Back in 2009 (I think) a good friend of mine who was the after school program teacher where she worked, asked me to have a session once a week teaching 3rd - 5th graders how to sew. I said yes.
We first made a needle holder. They learned to couch yarn making their initials on their felt holders. On the inside they learned the running stitch to hold the little pad in place. I gave them each a pin, a needle and a safety pin and a bit of history. Once we were done with those, we made tissue holders to give to their moms. They were really keen to do more hand sewing. I decided they would make blocks for a quilt. So I brought a huge bag of scraps and taught them to make simple log cabin crumb blocks. They used the back stitch and away they went. Next I brought this rose fabric to which I had ironed on fusible web. They cut out the roses and some butterflies. In the mean time I added some leaves and stems. They put their cutouts on the borders and ironed them in place. I took the borders home as well as the blocks and sewed the top together. They were thrilled! As we were running out of time - I went ahead and sandwiched and quilted it for them, but I had every confidence they could have done the hand quilting (big stitch of course), too. The quilt measured about 42" square. At first we thought to raffle it off and give the money to the library to buy books, but all the proud parents wanted it to be hung in the library to show off their students' work of art. It's still on display.
One thing I learned from all this fun we had was kids just need something to do - boys and girls. In the group I had was a boy - the Dennis the Menace of the school. He was very skeptical about being in the group, but once he tried it he was one of the best 5th graders sewing. He never missed.
As to my destashing, I used .68 yds to make a St. Anne's top, 3 leader and ender blocks and one side of my UFO challenge quilt - not such a productive week as I'm still enduring that pain in side which isn't a kidney stone, but may be an inflamed bile duct - sigh. So energy draining. My new YTD is
44.07 yds.
I'm still hand stitching my applique block and have cut out a few hexagons, but not much progress there. I hope you get to quilt this coming week. Blessings to you, kind readers.
Lovely story and lovely result! I'm glad the quilt found a home where the kids could all see it and be proud of their achievement (at least while they were still at that school).
ReplyDeletehow good to know this was made by your students and yes so good it is hanging in the school hopefully inspiring others to have a go too
ReplyDeleteThank you for the rest of the quilt story. I am so sorry for you enduring the pain in my side, I am 3 years post gall bladder removal I waited too long before seeing Dr for my pain/discomfort. Went by ambulance had infection all is fine now thank you modern medician or I would be dead now. Just saying get your pains checked as they come don't wait
ReplyDeleteColleen
What a wonderful story and reminder of how eager little hands can achieve impressive skills and work to be proud of.
ReplyDeleteSeveral times my4th, 5th or 6th graders made quilts for something. The boys always did much better stitching than the girls. They were more careful, and their thread pulled out of their needles far less often. LOL This is a great quilt, and so cool that they can still come back to school and see it.
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