Major Project Complete!

Previously I mentioned that I have some awesome students this year. They are kind and compassionate, and I love them! A few weeks ago we were working on the letters Qq and the sound that is made when you read the letter Q. A word that comes up often when kindergarteners discuss the Q sound is quilt. The babies did not really comprehend what a true quilt was. Since we were also learning about Pilgrims at that time, I tried to explain that quilts were blankets made of leftover pieces of fabric or old clothing. They, of course, wanted to make one of their own. I, quite possibly out of my right mind at the time, decided it would be a fun project. And fun it was! I packed my sewing machine up and hauled it to school. It was set up on my kidney table, with the pedal on the table for the students to press with their hands as I guided the fabric. The supplies were completely donated by the children, and everything except the batting and backing was sewn by them as well. Here is a display of our quilt project in progress:

The babies were so proud of our project! They got so excited when someone got a turn to sew completed blocks together, and they literally cheered when they were able to see it 'grow.' Unfortunately, they all wanted to take it home. We decided that since it was the holidays and growing colder, we should offer the completed quilt to a family in need in our school district. I called our school counselor, who agreed that she would be thinking of a family that could use a quilt. When she came to collect our finished project, she cried as she told us of the family she had chosen. They had just enrolled in our district that morning. Their house and all of its contents had been lost in a fire over the Christmas holiday. They had nothing and were to be living with relatives until something permanent was decided. Wow. Three of the babies in my class cried when they comprehended the magnitude of the little boy's loss...and they were more than eager to offer him our gift.

This truly is a special group, and I am beyond proud of them!