1. Set up a rotation where everyone makes a small wall/doll sized quilt for someone else in our group. Each person has complete creative license to make a quilt in the style, pattern, and colors they think the recipient would like. Quilts would be kept secret from the recipient until the exchange at the beach. I have a friend in Utah that does this with an online swap group and LOVES it. I asked what she does with all those small quilts, and she showed this picture (not hers, but from someone in her group). I want a wall like that to remember you all and all our great times!
(source http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillarylang/531878280)We could do 1 quilt per person, per year and build up a collection of quilts made by different friends over time. Or, if it is not too overwhelming, we could do more than one quilt per year (they are small, after all) and build a collection more quickly. See here and here for more inspirational pictures.
2. Everyone makes a block for each person in the group according to a few basic color/style preferences selected by recipient. Example: Nichole wants 8" blocks in red/white/black with a modern, geometric feel. Everyone would then choose fabrics and a block pattern and make me a block of their choice according to these requirements. In turn, I'd made a block for each of you according to your preferences. We'd all then go home from the beach with a stack of blocks and would assemble them ourselves into a quilt. This would produce a larger, perhaps more useful sized, sampler-style quilt with a block made by each quilting friend. There are tons of resources online and in books for making blocks in a variety of sizes. See here and here for ideas.
3. Third option - Nichole you are crazy we do not want to do this. This option is okay too!
However, I can see me telling my kids or grand kids about my fun little North Carolina quilting group and showing them the blocks or quilts made by you guys. The conversation may go something like this.... see this block here, it is from Amelia. We used to make nachos at her house at 2 am when we were quilting into the wee hours. See this one, it was made by Sher, she always had to be home by midnight because...well...ummm....I guess I won't be sharing THAT one with the grankdkids. Anyway, I think it would be fun to make friendship quilts for each other. What do you all think? If interested, which one sounds good? Miss you all!
