Have any of you made an autograph quilt? My DS wants to collect autographs and I was trying to think of something different. I was thinking of embroidering each square with the character, to go with the autograph. Has anyone done this? What size of square would you recommend the characters signing and best fabric pens?
All of you do such beautiful work. I am so jealous. (I have 3 boys, so no ruffles in this house

).
Thanks so much!
I'm making TWO for Christmas for the boys! Nini gives the most fabulous instructions (and I see that later on she gave them to you) - I did 8x8" squares and taped my seam allowances with painters tape (green for one boy and blue for the other so I could easily keep their squares separated) to about a 6" square. The freezer paper and clip boards were so important, as were gallon size ziplocs to keep them in (I had 3 bags - one for green tape blank squares, one for blue tape blank squares and one for signed squares). I picked up Crayola Fabric Markers on sale at Michaels and the characters didn't have trouble holding them. Finn was even able to get Buzz Lightyear to SIGN a square for him instead of his usual stamp!!!!

The characters really did love it when we told them the whole square was for them
I have made multiple autograph quilts. Last trip I appliqued the picture of each character I wanted to get and had them sign it.
When ever you do something 'different' all the characters really get into it and make a big fuss!
The squares can be any size you want, based on the size quilt you are going to make. I have used squares as small as 4 inches up to 12 inches. I use either a white on white fabric or a light colored fabric, iron freezer paper onto the wrong side of the fabric to make it a bit stiffer and easier to sign, use fabric markers (not Sharpies) for the signature and have a small clipboard to help with the signatures.
I keep them in large ziploc type baggies. You can use the iron in the resort to iron them again if they start to come loose. One tip I think is invaluable...take some painters tape to mark your seam allowances...the characters will fill up the whole area with their name if you let them! LOl
If you have any questions, you can pm me....
Nini
Yup - just listen to Nini - these are perfect instructions!!!!
Good Morning Everyone,

Loving all the creations I've seen for the past 5 days of doing a quick catchup on the thread.
I finished Christmas skirt #2 on Sunday. Granddaughter Allie wanted to try it on but she was half-dressed so the shirt doesn't match. Of course with the way the girls like to mix & match their clothes I can see her wearing that top with the skirt.
Mickey Skirt Front by
Sheila Grammy, on Flickr
Mickey Skirt Back by
Sheila Grammy, on Flickr
Hoping to start the 3rd one today...we'll see if I have any spare time.

Sheila
The skirts (and model) are just adorable!!!!
I hate banks....truly hate....and if you knew me irl you would know I don't hate.
We have been banking with the local bank for 25 years. Through several different name changes. They are now a big bank and not the hometown bank. Hence my problem!
We have a total of 5 accounts with this bank. (more if you count the IRAs) We have never had a problem with bouncing checks. I always leave extra money in all the accounts without entering them in the books just to safeguard against it. We have overdraft protection using our savings account.
This morning, I noticed they had moved money from the saving account into the checking account in anticipation that we would bounce a check! And, then they charged us $10 for the privilege of doing that. They cleaned out the checking account of 150...small amount I know, but it in effect closed it down. To reopen the account, we will loose some of the favorable rates and perks we have with it.
Remember I said they charged us in anticipation of an overdraft? On the last day of the month we have a total of THREE different checks that are automatically deposited into the account. One from SSI, one from Army Retirement and one form the county (hubby's paycheck) And....I always deposit another check for $600 on the last day of the month. These deposits happen every month. Always. Never fails.
The bank said they are using new software that uses our past spending habits to determine when we might have an overdraft. Have we ever had an overdraft? NO. But they are afraid we MIGHT.
So, a bill that comes out automatically on the last day of the month tried to post a few minutes ago. Since they charged me 10 for the overdraft protection (although we weren't overdrawn) we were 10 short having enough in there to pay for it...so they charged me $35 for a forced overdraft. I am now $45 overdrawn...even though the 150 from the savings is still in there...and the three checks are there.
Since I am overdrawn, I can't draw on the checks for 10 days to make sure they don't bounce...they are GOVERNMENT DRAFTS...not checks!
Going to be an interesting 10 days around here! Can't wait for hubby to get up and discover he is now broke!
(at lest there is money in the other accounts....)
I'm thinking putting my money in a mattress isn't such a bad idea...
Nini
Oh Nini! I'm so sorry!!!
We left a "big bank" earlier this year and switched to a smaller bank (which is pushing the "small bank, hometown, personal banking relationship theme). A good friend & sorority sister from college happens to be the branch manager, but everyone there is so helpful and nice! We had a major issue with DH's paycheck the day before we were to leave on our trip and my friend was out of town - I called the bank and her assistant manager took care of everything (it was the payroll company's mess up, not ours or our bank's) even though it wasn't the bank's fault.
This was a dress I did for Deanna for her Big Give -- it looks really good on her too ~ the colors in the dress look super with her coloring (of course I think she'd probably look smashing in any color as she has such a beautiful skin tone).
These were from some of the panels I got on clearance at Wally's. I was iffy on the colors as I was making the dress, but I think it turned out decent, and like I said, I think DeAnna wears the colors well.
FRONT:
BACK:
And today I got a good start on dd's tea party outfit. I have the appliques done on the Insa and have Alice appliqued on the t. Ran into a problem as I only had a half yard remnant of a fabric I wanted and couldn't remember where I got it from -- it was the pinwheel fabric Marianne uses on her deco jeans. No one had it anymore

But I did find some fabrics with tea cups and tea pots to use instead -- not quite as bright as what I originally envisioned, but hopefully it will look good. I would have gotten a hair further if the power had not gone out for an hour right after I did my placement stitch for my first applique -- thankfully my machine was undamaged.
I love the Peter Pan dress!!!
I bought my pinwheel fabric two different places -
Walmart (at two different locations actually - it was part of a spring "quilt of the month club" line) and Hancock Fabrics. Walmart it was $2.44 or something a yard and Hancock it was $5 +.
Since I am going on only an hours worth of sleep...I forgot to grab the quotes...sheesh!
The latest on my bank saga...I really wish I had the uniform hubby has! Something about him going in (as opposed to me) they refunded the money and made our funds instantly available!
Sometimes I feel that the only way to get them to recognize me is to have him with me! Maybe I should go to work for the police dept! Then maybe I could command the same respect as he...of course, since he outweighs me by at least 100 pounds that MIGHT be the difference...or maybe because he carries a gun.
Anyway... they refunded the money and made OUR funds instantly available to US...but HE had to go in for them to do it! So I guess I had better go get that AG doll fast...before AG runs out of the one I want!
Nini
ugh! so frustrating! Our old bank was like that - DH would go in and they'd fall all over trying to help when he was at his old job b/c they knew where he worked.
I forgot to share pics from dd's first birthday party last weekend. I think you'll all appreciate the theme.

I made the cookies, but not the cake. I was SO thrilled with what our bakery did just from a couple inspirational pictures!
Regards,
C.
Abigail and I, pre-cake...
Abigail, post-cake...
SO SO SO CUTE!!!!
Michelle - If your DS decides on Star Wars and you'd like some trading cards for gift bags, let me know!
DH and I have cards(#170 and #171) in our costumes.
That goes for anyone else, too. If your kids are Star Wars fans, I'd be happy to send out trading cards to anyone who wants them! I'm not on the Big Give boards (no time, yet!) but I'd also be happy to send cards to any Big Give kids who are fans. Just let me know, anytime!
That is so cool!!!!
That is just adorable

I can't imagine the time it took to do all those appliques.

Thanks DS is still undecided. He will be 4 on 12/28 but we usually push his party off into January that way it is not so close to Christmas and gives me a break for a few weeks from more work

Luckily he is still too young to catch on yet
Michelle - I did a joint party with Amber last year for Phalen & Sebastian's birthday - Star Wars - I could give you lots of DIY ideas
So - I'm sorry I haven't been posting! We only paid for internet one night on our trip and I've been swamped since we got back. My house is a wreck, nevermind decorated for Christmas. I can't find our elf and he brings the advent calendar stuff, so I am 7 days behind on that, I need to make 4 photobooks before midnight on the 7th . . . and the list goes on! Oh! And I bought a Singer 237 machine that I'm going to restore (with lessons from D~ via text & phone) . . . so add that to my list
I have posted all of my pics (and my mom & dad's also) to my facebook page. . . I promise to do a TR as soon as I can!!!