100 Good Wishes Quilt

A tradition in China is to give a 100 wishes quilt to a new baby's family. I have looked forward to creating this quilt for 4 years and am so excited to share the tradition with you and my daughter. Here is the story behind the 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 friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
This wish can be for something that would happen soon in the childs life, something that will happen later in life, hopes and dreams for the child, material things for the child - whatever you wish! I have seen some touching wishes as well as a funny one sent to a new cousin from a 10 year old cousin, " I wish you never have to wear braces." Here are some examples of typical 100 wishes quilts and the wishes given for the scrapbook.

I never thought I was much of a control freak - until now. I know I know.....go ahead and laugh you all. But when I imagined my childs 100 wishes quilt I couldn't quite stomach the fabric not matching. I decided to give the 100 wishes quilt a twist and chose a quilt pattern that I liked and had matching fabrics and patterns chosen specifically for that quilt pattern. Thanks to Jan McCormick and the Sew Sisters at the First Baptist Church in Bethalto for sewing this quilt and to Janene and Macey Allen for shopping for fabrics with me. What will happen with our quilt is at the baby shower, attendies will be given a note card with a piece of the fabric attached. They will then be able to write the wish on the card and return it so that it can be placed in a scrapbook for Audrey to read at a later date. The fabrics are a mix of reds, greys, tans, off-whites, browns, florals, polka-dots, stripes, and checks. It will be so beautiful when completed and Audrey will have it as a reminder of those who love her and wish her well. Here is a poem that was written to match a fabric in a 100 wishes quilt:
"Believe in rewards that await you, believe in the harvest in store. Believe that spring will awaken, believe you'll be sowing once more. Believe that there's a tomorrow, where no one cares if you can't dance. Believe in the future's promise, each new day brings a new chance. Believe you can make your goals happen, they're just dreams with a deadline attached. Believe that you have the power, believe that you're more than a match. Believe in a shared existence, you're not alone this is true. Believe that right now there is someone, who believes in the wonder that's you."