The Joys of Introducing Youngsters to Quilting

Ah!  The joys of introducing youngsters to quilting!  I’ve had a deligtful week exploring the world of patchwork and quilts with fourth graders.   We’re not doing actual “hands-on” quilting, but we’re discussing this art and participating in some “show and tell.” 

 Instead, this exploration has evolved from reading The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills.  (The illustrations are so beautiful that I simply had to post a large version of the cover.)

  In The Rag Coat, Minna doesn’t have a coat to wear to school when the weather is cold.  Therefore, the ladies in her mother’s quilting group create one of the scraps left over from their quilting projects.

Quilts Tell a Story

As they make the coat, the ladies relate stories about their family members who wore each piece of clothing.  They also mentioned various events the scraps of fabric brought to mind.  The other children at school make fun of Minna’s coat until they learn their stories are interwoven into it.

Your quilts and patchwork clothing can tell stories, too, if you use leftovers from items you’ve made.  Also, you can include good fabric from an outgrown dress, worn jacket, blanket, tablecloth or other items that have meaning in your family.

Incorporating Quilting With History

Fourth graders in New Hampshire, where I live, also study the history of the state, so I could tie quiltmaking in with the students’ social studies lessons.   I shared with the children the quilt I made with my grandmother, many years ago when I was eight years old.  Then they began telling of baby quilts their moms or grandmothers made for them.

I also read them my story, “Sarah Jane’s Daring Deed,” from the Tales of Adventure & Discovery anthology consisting of my stories, poetry, and illustrations.   This led into discussions of pioneer living and quilting.  For a writing workshop, some of them wrote about additional adventures Sarah Jane and her new friend, Little Fawn, encountered. 

In my story, Father and Sarah Jane’s brother, Stephen, were away at the nearest settlement, a couple days ride away, purchasing or bartering supplies they couldn’t acquire or produce at their homestead.  Mother, Sarah Jane and her little sister Lucy were all alone at their home in the wilderness.  That’s when Sarah Jane’s adventure begins.