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Do you have time to have them practice without thread on paper first? Then you can get an idea of their confidence and ability before starting on the fabric. In a school project we did a simple 9 patch pot holder and it was pretty easy for most of us. Maybe you could do a square quilt with 9 blocks... 5 of them 9 patch and the other 4 solids. If you get on a roll you can have them do the simple appliqué in the solids, otherwise leave them blank.

Quote:

Originally Posted by misskira (Post 5232874)

I would have time, for my DGD to practice but will probably have to use all time available sewing, with the younger girls, so their quilts will have to be kept as simple as possible. I'm thinking just big squares, sewn together. Originally planned on applique but if I let them do some actual sewing, I think I'll keep anything else to a minimum (the less of MY work, the better, to make them truly theirs).

I found some really pretty fabrics (will have to take a picture and post it)!

Another cool idea. Can they each bring a favorite t-shirt for the center of the quilt? That would be a fun way for them to personalize the quilt. There are also ways to heat set markers or crayons on fabric so they can actually draw on their quilt fabric blocks. I did this with my son and just used different colored sharpie markers. That might be fun. I have used warm and natural for my son's daycare quilt and it have been washed about 75x (once weekly... every weekend) and counting. The red fabric has faded slightly but man has it held up well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neesie (Post 5232345)

This summer, my DH and I will be hosting a mini "summer day camp," for my 9 yo DGD and a couple of 6 yo girls. I thought it'd be fun to introduce the girls to quilting, so decided to let them each help make a small quilt. My idea is to have each girl help make a small (kid-sized - about the size to cuddle under, on the sofa) quilt. I'm thinking something VERY simple, like large blocks, for which the girls will choose fabrics (which will already be bought and cut) and order of arrangement. Then they can draw simple shapes (on fusible paper-backed web, with or without templates) and choose fabrics for those shapes to become applique. I'll iron the pictures onto the applique fabric, then they'll cut out the shapes. I'll iron and then stitch them onto the blocks, then do the rest of the machine stitching. The quilts will be sandwiched and turned, then I'll just SID the blocks and outline the perimeter. The next day(?), the girls can go back and add ties.

Okay! My question is - in your opinion, which type batting would work best for this project? These little quilts will likely end up being washed a lot. Is there a batting that's sturdier than others, with minimal quilting? Any I should avoid? Needless to say, I don't want to spend a fortune on this. I have Warm & White and some of the lower-loft poly batting. I haven't yet used any of the higher-loft battings but am thinking it'd be more "fun" for the kids . . . but then I'd have to hand out the long needles. :shock: Maybe safer to just stick with the W&W. Opinions? If I use the W&W, the ties may not be needed, depending upon the size of the blocks. Okay, I've just about talked myself out of the higher loft. LOL

Another question - what is THE BEST marking pen, for the girls to use to write their names? I've heard the Pigma eventually fades and I'd hate for that to happen!

Also, any other ideas? I want the girls to be able to do as much of the work as possible BUT need to keep it simple, as a 6 yo's fine motor skills are generally not yet well developed. I want the quilts to showcase THEIR work, not mine. Also, I want the quilts to be something they can USE and not worry about ruining. :)

Thanks, everyone!

Well, I'm off to WalMart again, this time in search of a variety of girly fabrics, on sale! Such a worthy excuse, to buy more fabric! :thumbup:

Crayola makes a crayon that can be ironed to heat set. WE've had kids draw pics and add them to quilts. You're supposed to color onto paper and then iron on, but it also works about as well drawing directly onto fabric. (just make sure you heat set with paper between the iron and the piece.

I may be late with my reply, but thought you might like to know. I have a junior quilting group ( ages 6 to 11) we make rug mugs for mother day. They drew a picture muslin with crayola crayon.. Iron the wax out between paper towels. I explain sandwiching as if they were making a peanut butter sandwich. Once the sandwich was made the children were intruduced to to the sewing maching as a group going over the safty rules. Then each child were given a chance to quilt thier mug rug. as I stood by. The 6 year old sit in my lap while I guided her hands. Since our machined do not have speed controll. I put waddes of paper under the foot peddle so the stayed of the "turn pike". Be prepared for "grandma what do I do next? all at the same time. P.S. I cut the muslin before class. I started this group last year with the advice from this board.So my thanks to the many who gave me advice and may they have many blessing

I've made little bows out of thin satin.. then sewed them on the quilt like ties..

Many thanks, for the advice and ideas!

I remember ironing crayon art but also remember having to be careful, about putting those items into the dryer. It'd be a wonderful way, to make a wall hanging, though! Maybe that can be another project, if we have time. :)

The T-shirt idea would be awfully cute but I'm really trying to keep this as simple as possible. Will keep that in mind, though, for another DGD project! :thumbup:

The two younger girls will only be here about four(?) hours a day, for maybe only five days. I'll have to have everything pretty much ready to go and super simple, if they're going to be doing most of the sewing. May need to have a "trial run," with my granddaughter, to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. Guess I should pick up some of that basting spray, next time I'm out. There certainly won't be time for hand basting! :shock: Guess I should make sure I have a good supply of machine needles, too . . . just in case. :p

We'll be doing this, in either June or July, with all three girls. Will share our progress, when the time comes! :)

Neesie, what a cool grandma you are. Please keep us informed as to how your mini-sewing-daycamp goes. I'm going to be following this. Have fun!!

Neesie, This is such a cool idea.
Last August, several of the ladies in the church association did a quilting camp for girls 8 to 108. They could each make a 4 block lap quilt. The blocks were 12 1/2 finished. They put in sashing and borders. SID and borders.
The youngest just turned 8. The secret to our success was many volunteers, giving each student an adult. I shared myself with two sisters. It was 5 days and two hours. Not good, many days we stayed late or came early to help those who could come.
The only charge was $15.00 to pay for the warm and natural batting. We had lots of donated fabrics that a few of us sorted a head of time.
The girls and adults loved getting to learn to cut the fabrics they chose from the stash. I would have preferred to have premade kits already cut (that we put together ahead of time) and then they could have selected the colors (as they did from the stash). I also cringed at the waste in cutting the batting.
We used the 9 block and patiece corner, two each. We had someone supervise cutting and ironing for safety reasons. Hope this helps. Teresa