LucyInTheSky

Getting married in 11 months - yay! I had a Bat Mitzvah when I was 13 and I wanted to get a picture of me and have everyone sign around it, like my mom had at her wedding. Long story short, the Bat Mitzvah planner wouldn't let me and made me get a guest book. And about 5 people signed it and I don't even know if we still have it.

So, wedding, I don't want to do a guest book. I get the idea, but for me, I know I'd never look at it again. I want to do something quilt-y instead.

My initial non-quilt idea was the picture like my mom did. But it didn't feel like me, I guess. Whereas something with fabric, that's a very me thing to do.

My first idea was to have everyone do a square (where they'd write a message, not just names... that's boring!). Then I'd have my photographers make sure to get pictures of everyone, and I'd print the pictures on the fabric. I'd then take the picture and sew it to that person's square, and alternate them into a quilt, so it's a checkerboard of pictures/signature squares.

My concern with that is that I'd need a really big quilt. Or if I limited it to just certain people, then I'd have a bunch of squares left and I'd make a 2nd quilt. So my next thought was to use a bunch of bright fabrics (I like bright) and give one square to everyone to write on. Then make a quilt that way.

Then someone suggested doing signature blocks but using it on the back of a quilt, since she's not a big fan of signature blocks or writing on quilts.

I figured I'd ask the experts for suggestions. Thanks! :)

cherylynne

My daughter is getting married in June and I would like to follow this thread for suggestions, too. I think that you are definitely on to a great idea. When I look back at my wedding photos I realize that many of the people that were there have since died and it would have been nice to have another memory from them. Little kids have grown up, but those immature signatures are priceless.

Murphy

Does everyone have the ability to make a square? I like the idea of providing a square and having them write on it. You could provide the permanet pen for writing and a piece of cardboard under the square. You could then control the size of each square and the ultimate size of your quilt. IMHO.

I don't care for guest books either. I think your thinking is very good.

erstan947

It's your wedding and do what makes you happy:)

LucyInTheSky

Cardboard... so obvious and yet I wouldn't have thought of that! Either I'd have everyone do an individual square, or I'd say sign with your spouse/significant other and get the picture taken that way too, for the first quilt idea.

LucyInTheSky

I'm forwarding your message to my sister ... she's missed that concept so far :hunf:

amyamy1978

Wow We have all been thinking the same thing. My daughter is getting married in July. I have been trying to figure out how each family in attendance could decorate a block and then I would put them together into a wall hanging or quilt. Any ideas would help.

Rebecca VLQ

If you use tagboard and then tape the square on it that should provide a smooth writing surface, plus keep the squares pretty flat.

Use a good fabric pen, the kind you "set" with an iron. Voila!

And, it is Your Very Special Day. If you want folks to dress in alien suits, so be it!

dungeonquilter

Attached is a picture of a Wedding signature quilt that I made for my niece. I had the blocks all made, and used large squares of the yellow for practice for everyone. Some drew pictures, some wrote poems. I put the large squares on the back of the quilt. She sometimes hangs it with the back showing. LOL
They had a meet and greet in the church basement right after the ceremony, and that is when I had everyone (Kids included) sign the squares. I put freezer paper on the back of the fabric.

amma

Another thought, have everyone sign on the backing of the quilt. Then you can put whatever pictures you want on the front, and use the same colored fabric as your wedding colors.

You can provide multiple colored pigma pens to match your colors.
You can iron on freezer paper to the back of the fabric to stabilize it.

Make the backing 8" - 12" or so bigger than what you want your quilt to be, and turn under the edges of it to keep the signatures where you want them.
If possible, hang it on a wall to make signing it easier for everyone.
Add a pretty border around it out of paper, crepe paper, flowers/vines or something to dress it up.
You could also cut the backing into 1/4's if wall space is too small for the whole piece. Just adjust the size to make it ample for the piecing and quilting process :D

No matter which you decide on, maybe assign a couple of people to this project, give them a guest list so they can check off guests names as they sign. Or one can take pics of everyone signing. If it is close to the door, you can catch guests coming and leaving :wink: