The Signature Block Resolution

In school you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life you're given a test that teaches you a lesson. –Tom Bodett

About six weeks ago, I called for opinions on a layout for a signature block quilt. You all rose to the challenge magnificently! All of your comments were wonderful and helped to point me in the direction I want to go. But before we get to that, I want to show you my newly acquired 30's Reproduction Fabrics.

Beautiful, right? Rather than ordering on-line, I went to a LQS that I don't visit very often because it is more than a 3-minute drive from my house or from where I work. I knew they'd have an awesome selection of 30's Repros, and I was right. I had a really hard time choosing the best of the best. I came home with 25 Fat Quarters, which are currently in my laundry room waiting to be washed. Every so often, I go in there and run my fingers over them and admire how pretty they are. Now that I've finished the bags I was working on, this signature quilt is the next project in line. My deadline is September 17. The recipient turns 100 and this quilt will have 100 places for people to sign. I decided to go with the flower layout.

I didn't see a block pattern when I was searching for different signature blocks, so I used Quilt Assistant to make a pattern based on the quilts I'd seen. I used the grid feature to make sure it was divided out equally. Once the pattern is finished, you can print it out at any size you want. I'm going with 5" blocks, which don't work out mathematically for easy cutting. I'm either going to use templates to cut the fabrics for traditional piecing or try out paper piecing using freezer paper. Lane posted a good description of how to do it a while back and I want to try it out. Peeling the paper off the back in one solid piece when you're finished looks pretty slick. I think that I'm going to cut sheets of freezer paper at 8½" x 11" and see if they will play nicely in my printer, saving me a lot of tracing. The freezer paper is good for more than one block, but I'll still have to have multiple copies, because eventually they'll run out of stick.

I'm itching to get started. I just need to find a minute to slip off to JoAnn's when Kona Solids are NOT on sale so I can use a 50% coupon on those.