Wedding quilt reveal … no not mine, that’s still a UFO

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This is the week of quilt top reveals. Not because I was extra good at fulfilling my New Year’s resolution to finish two quilts for every one I start, but because I finally found the cord to transfer photos from my camera to my computer. Details.

Today’s finish was my first completed UFO of the year and was on the list of the top four quilts I’d like to complete, my sister’s wedding quilt.

paper pieced signature quilt, www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com

I put the final stitches in the binding of this one on January 4. But before you think I’m really serious about New Year’s resolutions, I do have to confess that all I had to finish was two sides of binding when the clock struck midnight on January 1. Binding just happens to be my least favorite part of the quilting process and it is not unusual for quilts to sit in my sewing room for a year or more before I finish this step.

But back to the story of this quilt. For my wedding, I made six-inch quilt blocks in my wedding colors with a 4-inch piece of tone-on-tone fabric in the center for guests to sign at the reception. I thought they would just sign their name, but with 4-inches of space there were well wishes, advice and one sexual reference I didn’t dare explain to my grandmother when we were reading the messages over breakfast. That’s what you get when you combine pens, fabric and an open bar.

As time went on, some of the friends and relatives who have signed the quilt have passed on, making it more special with time.

The second my sister heard my plans, she requested one when she got married. Never mind the fact that it would still be a year before she started dating the man who would be her husband when she made the request.

paper pieced signature quilt, www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com

After her engagement and the bridesmaids gathered to choose a dress, we went on a fabric shopping trip, bringing along a swatch of the bridesmaid dress fabric for reference. My sister, who is not a quilter, picked out all the fabric and declared how good she was at picking out coordinating prints. I just smiled. She only had three fabrics and the backing to pick.

And then I paper pieced 80, 6 inch pinkĀ  and fuchsia blocks, which was a task unto itself She assures me her husband will not get sick of the color. Considering I’ve known him since preschool, I think she’s right.

My goal was to get it quilted by her one year wedding anniversary, which I did. By the time I ran all the threads, removed the markings from the border template and finished the binding, I was six months behind schedule, which isn’t that bad when you compare it to my wedding quilt, which still isn’t finished even though my four year wedding anniversary is coming up. Details.

paper pieced signature quilt, www.quiltaddictsanonymous.com

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Comment (6)

  1. Your quilt is beautiful & full of love in so many ways! I love it. I was wondering what kind of pen people used to sign the quilt blocks.

    1. I used Pigma Micron Pens. They come in a variety of colors. But even though they are washable, I do not recommend washing a signature quilt in the washing machine. Instead take it to the dry cleaners. The chemicals aren’t great for the fabric, but at least it will preserve the ink.

  2. Your quilt is beautiful! I’m actually doing the same thing at my wedding in August and I was wondering how did you get the guests to sign your blocks? I’m having a little trouble trying to get the fabric to stay so people can write on them neatly and how to get them to leave a boarder for the seam.

    Thanks!!

    1. I’ve done two of these and in both instances I pieced the blocks ahead of time so guests wouldn’t have to worry about not writing in the quarter-inch seam allowance. This quilt was paper pieced, so I left the paper backing on to stabilize the fabric. For my other signature quilt I attached freezer paper to the back of the block with an iron. It peels right off when you’re done and ready to piece, but stabilizes the fabric while you’re writing. At both weddings the blocks were at the reception next to where guests got their seating assignments. So as they waited in line, they signed a block. At my wedding I also had my cousin stationed at the table to explain what they were and also go around to the tables with the blocks and fabric pens to catch anyone that missed them coming in. That worked best when it came to getting everyone to sign.

  3. Any chance you would share the block pattern? I’d love to make a quilt like this for my daughter whose getting married in April. I like how the blank for writing is completely encased, eliminating the need to warn people not to write in the edges. Also, paper piecing is my thing.
    Thanks.
    Pat

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