Dream Builders make a Quilt

Last week I was priviledged enough to be a small part of a Rhythm and Arts Camp that is sponsored by my church. It is held in a Tulsa Public School where we partner throughout the year with projects such as "Lunch Buddies", tutoring, special class projects and "Dream Builders". The camp runs from 9 a.m. till 12:30 p.m. for five days ending in a Grand Finale Program for the parents on Friday. The students learn drumming skills, singing as a choir, and this year they did "fabric" arts which included making quilt blocks.

We started our camp by asking the students to pictures themselves in their "Dream" job in the future. Then we transferred these "dream images" to paper drawings.

We then helped the students to transfer their drawings to a 8 1/2 inched square of fabric. They used Crayola Fabric Markers which worked very well. The colors were bright. Heat setting the blocks was done in 20 minutes in the dryer!! Yeah!! Much better then heat pressing 90 blocks for 1-2 minutes a piece.

We did two sets of blocks. The second set were based on the story of Rachel Scott. We told modified version of her life story highlight the set of hands that she drew on the back of a piece of furniture in her room which said....

"These are the hands of Rachel Joy Scott which will touch the lives of millions."

We asked them to draw their hands and picture how their hands will change the world in a positive way.

These are some of the amazing results:

 

 

 

On Thursday afternoon after collecting all the blocks I met with four other ladies in one of my stitch groups and we began.......

Cutting Sashing from old men's shirts that I had "deboned"

Cutting all the cornerstones from chambray shirts

One of the "more artistic" ladies laid the blocks out in the middle of the floor until she had "just" the right order

Two of us were sewing at all times.

We started at 2:30 p.m. and had the top completed at 8:30 p.m.

It has 90 blocks that are 8 inches finished put together to be a King Size Quilt.

I brought it Friday to the assembly for the parents at which time we unveiled the quilt top to a roar of applause.

 

 

 

 

On Monday I met at the church with my friend, Tami, (the artistic one), and we laid out the quilt and put in yarn ties in the the cornerstone blocks. I took it home and bound the quilt in a solid medium blue binding. The quilt was sent back to the church and today it was prayed over by the congregation. After the service it was taken to the Welcome Center where everyone was given an opportunity to "tie" a knot in the quilt and say a special prayer at that time. WOW!!!! How Awesome was that!!!

I didn't get to attend the service today because this morning we had to readmitted my hubby to the hospital for more antibiotics, blood and platelets. Things are not going well here....so pray for a miracle to happen for us please!!! In the meantime the quilt will be given back to the students of Mark Twain Elementary and hung in their gymnasium for all to see!!

Remember I said each child made two blocks......I have 90 more blocks that need to be put together before the school year begins. Another miracle...with the help of my friends!!

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama