out!

Thanks for all the ideas. Yes, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm going to take a print out of Judie's quilt to I don't have to do a lot of explaining. And it sounds of if I'll take a clipboard with a piece of sandpaper clicked on. Any other ideas come to mind please let me know. GrannyH

I am in the home stretch of making a quilt for my daughter's teacher. I had the children use Fabrico dual tip fabric markers and Identi-pen extrafine markers on muslin. The results were great, their self portraits priceless. Only problem was that they didn't understand why I wanted them to not draw around the edges of the fabric and many did just that- machine applique to the rescue! A few years ago I made another quilt for my son's wonderful 2nd grade teacher. I had the children trace around their hands onto card stock. I had cut out a number of fabric hearts and had each child write their name on one with a fabric marker. I traced their card stock hands onto beautiful Bali fabrics and then appliqued the signed hearts onto the corresponding hands. I then machine appliqued the hands onto a contrasting Bali fabric. The center square was the class photo which I had printed onto printable fabric. I used Amish black fabric blocks between the hand blocks and I could not be more pleased with the result. The teacher was speechless. The teacher's quilt that is still in the design stages will have the look of stained glass, using Pentel Fabric Pastels. We'll see how that goes.

Wow, Deb, your quilts sound absolutely wonderful and a real credit to you and your skills. My daughter is a teacher and each year we have a teary phonecall when she realises that she's going to be letting her "babies" go to another teacher in the following year. So there are many wonderful teachers out there who would really appreciate something to remind them of their lovely year with your child and their peers.
Congratulation Deb, on making several teacher's efforts worth it.
cheerio for now