Earlier this month I was asked to help with a fund raiser for Sisters Elementary School. That was fine and good but I only had a couple of weeks to get a project done for both the A.M. and P.M. class. The tradition for the Green and Gold Gala is for us to use the kids in the class to help create something that the parents would want to bid on at the Gala. Something fabulous of course! Well, the easiest thing I could think of was a quilt besides I just didn't have any other ideas on such a spur of the moment request. My friend, Julie offered to help me, thanks goodness!
We went to the classes and took the hand prints of the students and then started sewing.....
I picked solids to play off the fun, creative, exploration of Kindergarten. Then the technique was inspired by my mom and her free form piecing. It was so fun to just sew without a pattern or having to write a pattern for the quilt.
We sell these rolls of solid fabrics in the shop in soft, bright and dark color palettes. I picked the bright and soft to play with in the quilts.
Miss Sophie had to come and lay in the strips while we were quilting. I have to say the best of doing this project was getting to have Julie in the studio. We had such a wonderful time chatting and sewing.....need more of those days in my life. It is amazing what having some girl time can do to your attitude!
The finished quilt for Olivia's class, A.M. I wrote all of the kids names next to their hands so that they could find their hand-print. Mom has already decided she wants this quilt....she is going to be out of town on the night of the Gala so she is sending John.....He loves auctions!
This is the P.M. class. I love that they are different from each other, the shape and construction. It makes me happy to be a part of this and that the quilts ended up as good as they did. I was hoping that my idea would work. It is always nice when that happens, don't you think?
When I took them in on Monday, Mrs. Kamrath loved them...she wanted to know how much she was going to have to "fork" out to get them. That was a huge compliment to me.....we will see on November 6th how much we can raise for the school!!! With all of the budget cuts in our district it is amazing that we even have a kindergarten. It is so frustrating to see our schools suffer, well I should say our kids suffer. Our little town is lucky because the community is so supportive but we still struggle.
Anyway, have got to head out to the last soccer practice of the year....and potluck that we do with our friends after soccer practice. We are hoping to continue the pot luck...it is a great excuse to get together and the kids have a blast!
XO
Valori