One of the wonderful ways to remember a friend or loved one lost to AIDS is to make a Quilt panel in their honor. The NAMES Project can assist you by providing simple instructions and the technical assistance needed to get you started. You do not have to be an artist or seamstress to make a panel, but just have the desire to create a lasting remembrance for your family member or friend who has fallen victim to this disease. A representative of the Capital Region NAMES Project can meet with you to get you started on this most meaningful journey. You may choose to create a panel privately as a personal memorial, or you may choose to follow the traditions of old-fashioned quilting bees by including friends, family, or co-workers.
As part of our annual World AIDS Day Display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, the New York Capital Region Chapter of the NAMES Project accepts new Quilt panels to be added to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and dedicates them as part of our Closing Ceremonies. New Panel Dedication is a very moving tradition and is a time for the panel maker(s) to speak about the life of the person represented on the panel they’ve created.
If you are interested in making a panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, please contact our Chapter’s office at (518) 465-0595 or send an E-mail to info@AIDSQuiltNY.org If you would like a representative from the chapter to provide technical assistance to get you started, we will set a date to meet with you or your group. (The deadline for technical assistance from our chapter for a panel to be dedicated on World AIDS Day is November 1st of that year.) The NAMES Project applauds panel makers because without the panel makers, there would be no AIDS Memorial Quilt.
The following are required guidelines to create a panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt:
Include the name of the person you are remembering. Feel free to include additional information such as the hometown and the dates of birth and death. It is preferred that you limit each panel to one individual. However, a panel may represent siblings, spouses or partners. A panel may also be made for a group of individuals who have a common connection. Draw out your ideas on paper so that you have a starting point.
Remember that the Quilt is folded and unfolded many times, so durability is crucial. Since glue deteriorates with time, it is best to sew items to the panel. A medium-weight, non-stretch fabric such as a cotton duck or poplin works best. Batting for the panels is not necessary, but a backing is highly recommended. Backing helps to keep panels clean when they are displayed on the floor or ground. It also helps retain the shape of the fabric.
Your design can be vertical or horizontal, but the final finished size after it is hemmed must be exactly 3 feet by 6 feet - no more, no less! We can work with you to hem the edge and help you put on the backing but you must make sure all of the decorated parts of your quilt must remain within that 3’ X 6’ size and your border that extends all the way around must be exactly 2” wide so that the panel can be sewn with other panels and not obstruct the final finished 3’ X 6’ size of your panel. (see example below)
When constructing your panel, you might want to follow some of the following techniques:
- Applique: Sew fabric, letters and small mementos onto the background fabric. Do not rely on glue, it won't last!
- Paint: Brush on textile paint or colorfast dye, or use an indelible ink pen. Do not use anything that may "bleed" onto other parts of the panel. Please don't use "puffy" paint… its too sticky.
- Stencils: Use stencils to cut out lettering or trace your design onto the background fabric then use a brush to apply textile paint or indelible marker.
- Collage: You can sew any objects to the panel that you wish. However make sure that whatever materials you add won't tear the fabric. Do not put anything sharp on the panel. Try to avoid using very bulky objects. Keep all objects away from the very center of the panel where it is likely to be folded.
- Photos: The best way to include photos or anything made of paper (letters, cards, etc.) is to photocopy them onto iron-on transfers, then iron the transfer onto 100% cotton fabric and sew that fabric onto the panel. Pictures enclosed in plastic and sewn onto the panel will not last. Also keep photos away from the very center of the panel where it is likely to be folded.
Please take the time to write a letter about the person you've memorialized. The letter might include your relationship to him/her, how he/she would like to be remembered, and a favorite memory. If possible, include a photograph along with the letter for our archives.
When you have finished the panel and are ready to dedicate it to the NAMES Project, contact the local chapter for information on when the next "New Panel Dedication Ceremony" will be held. The chapter will then include the panel with other local new panel and send them to the NAMES Project Foundation.
If you are able, please make a donation to the NAMES Project to help support the work we do with the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Thank you!
|