Quilting friends are the greatest and traveling with quilting friends is an absolute joy! When Wendy and I lead our Sew We Go adventures we always have a “pre-trip” project and a “take along” project. The pre-trip projects for the past 5 tours have included autograph blocks that we exchange while traveling. They’re a wonderful way to preserve memories just like the Album Quilts our grandmothers used to make.
Each trip we choose a block and all those who desire to participate make enough blocks to exchange, as well as enough extra blocks to complete the chosen pattern.
Our Danube Cruise block was paper pieced in shades of blue and green to evoke memories of gentle waves.
This type of piecing guarantees all the blocks will fit together .
On our Holland Cruise we had everyone make “flying geese” that could be put together into a Dutchman’s Puzzle block.
I also had my geese fly between the other portions of my quilt.
While floating through the south of France we exchanged Indian Hatchet blocks (that’s the block’s name, I didn’t make it up).
I chose to make my blocks into a tote bag.
The Irish Chain pattern was an obvious choice for our trip to Ireland. There are 2 blocks in this quilt: each quilter made checkerboard blocks and background blocks out of batiks and we signed and exchanged only the background blocks.
This is such a lovely pattern!
Wendy and I are so excited about our next Sew We Go adventure. We’ll be traveling through Italy this coming October and here’s a preview of the design for our Tuscan Sun friendship quilt. We’ll sign the middle rails in the rail fence blocks:
Rome, Sienna, Florence, the Vatican!
Art, Sights, Food, Wine!
It promises to be a wonderful trip and there are still a few spaces available. Click here for all the information!
Do you have any special autograph quilts? Please send pictures to my email, , and I’ll post them in a future blog!
charlene cinpinski says
This is a wonderful idea. Your site has many different projects for me to be inspired. Thank you for sharing.
Laura says
WE are making one of these at the shop.. it will be given away for a raffle at the end of March along with a machine.. and other goodies.. stop in and sign it..!! Lo
Sew With Me in Waukesha. 1427 W. Racine Ave. ( I think)