This is one project I undertake each year, that I take my sweet time over. I never want to feel rushed and so early in the New Year, having gotten to know my kiddies teachers over the last 4-5 months I start looking at fabric.
I try and get as involved as I can in the classroom and this combined with my own children's input gives me an idea of what I need to make, the fabrics to pick, how the quilt should feel.
Maddy's 3rd grade teacher was easy this year. I knew early on that I had to make a football quilt from her beloved University and the hardest part was hunting down a pattern I actually liked.
The fabrics were purchased far before I found the pattern, but it all worked out!
The quilt went together quickly and easily. Joshy's teacher...not so much.
I really felt like I knew her - she is a sweet sweet lady, with an obvious affinity for her students, but there was something that was throwing me off and confusing me - she is about to get married and I felt like I needed to do something more wedding related - like a Wedding Ring Quilt.
But, the problem was...that is really not my style. My lack of commitment and stalling, showed me that I needed to go with my heart and not with what I 'ought to do'.
So I started putting together a completely different quilt using whimsical fabrics, in bright cheerful colors and a pattern I have used a few times before.
In fact - this was the pattern that I used in the very first Teacher's quilt I made five years ago for Maddy's teacher. This time though, instead of embroidering each childs hand around the border - I decided to trace each hand onto fabric (co-ordinating fabrics) and embroider the childs name within the hand.
and now I really like it....
I got some advice from The Tulsa Modern Quilt Guild with how to quilt it...they suggested I echo quilt around each hand on the border and I LOVE IT! To me it looks like each little hand is now waving! :o)
So, they are done...washed, folded and ready to be gifted - hopefully they will feel the love that has gone into each one.
Previous Teacher's Quilts::
2011: All Three Here
2010: Not blogged! But did snap this picture:
wonderful quilts!! they will love them!!
Posted by: jennifer thornton | May 22, 2013 at 02:03 PM