| From The Holcombs (John, Dona, Scott, Brady) | From Denise Broadhurst & Family |
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Can You Spare a Square?
Bei Jia Bei - 100 Good Wishes Quilt
I’m starting a very special project for Livi’s arrival, and I’d love your help and participation. I am creating a Bei Jia Bei, otherwise known as a “100 Good Wishes Quilt.” I’ve put together some background information and instructions if you’d like to participate, along with pics of the fabrics and wishes as I receive them. Eventually I’ll include pictures of the final quilt!
What is a 100 Good Wishes Quilt?
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. These 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains luck, hope, and good thoughts from all the families and friends who contribute a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
How can you participate?
What you will need to do is send me two things: 1) a piece of cloth and 2) a written wish.
1) Specific fabric details.
Most of the cloth will go towards making the quilt, and a small piece will also go into a scrapbook with the wish. You can choose a fabric that is from the area where you live or one that you think represents my sweet girl. Some ideas are chinese patterns, animals, dragons, colorful designs like retro dots and modern stripes, interesting flowers, toiles, solids, etc. The color of the room is primarily pastel blue, pink, and yellow; therefore, those colors are encouraged. Please limit any print patterns to be small to medium sized. (It is hard to cut very large patterns to entirely fit into the finished quilt squares.)
Please send one 9×9 in. square of 100% cotton, washable fabric that could work for a girl. It can be new or a “used and meaningful” fabric. If you go to any quilting shop or a fabric store that sells quilting fabrics, they will often have small pre-cut pieces available called a “fat quarter” (18 inches by 22 inches). All you will need to do is ask for a fat quarter, or ask to have one cut from your chosen fabric. There are also many shops online that sell quilting fabric if you would like to browse them for ideas. Ebay also has some terrific vintage fabrics available!
2) Specific wish details.
This is the fun part. Send me a card as small as 4″x6″ or as large as 8″x10″ with a good wish and a scrap of your chosen fabric (glued to the paper/card). Your wish can be simple or elaborate, handwritten or typed. It can be something you wrote or a favorite poem, lyric, quote, or anything else that strikes your fancy. I’d like for you to be as simple or as creative as you’d like! You can even include a picture of yourself or your family. Please remember to sign your wish and include your city and state. These written wishes will be placed in a 12×12 album so that your wishes will always be remembered.
Where do I send my fabric?
If you would like to participate in my quilt and would like to mail your fabric, contact me and I will send you our mailing address. If you are in town and would like to give me your fabric, you may contact me by phone or email and set up a time to meet.
Here are the lovely wishes I’ve received so far!
I’m starting a very special project for Livi’s arrival, and I’d love your help and participation. I am creating a Bei Jia Bei, otherwise known as a “100 Good Wishes Quilt.” I’ve put together some background information and instructions if you’d like to participate, along with pics of the fabrics and wishes as I receive them. Eventually I’ll include pictures of the final quilt!
What is a 100 Good Wishes Quilt?
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. These 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains luck, hope, and good thoughts from all the families and friends who contribute a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
How can you participate?
What you will need to do is send me two things: 1) a piece of cloth and 2) a written wish.
1) Specific fabric details.
Most of the cloth will go towards making the quilt, and a small piece will also go into a scrapbook with the wish. You can choose a fabric that is from the area where you live or one that you think represents my sweet girl. Some ideas are chinese patterns, animals, dragons, colorful designs like retro dots and modern stripes, interesting flowers, toiles, solids, etc. The color of the room is primarily pastel blue, pink, and yellow; therefore, those colors are encouraged. Please limit any print patterns to be small to medium sized. (It is hard to cut very large patterns to entirely fit into the finished quilt squares.)
Please send one 9×9 in. square of 100% cotton, washable fabric that could work for a girl. It can be new or a “used and meaningful” fabric. If you go to any quilting shop or a fabric store that sells quilting fabrics, they will often have small pre-cut pieces available called a “fat quarter” (18 inches by 22 inches). All you will need to do is ask for a fat quarter, or ask to have one cut from your chosen fabric. There are also many shops online that sell quilting fabric if you would like to browse them for ideas. Ebay also has some terrific vintage fabrics available!
2) Specific wish details.
This is the fun part. Send me a card as small as 4″x6″ or as large as 8″x10″ with a good wish and a scrap of your chosen fabric (glued to the paper/card). Your wish can be simple or elaborate, handwritten or typed. It can be something you wrote or a favorite poem, lyric, quote, or anything else that strikes your fancy. I’d like for you to be as simple or as creative as you’d like! You can even include a picture of yourself or your family. Please remember to sign your wish and include your city and state. These written wishes will be placed in a 12×12 album so that your wishes will always be remembered.
Where do I send my fabric?
If you would like to participate in my quilt and would like to mail your fabric, contact me and I will send you our mailing address. If you are in town and would like to give me your fabric, you may contact me by phone or email and set up a time to meet.
Here are the lovely wishes I’ve received so far!
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