Commit to Quilt 20 Minutes Each Day!

You know what they say about practice makes perfect…

Well, I’ve joined the Drop and Give Me 20 Challenge over at the Eva Paige Quilt Designs blog and for the month of February, I commit to quilt for 20 minutes each day. Now, by the rules of the challenge, any quilt-related activities count, not just actual quilting.

For my 20 minutes, I will practice free motion. I’m taking two free motion quilting classes on Craftsy right now so the timing of the challenge is perfect! And if I’m away from home during the month and can’t sit at my machine, I’ll spend my daily 20 minutes doodling new quilting designs to try out once I get home.

Quilt and sew with your child in 20 minute chunks...

You can accomplish a lot in just a few minutes, especially if you’re consistent over time. This is particularly important to remember when quilting and sewing with kids. Often, a child’s attention span won’t hold up for much more than 15-20 minutes. Set your kid up for success by breaking projects into doable chunks based on your child’s skill and focus levels.

Also, remember that not all 'quilting' has to involve sewing! What about having your child work on blocks for a crayon quilt?

And if you're looking for more ideas for projects to use with your child, check out Craftsy. There are plenty of patterns, projects and classes, and many are free! Why not enjoy a class together?

Crayon Quilts are a Great Project for Kids!

 I love crayon quilts! How fun for kids to color pictures and then see them on a blankie. Many years ago, my daughter’s preschool class created a crayon quilt to raffle as a fundraiser. I bought five tickets, one for each child, and my preschool daughter won! Over two decades later she still treasures that quilt.

I recently received the following question by email and would like to share my response.

Question:

Are crayon quilts made using crayons, or is it just the name used because of the look of the pictures?

Answer:

Yes, crayon quilts are made using crayons. You can use regular crayons on 100% cotton fabric but need special fabric crayons when using a fabric that contains synthetics such as a cotton/polyester blend. 

Here are a few links that might be of help:

Quiltbug: Coloring a Quilt with Crayons

MeSew: Crayon Fabric Art Directions

eHow: How to Make a Crayon Quilt

Although a crayon quilt is washable once the crayon is properly heat-set, to better preserve the colors and detail you might want to reserve this technique for items that won't require frequent laundering. Enjoy your project!

I encourage you to make a crayon quilt with your children or grandchildren. If a full quilt is too much to take on, make small individual wallhangings instead. Also, consider organizing a class project to raise money for your local preschool. You’ll be glad you did!

If you need ideas or step-by-step instructions for working with a group of children, get a copy of Creative Quilting with Kids by Maggie Ball.