Anyone know how I can make an autograph quilt???

[kritter]

Looking to find a way to make a quilt with autographs on it!!!!!!!!!!!! Any suggetions??!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Are you planning on getting the autographs and then making a quilt or making a quilt that everyone signs?

I have done it the first way -- I liked having the control of giving a "bad" autograph a new piece of fabric. Mine was actually an autograph/draw-a-picture quilt for our Kindergarten teacher. I prewashed the white fabric, cut it in 6 inch squares, and then gave one to each child with a fabric marker. After they returned them I ironed the squares to "set" the ink and sewed it together with fun fabric.

If you pre-cut fabic you might want to use a washable quilt marker to indicate where not to write, you know your 1/4" seam area. Also, make sure you use fabric markers and not permanent markers. The permanent tends to bleed.

Is this for a wedding, anniversary, or graduation? You could also include a few photos in the quilt. They sell fabric that you can put through your printer.

If I were doing a quilt that was going to be signed after it was made, I would think of how many sigs it would be getting. If you are thinking a smaller number (say 25) then I might do a more traditional quilt where there was the right number of spots available for signing. Like a flower quilt where the centers of the flowers get signed. If it is a larger number, then make a quilt with a wide border and have them sign there. Or big squares in a pattern.

You can probably tell I get a little anal and want to control where they sign! If I had someone signing a pre-made quilt I would make sure I had someone with the quilt at all times so a kid didn't just pick up a pen and scribble.

Sounds like fun - please let us know what you are going to do!

 

[kritter]

Are you planning on getting the autographs and then making a quilt or making a quilt that everyone signs?

I have done it the first way -- I liked having the control of giving a "bad" autograph a new piece of fabric. Mine was actually an autograph/draw-a-picture quilt for our Kindergarten teacher. I prewashed the white fabric, cut it in 6 inch squares, and then gave one to each child with a fabric marker. After they returned them I ironed the squares to "set" the ink and sewed it together with fun fabric.

If you pre-cut fabic you might want to use a washable quilt marker to indicate where not to write, you know your 1/4" seam area. Also, make sure you use fabric markers and not permanent markers. The permanent tends to bleed.

Is this for a wedding, anniversary, or graduation? You could also include a few photos in the quilt. They sell fabric that you can put through your printer.

If I were doing a quilt that was going to be signed after it was made, I would think of how many sigs it would be getting. If you are thinking a smaller number (say 25) then I might do a more traditional quilt where there was the right number of spots available for signing. Like a flower quilt where the centers of the flowers get signed. If it is a larger number, then make a quilt with a wide border and have them sign there. Or big squares in a pattern.

You can probably tell I get a little anal and want to control where they sign! If I had someone signing a pre-made quilt I would make sure I had someone with the quilt at all times so a kid didn't just pick up a pen and scribble.

Sounds like fun - please let us know what you are going to do!

I am thinking of having the squares first and then having the characters sign the squares then making it into a quilt. This sounds like the best idea. I have never made a quilt before so I am open to all suggestions. We are going on our third Disney Cruise in Aug. and I was thinking rather than the traditional autograph book this would be something that the girls could keep forever. I was thinking too of putting a picture of all of us from the cruise on it to. What do you think? I am open to all suggestions since I am going to need a lot of help assembling it when I get home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Sounds great -- you might want to put fusing material on the back of your pre-cut squares of fabric. Then they will be more stable for the characters signatures.

And I think a group shot of you all is a great idea -- but I would also think of smaller pics of the kids getting signatures would also be neat to add. The fabric for the printers is very easy to use.

This is a wonderful idea - I can't wait to see pictures in the fall!

 

[kritter]

Sounds great -- you might want to put fusing material on the back of your pre-cut squares of fabric. Then they will be more stable for the characters signatures.

And I think a group shot of you all is a great idea -- but I would also think of smaller pics of the kids getting signatures would also be neat to add. The fabric for the printers is very easy to use.

This is a wonderful idea - I can't wait to see pictures in the fall!

Thanks what type of fusing material should I get?? Also, does any fabric store sell the fabric that I can use in a printer??

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Thanks what type of fusing material should I get?? Also, does any fabric store sell the fabric that I can use in a printer??

I'm not the expert on the fusing stuff -- but at any fabric store (like JoAnns) they have it. Usually it is by the cutting arera. I would look for a heavier weight, one side adhesive. The fusing is a tight web and you iron your fabric on it. It will help your fabric "keep it's shape". You don't want double sided, that is what you use to iron a cut-out of fabric onto another piece of fabric.

And the fabric that goes through the printer is also sold at JoAnns in the quilting area. It comes in white and in cream and the fabric is attached to an 8.5x11 piece of paper. After it is printed you peel the paper off and iron the photo to set the ink. The ink is in the fabric and doesn't crack. Although this is best for a wall quilt because it will fade with washings. It's very easy to use.

 

[SoccrMom]

You definately want to use fusible interfacing. It is very easy to use, just cut to size and iron on the back of your material.

I did a quilt similar to what you are doing (but it was a coachs's gift for a soccer team where the team each decorated a square). After I determined the size of the quilt, I bought a flat sheet to use as the backing. It worked great, and I had it easily sized.