Clarice's First Quilt

Clarice, my sweet thirteen year old niece, had her first sewing class in junior high last school year. You know the one. A little introduction to basics where you make a little bag or maybe a skirt if you are lucky.  It perked her interest and she began to show curiosity to the fun tools/fabrics in my project room. It didn't take long for her to ask if I would help her make a quilt this summer. Her very first! I helped with the design and some of the cutting, but she did all the rest on her own (including the painful lesson or taking seams apart.)

I walked her through the quilting process beginning with buying supplies, just so she knows what damage her new addiction can do to her piggy bank. Then I let her dig into my stash, my VERY FAVORITES included. Unfortunately for me, Clarice has great taste. I'll be honest. It was a little painful when she picked a few of my lone pieces of precious fabric and she even offered not to use them, but what better home could they possible have? So I told her to get ironing and cutting.

 Once all the fabric decisions were made it was time to experiment with pairing up patterns.

Clarice had fun mixing and matching.

And played around until she found things just the way she liked it.

....while Lola supervised.

Then it was time to get to sewing.

 Followed by even more ironing and experimenting. 

Now all that is left on the front of the quilt is to add the borders.

Then sandwich the batting and back together and throw on some binding. 

Clarice has been a quick learner and I can't wait to see her finished product. Who knows, this might just be the beginning of many quilts to come!

P.S. I took this opportunity to enter her into her very first sewing contest here. There are MANY talented people entering, but I wanted Clarice to have the chance to win something fun  to start her own collection.