What to Teach a First Time Quilter (Child)
 

This weekend I have the privilege of teaching two young girls (11 and 9) how to make their first quilt.
The older girl as a wee bit of machine experience, the younger one has none.

We have 2 machines available to us (older ones).

We only have one afternoon, and I'll say 3 hours max for attention span. I don't know my grreat nieces very well, but the older one can really concentrate; the younger is a livewire.

What would you suggest I prepare ahead of time to take along to make it fun and enjoyable? What pattern? Any tips at all? I've taught children lots of things, but not quilting.

I won't be doing this at home, so I have to pack up everything. Organization will be key.

I think I would have some fabric cut up and ready (so they can sew right away)...then I would assist them in cutting some but not all that they need. Cuts, etc. would make me nervous...but I do really love to cut fabric so I think that would be something I would want them to experience.

One more thing... I would take along some pictures of quilts so they can see and appreciate beautiful quilts. I never really noticed quilts until I started to make them.

Kitty has good advise. I would go over the basics of the machines and tell them not to touch any knobs!!! I just taught a sewing camp at our church with these same ages and they just loved turning knobs and pushing buttons! Then we had to figure out why it didn't sew right.

I think sewing simple blocks together for the first one would be enough. Are they going to do the quilting too?

I think you might have more success making something like a pillowcase if you have girls and only three hours to do it in.

"Making a quilt in three hours" - maybe a doll quilt?

I meant to say doll quilt. I want a very easy pattern and I'll be precutting before I go.

We'll have 2 machines there, and I haven't used either. If we get to the quilting part, it will be learning to tie since I won't be teaching the quilting in the same sitting.

Well, they have an aunt in town who has taught the older girl a few sewing lessons. I want to be Aunt Zo, The Quilting Aunt:)

I start them on a piece of paper with the machine unthreaded. When they can stay on the lines , I move on to string blocks. They are not gung ho until they see the 1st block trimmed. I even taught a couple brothers one summer!

Great idea.