I'm going to make (okay have made...dang, how do you do strikethrough on blogger again?) an African 100 Good Wishes Quilt for Baby I. Come on! Join me! This will give you something to do during your wait! And if your baby is home, what a great gift to pass down generations. Just do it! So, even if you stink at being a mother everyone will have forgotten and think you were great simply because you were so thoughtful and got a quilt made! Hey, maybe I should sign up for two then! ;-) We currently have 9-12 participants and would love to have more. Here is how it works:
In China, where this tradition began (but I promise you will want one for each one of your kids, regardless of origin, once you get started), it is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
Here is what participants would need to do:
1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like of African origin. There are lots of rich, gorgeous African fabrics in fabric stores and on the Internet. It just needs to be a design and color that you like.
2. Pre-wash and press the fabric. Then cut one (1) 7" squares from the fabric.
3. Include your "good wish note" on a 3 x 5 card, being sure to sign it. We will place all your wishes in a scrapbook that we will give to the baby someday.
4. Send a square to each participant. They will each send you a square. Everyone ends up with a beautiful assortment. Then you can assemble or have some one else do it...I'm all for the later.
Ideas for good wishes note: Well... what would you wish for a child to have in his/her life? Some ideas that come to mind are good health, perseverance, compassion, and sense of humor...you know stuff like that.
If you want to see examples of what these quilts can look like, go to http://www.originalquilts.com/100_good_wishes_quilts.htm.
If you want to see examples of what these quilts can look like, go to http://www.originalquilts.com/100_good_wishes_quilts.htm.
So, if you want to participate in the group, leave me a message ASAP with your email and I will forward to the person in charge of organizing this. I'm only the messenger. Happy Quilting!
8 comments:
I'm in! What an amazing idea! I love love love this idea.
When I was pregnant with Quinn I knitted him a baby sweater - and I did feel like a great mom! Ha!
I won't be doing a quilt myself but I would love to 'spare a square' for you. I have a couple of others to send out too.
OK Tami,
What do I have to do?
Shawn
I signed up on the ET Yahoo board...is this the same project (Collin spearheading it?)
Tania- This is the same project, I'm just trying to recruit more people. You are doing another quilt? I saw the one you did previously, very nice.
I would love to sign up but have a fear of taking on another project. I can just see me running out the night before I need to send them out and having 200 squares lying around my house having no idea what to do with them. Send me some positive reinforcement, tell me it won't be that difficult and I'm in for 2. I will need one for both my little divas. Please keep me posted on the details.
mquinn_kiheihs@yahoo.com
I know about projects, but this will have a lasting effect! It won't be bad. I'll email you periodically to check on you. The key is, I believe to get someone else to make the quilt! LOL
I'm totally not going to do this, but I love it! What a great idea.
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