am i crazy for thinking i can do this?

**dinah** · 05-03-2011, 01:49 PM

i work with a group of about 5 6-10 year olds at my church (for 3 sundays out of the months it's the 6-10 year olds and then 1 sunday all the kids are together) for our next unit i want to do a quilting unit.

i want to read stories about quilting and quilts and relate it to what the bible says about taking care of others. as a lead up i was thinking of making some paper quilts and sharing them with the congregation. we would make 1 or 2 quilts (depending on size and complexity of pattern chosen) and donate them to one of the groups my church is involved with.

anyways...

i've been looking on the internet and have been thinking about the following patterns/ideas:

1. the ugly quilt aka sleeping bag project - these are made out of recyclable materials and would be donated to a local church group that works with the homeless.
Instructions The Sleeping Bag Project

2. simple block pattern - the kids use fabric markers to draw on the fabric and then it is sewn together, and used as a banner in church
something like this http://juicy-bits.typepad.com/.a/6a0...568ef47970b-pi

3. rag quilts - sewing could be done in advance and the kids would do the cutting. these would be donated a local church group that provides baby layettes to poor/underpriviledged new moms.
something like this http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/c/0/0...=1244397271000

4. easy tied quilts - just 2 pieces and then hand tied. these would be donated to the nursing home we help support for lap blankets.
Quilting and Sewing with Kids: Make an Easy Tied Quilt with Kids

am i crazy? can kids do this kind of stuff for real? will i regret this?

i can sew. i'm not the greatest and i've never made a quilt before, but there are many experienced sewers in my congregation that i'm sure i could get to help.

any advice or thoughts or criticism would be great. thanks in advance.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-03-2011, 03:15 PM

Seems like a bit much for that age.
If you do all the sewing on your own could they just pick a theme and decorate a square of their own?
Then maybe have some part in presenting it?

I would say 10 year olds may be able to do the tie together quilts. The prob. is 6 and 10 is quite a skill span. 6 year old need safety scissors. Those can't cut fabric.

**mauimagic** · 05-03-2011, 03:24 PM

Of course you can do this!!

One thing we've done is have the children draw pictures on paper the size we want the quilt squares to be and then trace the pictures onto muslin,then sew the pieces together. Make sense? Let me think some more and I'll get back to you - but the bottom line is yes you can!!

**MsMarieH** · 05-03-2011, 04:14 PM

I had the same thought of that being a significant age range. Certainly all could decorate squares. But assembling them may prove too challenging for the youngest.

However, perhaps you could have them make placemats instead and the older children make a quilt?

**dinah** · 05-03-2011, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by MsMarieH

However, perhaps you could have them make placemats instead and the older children make a quilt?

there's not enough kids to do this. all together there is only 10 to 12children that attend (& that includes the 2 and 3 year olds!).

i'm still thinking everything over...lots to consider!

**Debbie-cat** · 05-03-2011, 08:32 PM

I agree with MM. You can do this! It would be a wonderful experience for the children and a hand tied quilt is not that difficult.

**Hannahski** · 05-04-2011, 10:39 AM

Beautiful idea!! My favorite destressor (sp) has always been quilting and I began at a young age, 7 or 8. It's an art that we may lose if we aren't willing to teach and share. Wish I lived closer and could help you. Hannah

**mauimagic** · 05-09-2011, 01:45 AM

So Dinah - what are your thoughts on this project? Looking forward to seeing pictures of the results too!!

**joyofsix** · 05-09-2011, 06:13 AM

I did #2 with a group of k-5thh graders. They drew on squares of muslin and they were sewn together by church ladies.

**dinah** · 05-20-2011, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by mauimagic

So Dinah - what are your thoughts on this project? Looking forward to seeing pictures of the results too!!

well, i am still ironing out the details and figuring everything out. but it does look like we are going to do some kind of quilting ministry unit.

we are starting with paper quilts so the kids can start to get the idea of what's happening. & then we'll move on to patterns and stuff. the whole th ing will culminate with making a quilt of some kind (we are leaning towards the sleeping bag project for the homeless...but i was thinking it would be easy to make some no sew fleece blankets)

after i introduced the idea i kind of realized during the summer months attendance is really sporadic and it's most likely the older kids that own't be there...so i'll probably have a lot of little kids. and that this probably would have been a better project to start in the fall...but oh well, we'll figure it out!

also, we have quite a few avid sewers in our congregation, so i think it would be a good way to have the adults work together with the kids and for everyone to develop friendships and bonds.

**dinah** · 07-18-2011, 10:11 AM

i just wanted to update everyone on my quilting ministry unit.

it has been going well; although next time i suggest we do something with heavy materials in the summer please give me a shake.

attendance in the summer is very sporadic, so it has been tougher to plan activities. we did a paper quilt (each child got a square and then i 'quilted' them with paper borders). as a whole church group (adults and kids together) we made a quilted banner for the sanctuary. each group took a pattern of a chrsitian symbol (holy spirit, trinity, the cross, etc...) and made 2 blocks out of them. then one of our very talented sewers took them and made a wonderful banner for us to hang every week. we voted for what text the banner should have. once it was finished we had a quilt blessing.

people have been really awesome at donating material for our final project; making sleeping bags for homeless people. i think we are going to do that in september.

now i'm just tryinig to think of what we can do during our august service.

i will try to remember to take a picture of our beautiful banner.