Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Design Wall Fun, or Give a Kid a Swiffer Box!

Three of the grandkids spent last weekend with us.  Much fun outside, playing in the creek, a treasure hunt in the woods with grandpa, badminton games, and lobbing tennis balls for the dog to fetch and return (not sure who had more fun on that last one).  Exhausted grandparents by Sunday afternoon!

A couple hours before they all departed, and after air mattresses were deflated so we could walk in the sewing room, the older two wanted to sew.  I gave the 8-year old granddaughter a partially completed wool embroidery to finish stitching, and gave the 11-year old boy a Swiffer box filled with triangle squares made from cutoffs from a quilt I completed last year.  A LOT of triangle squares.  Asked him to design a quilt block or two.  He pondered for a few minutes and then ...

After completing this block he wanted a sashing strip and chose this leftover binding fabric.  Well OK! 

And about half an hour later he ran out of design wall ...

He ran out of room but not triangle squares!  He asked me if I would sew the blocks together and then send the quilt to him as soon as it was done.  Of course!   There was no time to get out the machine and have him begin the stitching since mom and dad wanted to get on the road right after lunch. I think there are enough squares for two more blocks.  We'll see if this spatially dyslexic granny can duplicate his design - or not.  We'll be seeing them again in a couple weeks when we deliver a small dressing table for the 8-year old's bedroom.  I'll take along a small tote of border fabric selections and let him choose what he wants.  The first block (64 squares) finished at about 14-1/2 inches.  It will be a smallish quilt, but he will love it since it's his own design.

And I'll have an empty swiffer box to fill with more HST squares!

17 comments:

---"Love" said...

Do we have a new quilter? Looks like it! Take a picture before you take the blocks down to sew; then you an see how he had them. I well remember the fun I and my grandson had when he decided to make a quilt in his school colors. He did very well, and actually quilted it himself. ---"Love"

Nancy said...

Your grandson made some wonderful patterns with your leftovers! I like the first one best and think it would be a wonderful large quilt. I can tell you are a fun grandmother!

Lizzy D said...

A very talented and creative young man!

lizzy

Debbie said...

That is just priceless! He sure has a good design eye to figure thes units out. Overall, it sounds like a grand weekend!!

Barbara said...

Good eye! And a clever way to keep him occupied too.

Barb said...

He is so cute! a new quilter in the making. how sweet

---"Love" said...

One more thing --- he no doubt has been watching a great teacher-grandmother who makes beautiful quilts! ---"Love"

audrey said...

So much creativity! Love it from the younger ones.:)

Chantal said...

I just love this! That's a great idea. He's a great design already. Keep an eye on this one. He might be the Kaffe, who knows. ;^)

Janet O. said...

What a wonderful eye for design he has! You two could collaborate on quilt designs. You could be "Swiffer Box Designs"! :)

Kyle said...

What a special way to end the weekend. Fabulous blocks!

Wendy Caton Reed said...

Oh what fun! Grandkids are the greatest!

Hill Top Post said...

I just love this too! Best of all is that he asked you to sew the blocks together and send them to him.

Barbara said...

Sounds like you had a great weekend! Love seeing your grandson's creativity using all those triangle squares. He's a natural!

Cynthia@wabi-sabi-quilts said...

There's nothing better than having young people join us in our quilting rooms!

Marie said...

Oh my, he has a great eye!

QuiltGranma said...

Have him design the next two blocks, set them all on point, and then it would be a more usable size. He has a great eye, Swiffer Box Quilts! For sure! Praises for his designing!