Monday, April 30, 2012

Art Quilts to "quilting" for grandchildren

     The grandchildren arrived on Friday night and we went to Summer Shack. The next morn I had an early SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Association) meeting out in Natick. After a fabulous meeting viewing art quilts, I was inspired to pick up some fabrics so the three grands could feel like quilters. I had gotten an idea for this from the Peabody Historical Society quilt show in a big barn last Sunday. There was a children's table that held mini quilt squares, glue sticks and dowels with muslin hanging. The small and medium squares could be glued on in different patterns...traditional patterns. They looked terrific.


 

   









      However, at Fabric Place Basement I was seduced by bright colors and what looked like colorful fabric alphabets that could be easily cut up and placed on even more colorful backgrounds. I bought several quarter yards. Joe cut the dowels and drilled holes while I tied the fishing line on with square knots.


      After the children went to bed, I used the hot glue gun to attach their "quilts" onto the dowels (so fast) and hung them from the chandelier for them to see when they arose the next morn. Erika was down early and made another for Mommy. However, she and I added batting and backing, and machine quilted the piece. She added a gold bow embellishment and wanted to add beads as well. An art quilter on the rise. Both girls took home more letters to create a word quilt at home for 3-year-old David who was more into trucks and cars, coloring and cookies, guitars and games. I have leftovers for quilt postcards. Click on photos to enlarge!


13 comments:

  1. What a great idea! Looks like a good time was had by all.

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  2. I love them! Erika is looking older these days! DJ

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  3. 'Seduced by bright colors' so Linda.

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  4. Those are just delightful! What a wonderful project for the girls and what treasures they now have. Neat grandmother!! :-)

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  5. Love the glue-together alphabet "quilts"! Will definitely try this next time my grand-girls congregate -- so glad you went to that Peabody show! SM

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  6. Very Cool, I bet they had a fabulous time.
    Elana

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  7. So cute! I love this project. I miss those guys! And I see my bird in the shots, too :)

    Abby

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  8. Glad you had a nice weekend with your kids. I don't think I'll be doing any quilt projects with mine though it looks like such fun. KB-B

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  9. What a neat idea! Yes, I might try this out on my grandkids, though I think they'd want to sew them. But they could glue them first, which would make sewing easier. And there is glue that you can use and then sew through, I think. Yes, for sure, as several classes I have taken have touted gluing down the edges of appliques and then sewing them down on the machine. A great great post, inspiring, with wonderful pictures of beautiful and charming children!

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    1. I only had a day for this. Of course with older children you could have ironed on Wonder Under so they could cut and press to laminate pieces. Or as some art quilters do, simply tack on the pieces with a dab of glue and sew away on top as we did Erika's. They took the squares home to do some joining with stitches on new pieces.

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  10. What fun for ALL ! I too would like to try this . I'll write down your process so I can remember it. Darling pictures of darling people! I am laughing at David's love of SOMETHING ELSE - cute trucks! ss

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  11. Thanks, Linda, What a great project ! Bonnie

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  12. Fabulous! Erika is a go getter, isn't she? I love her striped dress, too.

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