One of the best things about our elementary school are the Extra-Curricular Nights sponsored by our PTO. I jumped in our Kindergarten year to help with Art Night (There is also International, Math, & Science Nights). Art Night is geared specifically toward our Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders and features both demonstrations and make-n-take projects.
The theme that year, 2004, focused on artists & craftsmen. A Potter was throwing clay on a wheel and children received their own lump of clay to mold and shape. A Jewelry artist had a display of her creations and assisted the kids in making their own beaded bracelets. A local Portrait Painter taught children how to draw a person or a dog (most chose to draw the dog, naturally). There were several others as well (but they've slipped from my memory). I was the Quilter and brought several of my quilts to share. My station had not one but two quilt-design related activities.
My first activity was for the children to experience the joy of designing a quilt block using two basic shapes. These new quilters had a large variety of fabric squares and triangles (all pre-cut from my stash) and a few sample "classic" nine-patch blocks to get them started. To keep it a short-easy-to-do project, they simply used glue stick to fasten their design onto a piece of cardstock. It was fun to watch the kids (& the non-quiting parents) agonize over color options, block arrangement &/or basic design. While many made one block and moved on to the next activity quickly, a large number asked to make two lingering long past the allotted time.
My second project was not a make-n-take one, but rather to make a block to be used in a quilt for the next school auction. The children were to draw something colorful on the prepared blocks. My idea had been to make three separate quilts for the next year's school auction, one for each of the grade levels attending Art Night. In actuality, three quilts were not made for two reasons: many wanted to keep their colorfully drawn designs and those leaving theirs as instructed forgot to sign their name &/or grade on the freezer paper back. I did have enough to make a nice twin size quilt. Here are a few photos of the top before it was quilted.
This is the top left corner. Sharpies of all colors were the tools provided. Word of caution: be sure to be in a well-ventilated room when working with this many participants as multiple Sharpies open at once is quite fragrant!
This is the top right corner. I love the colorful kid-face-print fabric used for the borders. It has all the colors of the Sharpies and fabrics used in the quilt blocks and sashings.
Here are six blocks from the center of the quilt. Each block was bordered on two sides (right and lower sides) with different bright fabrics that coordinated with the block itself and with the border print. An additional row along the top and left sides completed the framed-block sashing look.
Here is the finished quilt before going to Mike Walton of Astro Quilting for his masterful work (oh to have time, money and space to be my own long-armer! maybe one day ....)
This is the lower right corner. The label appears on the front to finish the quilt to be 10 rows of 7 blocks apiece. Isn't it nice when the math works out so easily?
The quilt was sold in the school auction, bringing in a hefty amount for the PTO coffers that year. I will have to get a photo of the finished quilt to add to this post .... one day. Two years later I became the Chair of Art Night -- but that's a story to tell another day ....
Here is my piece in an early phase. I used left-over coffee filters (a gift from my friend Liz B, thank you again Liz!) to build the tree on a base of distressed black funky fabric over an upholstery remnant and trapped under a sheer voile.
"Solitude" is my finished tree.
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