Nativity Wall Hanging {Quilt}

 When I made the Nativity Auction Tree Skirt last November, I had an extra Nativity scene sitting around.  I couldn't very well toss the work of Kindergartners that worked super hard on it, so I came up with the idea to make a "mini" for the teacher.  And the room mom and I must have been on the same page, because she asked me if I minded making one for her as an end of the year teacher gift.

This time, since I knew it wasn't going to be "used" like a tree skirt, I appliqued the figures right on the background without the black felt edge.

 

I meant for it to be a "mini" but it was hard not to crowd all the figures.  I definitely eliminated the "town" a few less palm trees to make room!

 I used all the same fabrics, including backing and binding.  Made a sleeve at the upper back that blended in with the backing in case the teacher decided to use it as a table runner or whatever she desired.

 Quilt Stats:

 Measures:  20"x 52"

Pattern: none

Fabric: Kona Parchment, Kona Brown, Northcott Christmas Reindeer Prance, 

Henry Glass Beige Baroque, Moda Swirl

Thread: Omni Thread Natural Linen by Superior Threads

Quilted: Free motion on HQ Avante

 

 

I think it was very much appreciated.

 I'm so glad to have been able to use more of the kids' artwork!

Nativity Tree Skirt {School Auction Quilt Project}

 "and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space." Luke 2:7

 When we arrived to Salt Lake City, my friends all wondered out loud how long it would take the schools to find out about my quilting experience.  All it took was an Auction meeting in September to offer my services to the committee. The kindergarten room traditionally did a quilt for the class auction and they needed help.  How could I not speak up?

 I met with their room mom who had chosen coloring book images for the kids to color.  I sent her on her way with the approximate size, preparation of the muslin fabric with freezer paper backings, and my collection of fabric markers.  She chose the fabrics for the sky and background based on the fact that she wanted to do more "traditional" Christmas colors.

 She returned with two sets of Nativity scenes, unsure if I would need it to "fill up" the tree skirt.  However, it was too much, especially knowing that we had to keep the adorable drawings toward the edge of the skirt.  I saved the second set for the Nativity Wall hanging Quilt I made for the end of the year Kindergarten teacher gift.

I was really worried about the figures getting lost in the background and satin stitched them to some black felt and then appliqued them on the backgrounds.  It ended up being the part the parents loved the most.  The colors the kids chose and the fabrics the room mom picked evoked feelings of an authentic desert nativity scenen.  I made the creche oversized, had the shepherds gathered on hills of sand with palm trees, and the village of Bethlehem in the distance behind the Wise men.

This photo is actually from the wall hanging.

 I think I went a little crazy with the dense quilting, but I wanted to showcase the figures and also give the feeling of shifting sand dunes and swirling dense stars.  I can't seem to find a photo, but I made covered button closures at the opening.
 I also made a printed quilt label with the kids names on the back.  They were the main artists!

 Quilt Stats:

 Measures: Approx. 40" diameter

Pattern: none

Fabric: Kona Parchment, Kona Brown, Northcott Christmas Reindeer Prance, 

Henry Glass Beige Baroque, Moda Swirl

Thread: Omni Thread Natural Linen by Superior Threads

Quilted: Free motion on HQ Avante

I have to admit, I was pretty excited to hear how well it did at the auction! 
I hope that I can help them out to do just as well next year!

Button's First Quilt

   {Quilting with Toddlers/Kids Tutorial}

 I often struggle because the boys ask me frequently to learn to quilt. We usually start a super simple patchwork quilt. Get the squares cut and start piecing....then lose all steam. Sad, really. 

Button has been cutting up little scraps with his scissors lately and keeps asking to make a dragon quilt. He cuts out a tail and a body and I'm left with the question.  Now what?

Saturday,  I had an answer. 

I printed off a coloring page of Stuffy the Dragon from the Disney show Doc McStuffins.

coloring page via Pinterest. 

 I then laid it under a scrap piece of white fabric.

He and I cut different shapes and then he glued on the pieces with some fabric glue. 

His idea to make brown dots for eyes. 

We rummaged through my scraps for backing and found the right scrap batting size.  Sprayed the layers together with quilting spray adhesive to make the proverbial quilt sandwich. 

He liked the spray adhesive.  Team effort to push the nozzle!

Then we sat down at the machine and I did raw appliqué with a freemotion foot. Nothing fancy. The idea was quick satisfaction. Appliqué and quilting at the same time. 

I trimmed all the excess down. He isn't allowed to mess with the rotary cutter yet. He still steals the water bottle and squirts everything. Not to be trusted. 

We added the binding together. He likes to help push the scissor button and the foot button. 

I think the key is to give them a job and not worry about perfect finish.

I started hand sewing the back while he played with the binding clips. 

The total time. One hour.

Not too shabby for very short attention spans.

To make it official:

Quilt Stats
Measures: 8.25" x 11"
Pattern: Button's "stuffy" Pattern
Fabrics: momma's scraps
Quilting: Freemotion on momma's machine

 
 I had other plans with the hour I had to spend in my studio on Saturday.
Normally, I would be cranky about sharing that time.  However,

I have ZERO regrets stopping and spending it with him.

Don't forget to take a picture of the back, momma!

The smile says it all!