School Progress Report

It's been several months since I started working with the 5th graders at my son's elementary school on a year-long quilting project to make a wall hanging.  It's been a slow process since there are 5 classes, each with approximately 22 students each. Here is the basic teaching outline that I've followed --

1. Basic sewing safety and how to use the sewing machine
2. Sewing practice using ruler lined paper
3. Properties of fabric
4. Sewing practice using fabric scraps
5. Learning how to pin and pinning our first squares
6. How to get a 1/4 seam and sewing our first squares
7. Iron safety, pressing, and pressing our first squares

Once we covered all of those topics, we've just been plugging away at sewing squares, pressing them, pinning them to the next group of squares, and repeating. Because of student confidentiality, I can't share any in-class photos with you but they are very excited to have the top completely done!

Do the points and seams all match up? No. Is the stitching always straight? No. But are the kids excited about sewing and having a blast? Absolutely! And that is what is important. Over the next few weeks there won't be any sewing because of state-wide standardized testing so next up will be to create the quilt sandwich, appliquéing the letters, and quilting it.