Creative Homeschooling: Your Family Quilt
After the excitement of the holidays dies down, all the decorations are put away, and things start to go back to normal, it’s easy to rush into the next season and long for spring. However, since we still have a few more months of winter left, what better way to embrace it than by trying out a creative homeschooling unit study and crafting project that could even turn into a lifelong hobby? Get some ideas on creating your own quilting unit study, learn how to incorporate the skills learned into other subjects, and discover why it is important to learn some of these basic sewing skills.
Creative Homeschooling Skills
Learning how to quilt begins with some essential skills that can be introduced even before you begin serious work on your quilt. Incorporate basic quilting terminology into spelling and vocabulary lessons, use math to learn how to gauge 1/4 inch seam allowances and use rulers and measuring tapes, and play around with color theory in an art class. Check out these ten skills the beginning quilter should master.
If you’re interested in trying a quilting project or class with a group of students, check out this blog post about a co-op’s quilting class, including a sample syllabus you can use for planning ideas.
Creative Homeschooling Quilting Projects
Anyone who’s done craft projects with young kids knows that, while kids can be enthusiastic participants, they can also be hard to keep focused and organized. This article from Storey.com offers plenty of tips and techniques for collaborative sewing with kids. A large quilting project may be too much of an undertaking for a younger child. There are a ton of creative ways you can incorporate a quilting lesson into your homeschool on a smaller scale. Try making a small quilt for a doll or baby, or framing one beautiful patchwork square to hang on the wall.
The story-telling aspects of quilting shouldn’t be ignored in any quilting project. This mom shares her homeschool journey through a quilting analogy–and a literal quilt of her family’s story. Try incorporating your family history, your child’s life events, or broader world, Bible, or American history into a quilting project that gives you plenty to discuss over the course of your unit study.
If you’re interested in more kid-friendly sewing projects and ideas for teaching this creative life skill, check out this Homeschool Living post.
Megan Mora Fuentes
