As I said last week, I’m very excited about the new guild lecture I’m putting together. The idea began to form a few weeks ago when I was looking at the quilted tote my grandchildren use to transport library books.
It’s made from friendship blocks exchanged while on our Sew We Go riverboat cruise through France in 2008. It got me to thinking about all the wonderful friendship/autograph/signature quilts I’ve made or been given over the years. Like this one that was given to me by Common Threads quilt guild in thanks for my years as president (thanks Valeria!)
And then… what about that old top I made after collecting signature blocks at a family reunion in 1993? It was at the bottom of a UFO bin, along with a group picture from the party, already printed on muslin. It only needed a border to complete the top. I added one with Seminole piecing and it’s ready for quilting!
Everyone who attended the reunion (including the kids) signed their block and many also drew or wrote something important to them on it.
This led to pondering about “that” vintage autograph quilt top I purchased a few years back. I pulled it out and enjoyed looking over all the signatures and wondering about it’s history. Who was Grandma Chapman? What’s the name of this lovely pattern?
I looked more closely to find other interesting signatures. Than I did some research to discover the pattern is called “star bouquet”. What fun!
Well, from there it was a short hop to checking out Buckboard Quilt’s website for signature quilts. I wasn’t disappointed! Judy makes every effort to get the story when she acquires a quilt, and she had some great stories!
Like one that has a block signed: mother 82, and the pattern is called Little Britches, or this one in which Judy included a copy of the obituary of the man in who’s estate the quilt was found.
I’m having such a good time gathering the quilts and their stories. It’s requiring some detective work – which I’m enjoying immensely.
In the talk I’ll share old and new quilts, their stories, plus handouts with patterns for great autograph blocks to use in your next friendship quilt.
If you’d like to see more quilts and hear the stories, I’d love to visit your guild and share them all! Please direct the program people in your guild to this blog, and have them contact me! Thanks!!!
Cheryl Parker says
I used rail fence blocks to make Family Reunion quilts. We’ll auction one of them off at the next reunion, in October (I get the matching quilt, since I made it and donated all the fabrics).