Try it on Tuesday: Quiltings, Frolicks & Bees

Today Schiffer Publishing is providing the book Quiltings, Frolicks, and Bees: 100 Years of Signature Quilts by Sue Reich.

Quilt-1

This book catalogs the history of signature quilts.  The book is filled with newspaper clippings that tell about quilting bees and get togethers where people quilted.  Some of the entries are so cute they make me chuckle.

Quilt-2

The book also has example after example of signature quilts.  There are no patterns for the quilts provided..but it’s a quilter’s delight looking at all of the quilts.

Quilt-3

The quilts range from applique, to pieced, velvet crazy quilts to cotton scrap quilts.  It really is a fun book to page through.

Quilt-4

Quilt-5

If you would like a chance to win the book, just leave a comment and tell if you have ever made a signature quilt.

61 thoughts on “Try it on Tuesday: Quiltings, Frolicks & Bees”

  1. Hello Jo,

    You do have a lovely blog, fun to reed en fun to see:)
    I’m making my second signature quilt now. The first was for our mentor. I wil never forget his face, seeing the names and personal messages. The one I’m making now is a farewell for a remarkeble woman and it is a pleasure to make it.
    I can only hope, it means as much for the receiver as for the maker……………………..

    greetings Marianne

  2. Yes, not quite done, all the blocks are done and signed, now putting the rows together. Also just recieved one last week at a surprise birthday party for me, that all the guests signed.

  3. For my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary (which was also my 50th Birthday to the day), I had guest at a party sign blocks. Then sewed them together. It was a simple block – a 5 inch charm cut from corner to corner with a 2 inch strip of muslin sewed between the pieces. Then sewed the blocks together in an ‘X and O’ pattern. Said I want it back when they are gone as a rememberance. Also have squares signed but the quilt is not put together for my daughters high school graduation quilt. She’s been out 6 years – WIP.

  4. I have blocks for a signature quilt, but the quilt isn’t made. I have looked at Sue Reich’s book and often thought of buying it, but haven’t so I would love to win it! Thanks for the chance!!!

  5. Have never made signature quilt but have thought of it often. Just not enough days in the week to get all the “I WOULD LIKE TO DO’s” done. Read you blog every morning while having my coffee.

  6. I have never made a signature quilt. I have always admired them and loved to look at them. Thanks for the great giveaway.

  7. Our Guild did one several years ago, about 80 six inch blocks using half dozen different block patterns.
    Second was 20 blocks, each a different pattern, and blocks finished at twelve inches.
    Both were done over a period of time so also BOM-like.

  8. I have not made a signature quilt but I have quilted one that was made by my husbands great Aunt. It had signatures of his Mother and Aunts before they were married so I had to have been made before 1942. I would love to make a quilt like one and to pass it on to our grandchildren.

  9. Yes, I made a signature quilt. It was a tree with appliqued leaves and all the guests at my mother-in-laws 80th birthday celebration signed the leaves. It wasn’t too large, probably 40 x 50. Looked great hanging in her home afterwards. Love the traditional blocks in the book. Thanks for a chance.

  10. Yes, I have made one signature quilt. It was a tree with appliqued leaves, made for my mother-in-law. Everyone who attended her 80th birthday celebration signed a leaf. She loved it and it was a wonderful rememberance for her when it hung in her home. Not too large, about 40 x 50. Love the book, thanks for a chance to win.

  11. I’ve made four signature quilts for our childrens’ weddings and one relative. Also have participated in signature quilts for guild members who are moving. They are wonderful for bringing back memories. This book looks like it will be very interesting.

  12. Becky (central oregon)

    I have taken traditional blocks and made sure there was a strip of white in it so people could choose the block they wanted and sign it…. I like to tie those quilts instead of quilting them so he signitures are clear….

  13. I haven’t come up with a good enough excuse to make a signature quilt yet. A friend took a signature quilt pattern (improved nine-patch) and wrote things she loved about her husband in every block. It’s the neatest quilt!

  14. I would love to win this book.

    I once made a signature quilt for a friend when her son was born. Everyone signed a block welcoming the new baby and I sewed them all into a baby quilt.

    I also made a signature quilt for my mom. I had each grandchild decorate and sign a muslin square with fabric markers which I then sashed and made into a wall quilt.

  15. I want to make a signature quilt for our family reunion . Haven’t found the pattern I want to use. Would love to have a chance at this book. Thanks. Hope your puppy is doing fine today.

  16. My first signature quilt was made for my father’s 80th birthday. Sadly, he was in a coma on his birthday and never got to see it because he passed away a week later. The quilt resides with my brother now. Then when my daughter was in Middle School we made several for gifts for her friends’ birthdays. The most recent one was for my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday. She was so pleased that I made a quilt just for her and showed it to all her friends. It has been passed down to my son. The only male namesake in his generation. I have been curious about this book since I first heard it was on the market. Thanks for an opportunity to have one.

  17. I have never made a signature quilt myself, though I have signed blocks and I would like to make one. It’s fascinating to find out the history of these quilts. There is another good book about the history of signature quilts called “Remember Me” by Linda Otto Lipsett. She researched several of the antique signature quilts in her colledction and compiled the very poignant stories. Thank you for the opportunity of winning this book!

  18. My guild organized one about 18 years ago. It is fun to look back at the names (and where we were born) and wonder where the majority of them have moved on to.

  19. Years ago I exchanged signature blocks with my group, but I don’t believe they ever actually got sewn into a quilt! LOL (you know how that is, right?)

  20. I haven’t made one yet, but I have blocks waiting to be made into one (or two) from two different signature block swaps on the Jo Morton yahoo group.

  21. I have not made a signature quilt but I have always thought that one would be a special gift to give to someone.

  22. No, I haven’t. I wanted to make one for a co-worker when she retired, but unfortunately she became ill and had to retire very quickly. I always regretted not making her one. I’d like to make one though, when my sister retires this Fall. Thanks

  23. letty shirkey

    Yes, I made granny squares, fast and easy, used up lots of scraps, but you can’t tell. Love them all.

  24. I haven’t myself..but my most treasured possession is a quilt block that my grandmother hand pieced and has her name embroidered on it. I remember when she was going to the Senior Center and the ladies were making quilt blocks.. She loved it. =) I am going to hand quilt it and have it framed.

  25. Northeast Iowa Quilters Guild did a signature quilt project a few years ago. I still have the one I made. It has signatures of several quilting friends who have moved away or no longer with us. We made a lot of different blocks that were traded.

  26. Yes, I have made several signature quilts through the years. For my jobs, guilds, churches and more than I can think of. I didn’t realize there were so many ways to do them. I would LOVE to have the book to study them!
    Sandy

  27. Yes, I have made several signature quilts through the years. For my jobs, guilds, churches and more than I can think of. I didn’t realize there were so many ways to do them. I would LOVE to have the book to study them!
    Sandy
    This post is saying I have already said this, but I haven’t. Made many siggy quilts through the years.

  28. Deborah DeBerry

    I have never made a signature quilt, but looks like one I might be able to handle. Thanks for the opportunity to win this good looking book. How is Ruby??

  29. I am working on a signature quilt right now. When my son was married in October, we had wedding guests sign strips of fabric that I have used in a quilt for the newlyweds. I just have to quilt the border and it will be done! Thanks for a chance to win, the book looks wonderful!

  30. I make a signature quilt with blocks my bee traded over a period of about 6 years. It is fun to look back at it and see what wishes people wrote.

  31. I have collected a lot of signatures, but they are still in the block stages. Every time I pull then out I smile. Love the blog. Thanks for the chance.

  32. I’ve never made a signature quilt, but I’d like to make a signature table runner for family gatherings. My mom’s hope chest still holds a signature table cloth signed by all the ladies who attended a bridal shower for her many years ago. It was later embroidered and borders added by her aunt. Such fun to go through the names and remember all those wonderful women.

  33. I organized a signature quilt to be made for the lady who hosts our bee at her house every week. Each quilter made a star block and the signatures were in the centers. The blocks were supposed to be 12 1/2″ unfinished, but because most of the quilters were beginners each block was a [radically] different measurement. I put all of them together for the quilt, but boy was it a challenge!

  34. Janet Kienholz

    My sisters and I made one for my Mothers 80th birthday. All her kids, grandkids and great grandkids had a block. At her party, all the quest signed a block also. She loved it!

  35. Yes, I have made a signature quilt for my Grandma, it started with her t-shirts and a picture of here and Grandpa, who had passed away 15 years earlier, then I stitched together some cotton fabric blocks and that is where the family signed it, there were 4 generations of signatures on that quilt.

  36. We had a wonderful couple in our church who left their comfortable lifestyle and moved to San Antonio to serve the needy in Juarez, Mexico. I made a signature quilt for them as a surprise going away gift and had all the people from church sign it. It was a pleasure to do this for them as they are a dedicated christian couple. This was several years ago and they are still working with the people there.

  37. Bonnie Pfrimmer

    How fun to look back at quilts. I made my granddaughter a t-shirt quilt for Christmas..It was actually my first quilt and got me hooked on quilting.. Thanks for the giveaway..

  38. I haven’t made one yet, but what a coincidence, the subject came up recently with a member of our quilting/piecing group (we really don’t quilt together, we piece together). Love the idea of using the blocks at a wedding.

  39. Love the book! Yes, I did do a signature quilt for my daughter when she graduated from University. I sent her 5 or 6 of her friends muslin with freezer paper backing and pens and had them write a note for my daughter. Then I filled in the other blocks with pictures from her life at University.

  40. thanks for the chance to win this book. i have done signature quilts and they have been very popular with the guests at the reunion.

  41. Instead of a guest register book for my son’s wedding, I made them a signature quilt
    for the guests to sign as they entered the church. The center block had an embroidered
    floral bouquet and their names and wedding date on it. This was a pattern I saw in
    a quilting magazine a year before they got married and knew it would be something
    unique and special for them.
    I have also done a couple of signature block swaps with an on line group and put those together.

    I love reading your blogs about your family, Ruby (thank goodness she is doing well) and of
    course your wonderful quilting.

  42. Now that I have seen the quilts in the book I really want to make one! It’s on my list. I would love to win a copy of this book.

    It’s good to read that Ruby is doing better. I’m sure she will be back to her normal self in no time.

  43. I’ve never made a signature quilt, but I did make a signature pillow for a teacher a few years ago. Lots of fun. Thanks for the chance to win.

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