My Little Neighbor, age 10, is back at work on her first quilt, a 9-patch. To see her running and skipping around the neighborhood, you’d never know she was sidelined last summer with a broken foot. That’s why she started the quilt: she needed a project she could work on by hand while sitting on the couch with her leg in a cast.
She started last July with five fabrics culled from my stash and by August had a basketful of strips, made by sewing three patches together. To see her first efforts, go here:
MLN came over a few days ago, ready for the next step: sewing the strips in rows to make blocks. She arranged sets of strips into 9-patches, moving strips around as needed to achieve a nice balance of color and value. When the dining room table was covered with blocks . . .
. . . we moved to the living room floor:
After a short lesson on how to press the seams so that they are opposing when the rows are sewn together, MLN was ready to join the rows. Here is her first block, pinned:
See how nicely her seams match? Her quarter-inch hand-sewn seams are spot on!
That is so beautiful! I mean the whole thing, the work, the time spent with a child, the happy look on her face, all of it! God Bless you Dawn, for opening your heart and sharing your time and talent with this girl. She’ll remember you forever! You and your quilting, the building blocks of her soul and yours. Perhaps when I see you this summer I can begin a tutorial. I love hand sewing, and would be thrilled out of mind to learn from you and begin a quilt.
Lisa, you are on!
I echo what Lisa said!!! Your sharing your time and talents with this young lady is giving her skills that she will use the rest of her life. Her beautiful face is shining as she shares her finished block with us. I can’t wait to see her project come together. It is going to be gorgeous, she has the touch! Big Hugs to both of you…
I was so happy to see that your young friend is continuing to make great progress on her quilt. I’m also happy that her foot healed up great and she is able to run around. I love the fact that your friend did not drop her interest as soon as her cast came off like many kids might have. I remember how special it was to have an adult, who was not a relative, take the time to mentor me and I am sure that this young girl feels special to have had attention too. You did a good thing by taking this project on at a time when it is hard for kids to find good role models. She did a great job with her color selection and with sewing her nine-patches together. Please let your quilting friend know how fantastic her quilt is coming along and that we can’t wait to see it again as she makes more progress. I hope when it is completed and she takes it home she feels very proud of what she has accomplished. Thank you for taking the time to teach the craft of quilting to someone who has proved to be an avid student – a win win situation.
I’ll pass your lovely comments on to My Little Neighbor, Ellen, as well as the kind words others have written. Thanks to you all!
Hi Dawn,
What a great story and a beautiful neighbor. Looking forward to seeing the project as it progresses.
Vickie