Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild - Traveling Quilts

I'm so excited about our new project at the Saskatoon Modern Quilt Guild! We've started "traveling quilts". That means each person signed up (and I think there are 12 of us) chooses a theme and then makes a first square which then gets passed off to the next person on the list, etc, until all 12 people have added to the quilt. It should take a year doing 1 square per month. At our guild meeting on Sunday everyone showed their starter block and talked about their theme and/or instructions and limitations. They all sound so interesting. Someone wants stars ... any kind of stars ... any size. Someone wants to end up with a "neighbourhood" quilt ... so blocks of any size with white background fabric but with something that would be in a neighbourhood. There is a seasons theme, a log cabin quilt with limited palette, a tree quilt, a quilt that starts with feathers ... I can't even remember them all it went so fast. They all sound cool! Some people provide their own fabrics, some leave it completely open with some limitations that fall between.

Here is my starter block. My theme is "What's Your Sign?" My instructions are for everyone to very loosely (or literally) interpret some aspect(s) of their zodiac sign and make a block of any size (not attached). My only fabric limitations are "no batiks" and while it doesn't have to be matchy-matchy, I hope that the what everyone uses fabrics that will coordinate with the tone, hue and style of the fabrics I used. I also asked that people to make a signature block the same size as mine but they can use narrower borders if they need more writing space. The signature block should include name, birthday, zodiac sign, and a "clue phrase" so I'll easily be able to match their signature with their block.

My block design includes the glyph (symbol) for Aquarius and I've added 7 flying geese. Apparently the sign of Aquarius is linked to "large flying birds". Some information about Aquarius suggest 7 is a lucky number for Aquarians. Aquarius is an "air sign" so the idea of the geese flying across a blue sky seems fitting. The purple in my square represents Amethyst, an Aquarian gemstone and the Aquarian colour is usually called "electric blue" or "sky blue" The colour turquoise, which is also listed as a stone, is linked to Aquarians.

I will be thrilled to end up with a quilt that represents the hearts and special talents and visions of my dear guild member friends.