Friendship Quilts Exhibit -- The Marching Band Quilt

In April our regional library is having an exhibit of friendship/signature quilts -- tops created with blocks or rows by different people and assembled and quilted by the recipient or someone else.  I am very, very lucky to have many friendship quilts; I must have over a dozen.  Normally, I don't enter my quilts in exhibits, but this time I decided to submit three to the curated event because it's local and the quilts will be displayed in such a way that people really won't be able to touch them.  Amazingly, all three will be included in the exhibit! 

Marching Band quilt from Lucky Block ladies, 1992.

This is the Marching Band quilt that I received in  1992.  The block party was organized by Alicia McCarty from whom I had adopted the Lucky Block lottery group.  Each block was made by a different member and their signatures are in the little strip blocks on the right and left borders.  The fabrics are all plaids and the pattern is simply a nine-patch consisting of five smaller nine-patches.  I never met a nine-patch I didn't love and this one is sheer ecstacy!

I received the blocks by mail in a big box and assembled them, placing the signature blocks in the border.  On the bottom border I added a white strip on which I wrote "Plaid Marching Band blocks made by Lucky Block members and presented to [me] in December 1992 by Alicia McCarty".  Next to the strip I appliqued two red hearts slightly akilter for drama. 

The block makers were from all over the country and some from other countries:  Jeanette Anderson, Christ Church, New Zealand; Wendy Beckett; Catie Blouin; Patty Jo Brown; Florence Byler; Cheryl Coville; Nancy Davis; Kim Smiley Dublin; Lynn Froese; Kathleen Freeman, Milwaukee, WI; Donna Marsh; Lorey Martin; Alicia McCarty; Joan Williamson, Winnetka, IL; Jo Anne Ward, Artesia, NM; Susan Wallace; Lily Thomas, Snohomish, WA; Theresa Stojan, Houston, TX; Wanda Stivison, Cambridge, OH; Jean Smith, St. Louis, MO; Addie Stedile, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada; Connie Sager, Nashville, KS; Laurie Rolan; Sindy Rodenmayer; Rebecca Patton; Penny McEachin, Creswell, OR.

Bad photos, but #2 shows the strip and hearts and #3 is a signature block.

Love this quilt!  If you're interested in the pattern, just leave a comment.  In the next few posts I will highlight another quilt that will be included in the exhibit.  xoxo