The fifth graders finished the quilt pieces right before break. I spent a wonderful day sewing and quilting all of the pieces together into a beautifully adorned winter-inspired piece of art. The images that follow show the progress. Happy Snow Day!
Week Four (3 weeks of running stitches!)
Week Five: starting to add some embellishments...
Week 7: I began to sew on borders so that I could piece together as soon as they were finished with their designs.
Week 8: I started to piece together the squares...
And the finished product! (with cool glitter fabric on back!)
First graders spent time talking about the different purposes of quilt-making. After creating a symmetric foundation of fabric, each quilter embellished his/her fabric with ribbons and buttons. During the subsequent classes, students discussed symbolism found in colors and shapes in the quilts. We looked as some examples from the Freedom Quilts of the underground railroad. After the quilt was finished, each student wrote a short story based on the symbols of his/her quilt.
The second graders stepped up to the sewing challenge! Using burlap as the primary surface, the students attached yarn using the “couch” method of sewing to represent the first letter of their first names. Next, the students added “pizzazz” by sewing on buttons, beads and sequences. The real fun began when each student stuffed his/her pillow. The pieces were sewn together using the “running stitch”. These beautiful pieces showcase determination and self-expression. Like snowflakes, no 2 pillows are alike! Sweet Dreams...
