Bai Jai Bei

Now that we know our sweet baby is on her way, we’re starting a very special project to keep us busy and help prepare for her arrival. We are hoping to piece together a Bei Jia Bei, otherwise known as a “100 Good Wishes Quilt.”

There is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei to welcome new life. It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. These 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains luck, hope, and good thoughts from all the families and friends who contribute a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

As the fabrics starting coming in I will post them on our blog for eveyone to see. I'm so excited to see the fabrics people choose!!!!

Here's the fabric Daren & I chose. McHaney will choose hers soon!

We have sent out letters to many of our friends and family, but if you read this blog and are following our story, we would love for you to participate as well!

If you would like to participate, you will need to send us two things: a piece of cloth and a written wish. Most of the cloth will go towards making the quilt and small piece will go into a scrapbook with the wish for the baby. We will need them back by May 30th.

You will need to send one 9×9 in. square of 100% cotton, washable fabric that could work for a girl. You will also need a smaller piece for the scrapbook. To make things easy, you can go to any quilting shop or a fabric store that sells quilting fabrics All you will need to do is ask for a fat quarter (a piece that is 18x22in.) or ask to have one cut from your chosen fabric. This will give you plenty of fabric. There are also many shops online that sell quilting fabric if you would like to browse them for ideas.

You can choose a fabric that is new, or a used & meaningful fabric. It can be from the area where you live, a color you like, or one that you think represents our sweet girl. We will be making a cream & purple quilt, so please be sure your fabric includes these colors. (Some ideas are chinese patterns, colorful designs like retro dots or modern stripes, interesting flowers, toiles) Please limit print size to small or medium. We have enclosed a pic of the fabric that inspired us to give you an idea of where to start.

Now for the fun part! Send us a 4x6 or 5x7 card with a good wish for our child and a scrap of your fabric (cut from the fat quarter and glued to the paper). Your wish can be simple or elaborate, handwritten or typed. It can be something you wrote, a favorite poem, lyric, quote, or anything else that strikes your fancy; be as simple or as creative as you’d like! These written wishes will be placed in a 12×12 album so that your wishes will always be remembered.

Just send me an email and I will give you the address to send it to.

Can wait to start posting!!!!!