“I’m getting married in 1 1/2 weeks.  We are going to have our guests sign quilt squares, instead of the traditional “guest book”!  I am so excited – I think it will make a great heirloom!”

I agree.  I think this will make a lovely heirloom wedding quilt, and I’m pleased Jenny shared her idea with us.

Perhaps you’d like to see the post,  A Wedding Quilt in Australia, that inspired Jenny to leave her comment and share with us.

If you’d like to make a “guest book” quilt for a wedding, an anniversary, going-away gift, or family reunion and don’t know where to start finding quilt block patterns, check out the various quilt books out there for inspiration.

Post from: Blisstree

A Quilt Squares Wedding “Guest Book”

 The theme of “weddings”  seems appropriate since summer generally is a popular time for weddings in the northern hemisphere.  Also, there are weddings in our channel family! 

One of our bloggers, Chloe, is getting married, and her mom, Noreen, has been in the midst of preprations for two weddings this year…Chloe’s in August and her brother’s in May. Cyndi also had a wedding in the family; her son was married in June. 

Also, I imagine some of the Art and Design bloggers may have gotten married in June, or at least the summer months.  (My husband and I did in July, 47 years ago.)

This month, I’m hosting the Artists’ Showcase at Quilting and Patchwork.  Let’s see what creative ideas my colleagues here at Arts and Design have come up with. 

*June is wedding jewelry time.  Tammy at Beading and Jewelry, has devoted the entire month of June to wedding jewelry.  So she started out with an easy elastic pearl bracelet project! 

 *Wedding bells are ringing for real over at Layers Upon Layers, where Cyndi posted about her son’s June wedding.  It might not be mixed media art, but it sure was a mixed cast of characters.  (However, I was impressed with the color theme of the wedding; that was a work of art…Mary Emma’ comment)

*Christine, at Mad Cropper, has some interesting wedding themed ideas:  Wedding Layout Scraplift Idea  and Wedding Theme Related Scrapbook Embellishments.  Check these out for your wedding scrapbook memory book.

*Over at Stamping Mad, Katelyn has put together three different fast wedding card layouts that are simple, but elegant.  Like the gauzy effect?  Don’t throw out your used fabric softener sheets! 

*Chloe, at Tangled Thread, not only had her brother get married in May, she’s getting married in August.  Here are three ideas she has for wedding projects:

Make an easy and dressy embroidered shawl: http://www.tangledthread.com/easy-embroidered-shawl-tutorial/

Ideas for making your own personalized guestbook: http://www.tangledthread.com/weddings/

Make embroidered napkins as a bridal shower gift: http://www.tangledthread.com/embroidered-napkins/ http://www.tangledthread.com/part-two-of-embroidered-napkins/

*Mary Emma, at Quilting and Patchwork, discusses Wedding Quilts and More.  Wedding quilts have a long history, as well as creating memories in Mary Emma’s life.

*This is the summer of weddings for Noreen and her family.  She’s been posting about the wedding preparations over at Hankering for Yarn.  The yarn has been flying for both weddings!

*For those who like the shabby chic look, or just the idea of having something old and new in the same wedding accessory, this post by Josh, at Junk Creation, should do the trick.  If you wanted to get crazy, you could even throw in the something blue.  Then “borrow” something that’s never really given back and toss it in the pot to have all four in one trinket!  Check out his Something Old, Something New, Something…Both?

Post from: Blisstree

Weddings Inspire Us for Theme Day at Arts and Design Channel

Also, wedding quilts have been popular throughout the ages.  They consist of many types:

*One of the most popular that comes to mind is the Wedding Ring and Double Wedding Ring, a pattern dating back to the 1800s.

This charming quilt, consisting of many pieces, depicts wedding rings entertwined.

*Ladies gathered at quilting bees to make wedding quilts for friends who were getting married.  Often a different quilter supplied a block, sometimes with her name embroidered on.  Then they got together to stitch it for the bride-to-be.

*For one wedding custom years ago, young girls were supposed to make 12 quilts for their hope chest.  Then she and her friends made a thirtheenth for her after her betrothal was announced. 

*Often couples received quilts as wedding gifts.  The one most memorable to me wasn’t a quilt Jim and I received, but one given to my mom and dad when they married in 1934.  The quilt is worn and torn, but I still have pieces from it.  I’ve written about this quilt in the post, Searching for Old Fabric.

In addition to quilts, you can make wall hangings, memory collages with flowers from the wedding, postcards and other quilt and fabric art with a wedding theme.

I’d love to have you share your wedding quilt and art with us.

Post from: Blisstree

Wedding Quilts & More

What was the story behind them?  Who made them? 

I know that the quilt was made as a wedding gift for my parents.  If Mother ever mentioned who the quiltmaker was, I don’t recall.  When I found the quilt again, Mother was too much afflicted by Alzheimer’s to communicate.  Perhaps, some day, the story of the quilt will come to mind, for I remember her telling about receiving it as a wedding gift.

On the other hand, the individual blocks are ones I’d never seen before.  They probably were passed along to my mom when her mother died.  They were among some books and letters of that era.  So did my grandmother, my aunt, and their friend Susie make them?  Or were they from an earlier quiltmaker?

By analyzing the fabrics…colors, texture, pattern, weave…my daughter and I may get an approximate idea of the time they were made.  Then we’ll decide what we’ll do with them and how best to save them for future generations.

This also is something we should do with quilts or pieces we’ve acquired at yard sales and thrift stores.  We’ll never know the quiltmaker, unless they’re signed, but we can at least get an idea of the time they were made.

A very interesting and informative book on this topic of creating “new quilts from old tops” is Becky Herdle’s Time-Span Quilts.  It’s full of information and instructions…and purely fascinating reading.

Post from: Blisstree

Quilts That Span Time & Generations