"Kids Can Quilt"

My children, especially my 7-year-old daughter but also my 5-year-old
son, love sewing. So when I spotted a book in the school book fair
called "Kids Can Quilt" it was an easy choice.

It's a great book with simple but effective projects for kids. It starts
off with a couple of simple piecing projects, then a couple of simple
hand-quilting projects (all the projects can be done by hand, although
the book also talks about kids using sewing machines as if it was no
biggie, which I like) and even includes more "advanced" techniques such
as appliqué, trapunto and shadow quilting.

The projects include pot-holders and pencil cases and so on, but also
"proper" quilts. I like the inclusiveness of it - it doesn't assume that
kids can't make real quilts, and it doesn't assume that making quilts is
the only use for patchwork and quilting. It's not prescriptive either -
there's a dinosaur quilt but the instructions say that if you don't like
dinosaurs you could do flowers or cars or anything else you want. Most
of the projects have similar suggestions for how you can personalise
them to suit your tastes or make use of the materials you have
available.

All of the projects look effective, and some of them are stunning.
There's one where you applique large felt shapes onto a fleece blanket
using your hand as a template - it shows you how to make your hands into
butterflies, or birds wings, or a duck. It's really amazing.

I can't wait to get stuck into some of the projects with my kids during
the Easter holiday. My littlies will need quite a lot of supervision and
help to do the projects, but I always make them do as much by themselves
as they can. I only fix "mistakes" that would mean things coming apart,
so I sometimes go over seams more tightly, but I leave wonky placement
and uneven stitches alone - it's their work, not mine. An older child,
such as a teen, could probably use the book to create the projects
without adult help.

I didn't even realise until I had already bought it that the book is by
Dorothy Stapleton, one of my favourite quilt book authors, which
explains the quirky, effective projects and the laid-back attitude.

I do recommend this book if you are doing quilting with children.
--
Mel Rimmer
www.bean-sprouts.org

On Mon, 26 Mar 2007 10:00:54 +0100, M Rimmer
wrote:

My children, especially my 7-year-old daughter but also my 5-year-old
son, love sewing. So when I spotted a book in the school book fair
called "Kids Can Quilt" it was an easy choice.

It's a great book with simple but effective projects for kids. It starts
off with a couple of simple piecing projects, then a couple of simple
hand-quilting projects (all the projects can be done by hand, although
the book also talks about kids using sewing machines as if it was no
biggie, which I like) and even includes more "advanced" techniques such
as appliqué, trapunto and shadow quilting.

The projects include pot-holders and pencil cases and so on, but also
"proper" quilts. I like the inclusiveness of it - it doesn't assume that
kids can't make real quilts, and it doesn't assume that making quilts is
the only use for patchwork and quilting. It's not prescriptive either -
there's a dinosaur quilt but the instructions say that if you don't like
dinosaurs you could do flowers or cars or anything else you want. Most
of the projects have similar suggestions for how you can personalise
them to suit your tastes or make use of the materials you have
available.

All of the projects look effective, and some of them are stunning.
There's one where you applique large felt shapes onto a fleece blanket
using your hand as a template - it shows you how to make your hands into
butterflies, or birds wings, or a duck. It's really amazing.

I can't wait to get stuck into some of the projects with my kids during
the Easter holiday. My littlies will need quite a lot of supervision and
help to do the projects, but I always make them do as much by themselves
as they can. I only fix "mistakes" that would mean things coming apart,
so I sometimes go over seams more tightly, but I leave wonky placement
and uneven stitches alone - it's their work, not mine. An older child,
such as a teen, could probably use the book to create the projects
without adult help.

I didn't even realise until I had already bought it that the book is by
Dorothy Stapleton, one of my favourite quilt book authors, which
explains the quirky, effective projects and the laid-back attitude.

I do recommend this book if you are doing quilting with children.

Thank you for reading and reviewing this book! I have wondered if
it would suit my 13-year-old (going on 35) niece, who I taught to sew
when she was 9, and I was visiting Alaska. I think she would enjoy
the challenge of doing a few projects on her own, with a well-written
book to guide her.



-- Jo in Scotland

In message , IMS
writes
My SIL got that book for my niece, the Christmas after I spent
Thanksgiving break teaching the niece how to sew

An after-school project that following spring happened to be quilting
for wounded soldiers, and she (the niece) made several quilts!

Great, we've hooked another one! I don't suppose you have any pictures
of her quilts?

I should have mentioned (especially as I don't post very often any more
so many rctq-ers may not recognise me) that I've no affiliation
whatsoever. Just happened to spot and buy the book, and wanted to pass
on my opinion.
--
Mel Rimmer
www.bean-sprouts.org