Since a new school year starts in many areas of the northern hemisphere this month, I thought I’d show you a project that I did with my boys when they were in second grade. You know, just in case any of you young mothers are all distraught with so much extra time on your hands and you need a new project LOL!
I had seen quilts where each child in a class would make a block and then the quilts were hung in the classroom or school lobby or given to a teacher. But for some reason, I wanted my child and all the other children to each have their very own quilt, so when TheFirstChild was in second grade, I approached his teacher with a quilt plan.
Fortunately, she was an awesome teacher and she was all for it. During the school year, the second graders covered a lot of different units — things like whales, penguins, Alaska, syrup making, and for TheFirstChild’s year, the presidential election (it was 1992 and I could show you his block showing who he’d vote for, but then I’d have to terminate you.) The teacher incorporated this year-long project into those units.
We started by having each child pick the fabric that they wanted for their sashing and I prepared 12 blocks (with freezer paper on the back to stabilize them) and a little sewing kit for each child. At the end of each unit, the teacher would have the children draw something about that unit on their blocks. Up to this point, the teacher did all the classroom work herself. I think there were 17 or 18 children in the class.
Each time they completed three blocks, I would come into the classroom and we would have an hour or two of sewing. They hand-sewed two middle sashing strips between the three blocks to complete one row. Oh, how I loved watching those little hands work! As each row was completed, I would take the rows home and sew the horizontal sashing to connect two rows. This was done by machine so that all the horizontal rows (where the pressure would be if the quilt were to be hung) would be stable. I confess, while sewing those horizontal rows, I occasionally stitched over some of the hand stitching in the vertical rows. For the most part I left the hand stitching just as the child had completed it, but some of those little big stitches just weren’t going to be in it for the long haul.
By the end of the year, each child had enough completed blocks for a quilt. I put the borders on each quilt and we had an afternoon quilting bee. Each child brought in a parent or friend helper and we tied all the quilts. First, all the muslin backs were laid out on the tables and the kids rotated in a big circle so that everyone signed the back of everyone else’s quilt.
Then, we all sat down and went to work. If someone got done early, they helped someone else, until we were all done. Surprisingly, I think the boys enjoyed the project more than the girls and many of them were better sewers than the girls! I took all the quilts home and serged the edges. For my own boys, after the school year was over (and after the “quilt show” where the quilts were hung for a week) I put normal bindings on the quilts (I did, as a working mother, have my limits and there was no way I had the time to bind all those quilts!) In the picture below, you can see a few of the girls in one lucky class that had a grandma who put prairie points on all of the quilts for that class. I was thrilled when I saw that! Most classes aren’t that lucky though (a few have had a mother who was willing to bind them all) and the serged edge has worked out just fine. (I did send binding instructions home with the kids in case their own mothers wanted to bind them.)
The quilt project turned out to be a big hit and the following year, all three of the second grade teachers wanted to participate. Each class had a volunteer mother, so I wrote out explicit instructions (’cause they were non-quilters) and they were off — with no other help from me. The third year, TheSecondChild was in second grade, so I again participated. MyDadLovesMeBestSister was the volunteer for all three of her kids, too. The last time I checked, the project was in its 15th year and still going. Maybe someday I’ll have a grandchild in that school and I can be the grandma who does the prairie points!
This was a VERY fun project and it was really just an excuse for me to be at school more with my kids — I loved it there! So, if you feel the same way…here’s your excuse — they’ll never catch on! ;-)
XOXO,
Anna
Oh, you are a sneaky one. All that crafty goodness as a guise for hanging out with your kids. You are the coolest mom. Ever. Loved the ‘golden ticket’ block. Joe has voiced an interest in quilting, but I thought it was just because he wanted to “drive” the sewing machine. I’ll have to put him to work at it now. That’s not breaking any child-labor laws, is it? *snark* Cami
I took my embroidery machine to school when my son was in first through fourth grade. The kids would draw a picture, scan it into the embroidery machine and then watch fascinated while it stitched out. We made them into pillows, wall hangings, door hangers and one year framed them. For some reason he didn’t want me to continue into fifth grade with him….lol I wish I lived closer so I could do this with my grandkids..
Wow, what a neat mom to do all of that work! I sometimes feel guilty for not doing more stuff like that when my kids were little. Guess we were too busy with starting businesses, working and just keeping up with all three of them. I hope I have the chance to be the grandma that does the “prairie points”! Thanks for such a neat post!
What a fantastic idea!! You were a good Mommy!! I spent a lot of time at school when my kids were young. It was loads of fun and I have a lot of fond memories.
What a fantastic project and tradition!! When my kids were in kindergarten, I did something similar. However, it was one quilt that each child made one block of it and then I pieced the top, quilted and bound it. Then the children presented it to their teacher as a year end gift. They were so pleased to receive it and the kids enjoyed participating! It was a rewarding moment for me as well.
It must be extremely rewarding for you to know that something that YOU started still continues today. What higher compliment could one receive?
And this post is just another reason why I just LOVE your BLOG!! How Awesome! I helped do a similar project when my son was in 5th grade. But we just did four blocks with pictures that they had drawn. It was definitely a lot of work but worth the effort. Anne you are an inspiration and I add my vote along with Jo-Anne’s for the “I Love Your Blog Award.”
I mean Anna!!!! Sorry! about Anne but my fingers hit the wrong key and I didn’t catch it until after I hit the submit comment button. I always make a few typos as I type and I’m getting used to a new keyboard too! Hope you understand. XOXO Kim
Mere words cannot express how much I enjoyed this post! The photos and your explanations are magical! It is something that your boys and most of the other children at that school will never forget. I am very happy to hear they continue on with your quilt program. You are a wonder, Anna!
When I taught fourth grade we made a class quilt and the kids would beg to sew on it. My teacher friend here in high school got tired of her quilt and brought it in for the kids in her class to work on when the claimed they had no other work to do. The big ol’ football players would hound her to let them work on it. I do believe that’s how they kept up their eligibility that year, get their work done – get to work on the quilt. Kids rock.
Anna, that is a beautiful project. Those quilts will be cherished by the parents and eventually by the child as they get older and appreciate the work and the memories. All good Karma to you for organizing and helping with such an ambitious project.
What a great project!! How did you know I was looking for something like this?!!
Karen
Well look at you and your Martha Stuart self. I bet they all loved there little quilts. Did you say grandma doing prairie points??? LOLOL!!!
What an inspiring project and what a great Mum you are!
Wonderful story Anna!! Don’t you wonder of some of the kids are still making quilts?
Wow, what an amazing project – wonderful – and great that you had the pics of back then. So it’s now a tradition? What a great thing to have started.
Made your mug choc pud the other evening with a friend. It was great fun!!!
Is this post aimed at me? :-)
Those are so lovely… such a wonderful idea to help the kids have a fun memory of elementary school. I don’t think I have the energy or the patience for that. I am holding on to all my kids t-shirts from elementary school to make t-shirt quilts for them, but I can’t do the whole class thing. You are too awesome!
What a sweet tradition you took part in starting! I am impressed with you and the teachers who wanted to take part and put more on their plate, all in the name of teaching and “sewing” into the children! That’s awesome!
How precious and what accomplishments…that is no small task! I like the idea that each child had their own. Another great post, Anna, thanks for sharing.
Wow, what a wonderful ambitious project! Go mama! I am sure those quilts are in precious places all over the country by now!
What a wonderful, wonderful memory for everyone!
oh you overachiever you!
what a fantastic idea and then you actually DID it. that is wonderful and absolutely astounding that it’s still going on after all these years!! hundreds of little second grAde quilts all over the place now…
This is the most wonderful project! What great memories the children will have later. And I loved what you said about not sharing who your son would vote for as then you’d have to terminate us–which, of course, was easily translated to his choice. How cute!
What an AMAZING idea, and what an AMAZING mom you are to pull all of that off. I am bookmarking this!
My daughter started teaching 3rd grade this year and I am going to send your blog to her to check out.
Wow, that is so cool and I’m so impressed that they are still doing it!!
That project is AWESOME! I used to make my girls’ teachers quilts as a thank you gift at the end of the year. When word got around, all the teachers wanted my kids! :) Now they’re in high school, so I don’t do it. I would love to get involved with something like your idea in the elementary school….hmmmm, I’ll have to put some thought into that. :)
Anna, this is wonderful! I’ve got to get in contact with my friend back in ID, and see if she can get their little school to do it. What a fun idea! :o)
Hmmmm . . . this would be fun for homeschoolers, too . . .
Anna, that just amazes me! What a fabulous legacy for those classes – 15 years??! Good on you for taking this idea further than anyone else I know!
What a great idea, and how cool that it is still an ongoing tradition! Good job :) Those quilts are great, what a good memory.
This is an absolutely fantastic idea!!!!! What a fabulous mummy you are … OK I will go as far as saying you are my hero! I wish that it was the start of the school year for us and not heading toward the end because it would have worked well with the twins teacher this year. Maybe next year!
WOW Anna what a wonderful thing to have started and it’s a so great that it continues on. Those kind of things are so precious and something that they will always remember and I bet the Mom’s hung on to as well. Your a peach just like I knew you were.
Hugs – Karen
What an fabulous, inspiring story and a great legacy to leave your community.
The only problem with this post is that you’re making all us ordinary mortals feel very inferior! As we are! Where on earth did you find the time?
Wonderful! and I love your boys’ quilts too.
Daughter 2 has a nice patchwork quilt on her bed. (Bought from Laura Ashley. But I don’t think I’ll tell you that.)
wow, what a super mom you are! and how wonderful that they are still doing the quilts 15 years later. fabulous!!!
Wow! I love that idea. I’m a new 3rd grade teacher, and I would love to do that with my class. My mom (http://stitchinfriends.blogspot.com/) sent me the link to this post, and I’m thinking of doing that this year! What a great way to not only show off what was done in class, but reinforce their learning! Thanks for the write up. If you have anymore information, I’d love to hear more!
Anna, The quilts are adorable, I’m sure every teacher in the school wanted your kids in their class. You are very creative and a very generous person. Hugs, Tracey
This was an awesome idea. I bet they cherish their quilts to this day.
Oh Anna that is such a fantastic idea and such wonderful keepsakes and memories! Well done you! Lucy x
What a wonderful idea Anna! How lucky to have such an enthusiastic teacher too, you’ve given those children such wonderful memories and a taste for quilting. There is nothing like going into school and helping with art etc, it’s great. I go in once a week and love it
Kimx
How cool is that, the tradition you started lives on. I bet those kids remember it yet.
That is an amazing story, Anna. It is wonderful that you started such an incredible project and it is still going.
wow, what a great project. How good of you to take all that trouble to make it happen. The results look tremendous.
That is a fantastic post. Well done Anna, you should be so proud of yourself. don’t know if the mum’s here at our school could be bothered (or the teachers) My son starts second grade In January (that’s the start of our school year). Maybe I will approach them and see what they think! Big job!! They look fantasatic!
Sorry about the bad photo of Jade, Louise and I – I actually do look a little better in real life!!!!LOL! It would have been great if you had been there! One day I am sure we will have dinner like that – who knows where!
What a fabulous project Anna and I think it’s so wonderful that the school have kept it going. You must be very proud :)
xxx
What a wonderful project!!! I love it!!! You are a peach for helping out the children. They will remember you forever!!
xo
What a great memento of their second grade year! I’ll bet you were their teacher’s favourite mom helper!
That is just so wonderful! Thank you for sharing. :-)