Bai Jia Bei or 100 Wishes Quilt

While we are waiting for the arrival of our Lili we are working on a project and we REALLY need your help!  We are creating a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Wishes Quilt.  This quilt will be a special reminder to Lili about how much we wanted and loved her long before we met her in China and how many people knew that she was coming to America to be our daughter and sent their good wishes to her.  Read more below about the tradition of the Bai Jia Bei and then how you can become part of this tradition with us.

What is a Bai Jia Bei?

To welcome and celebrate a new life there is a tradition in some parts of Northern China to make a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt.  When a baby was born, it was customary to invite family and friends to contribute a swatch of cloth along with a wish for the new baby.  The mother would make a quilt for the child from the fabric scraps.  It was believed that the quilt contained all of the luck, energy and good wishes from all of the people who contributed a piece of fabric.  The quilt was then passed down from generation to generation.

The 100 Wishes Quilt Project and How You Can Help!

Following Chinese tradition, we invite you to contribute an 8 x 8 inch square of 100% cotton cloth along with a 2 inch swatch of the same cloth and a piece of paper with your good wish for Lili.  We will collect 100 of these squares to make our Bai Jia Bei or 100 Wishes Quilt.  Each small fabric swatch and your good wish will be placed in a special memory book to become part of the tradition of Lili's quilt.  This memory book will be Lili's to cherish as she grows older and reads all of the good wishes sent to her.

If you would like to contribute here's what we would like for you to do:

1.  Choose any 100% cotton fabric that you like.  We hope that you will be able to find a piece of fabric in your craft supplies, old decorating projects or among old clothes that you no longer wear.  Please do not go to a lot of trouble. 

Some ideas for selecting the fabric square include selecting a fabric that is meaningful to you or is a pattern or design that you think is pretty.  100% cotton fabric is best because it will hold up longer and wear better.  Try to avoid fabric that stretches such as t-shirt cotton or jersey because it is very difficult to work with.

2.  Cut one 8 x 8 inch square from the fabric.  Cut a second 2 x 2 inch square from the fabric.

3.  Print or hand-write a good wish note on a sturdy type of paper such as an index card or cardstock.  Remember to include your name! 

Ideas for good wishes notes include anything that you would wish for a newborn child including good health, happiness, compassion, patience, or a sense of humor.  It could contain your favorite scripture, poetry, the lyrics of a favorite song or just your own words.  It could be serious or light-hearted, so long as it contains your heartfelt good wishes for Lili.

4.  Assemble all three items above and mail to us at the following address:

Lili B.

PO Box 14

Astor, FL 32102

If you are also collecting squares for a 100 Wishes Quilt and would like to trade squares with us please send us an email by clicking on the button below.

Lili's Very Own Special Bai Jia Bei

A special thanks to everyone who has contributed a square that will become part of Lili's Bai Jia Bei quilt.