Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Want to Share a Square?

Dear Family and Friends,
There is a tradition in the northern part of China of making a Bai Jia Bei or "100 Good Wishes Quilt" to welcome and celebrate a new life. The quilt maker invites 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. Much of the time, the squares were scraps from their worn clothing and it is said that the luck, energy and good wishes of the people who wore these clothes, now surrounds the child when he/she is wrapped in the quilt. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. For us this quilt will represent the love, support, and prayers of our family and friends. The squares do not need to be from your old clothing, but can be scraps or newly purchased material-anything that has a special meaning to you. We would love for you to send a square to add to Mavery’s quilt. If your kids would like to send separate squares and wishes or blessings, that would be wonderful too!

Many of you participated in our quilt for Sage and we are planning to have both girls quilts made at the same time. So if you did NOT send a square for Sage, please do! I know there are many of you that I am sad NOT to have a square from in her book of wishes. (not naming names here, but many are related to me!)

For this exchange, to make things easier, instead of a cut out square, we are simply asking you to send us 1/4th yard of fabric. This way you do not need to cut it at all. In fact, I won’t even make you wash it if you don’t want! Just be sure to buy 100% cotton.

Along with your fabric, please include a wish for Mavery. It can be anything from a bible verse, to a treasured poem, to song lyrics to a prayer. Please include your name on the card and keep it on one side along w/ a small scrap of the fabric so we can match up your wish with your square. I will be keeping these in an album for Mavery to look through, as she is older. We enjoy so much going through Sage’s album and all the love that was poured onto her long before we even knew who she was! If you are able to keep your wish to under a 5 x7 it will be easier in my album, but for those of you who like to scrapbook, I won’t stop you from making a large page!

So many of you we know already love our sweet girl along with us. We know this album will be such a special way to show her that love that was waiting for her. We can’t wait to have the quilts made and see our girls wrapped up in them!

Email me for our address.

Blessings,

Shannon