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Memory Quilt - from Big Messy Art

Create a quilt that will be am artistic heirloom for the lucky recipient. Don't be surprised if everyone decides they want one of these memorable quilts for their very own!

Materials: • White sheet or fabric • Fabric Crayons • Measuring tape • Old scissors • Sandpaper • Electric warming tray • Work gloves or hot mitts, optional • Old iron and ironing board • Paper for the ironing step • Quilted fabric for back of quilt, any pattern • Sewing machine, sewing needs like thread and pins • Yarn and a heavy needle

Process:

Making this quilt involves both heat and electricity and requires constant adult interaction, assistance, and supervision.

1. Use a measuring tape and fabric crayons to mark 8" (20 cm) squares on the sheet. Set aside.
2. Cut sandpaper into 8" (20 cm) squares with old scissors. Make one sandpaper square for each square on the sheet.
3. Place a sandpaper square on the heated warming tray, sand side up. Hint: Use caution and supervision when working around a heat source, although the electric warming tray should be safe to touch briefly. Wear work gloves or hot mitts from the kitchen on the non-drawing hand, if desired.
4. The artist carefully colors a design or picture on the sandpaper, watching the crayon markings melt into the rough sand. Set aside and let cool. make one sandpaper square for each square of the sheet.
5. To transfer the crayon squares to the fabric, heat the old iron to cotton setting. Spread clean paper on the ironing board.
6. Place the sandpaper drawing face down on one of the marked off squares on the sheet (sandy picture side against the cloth, sandpaper backing facing up). Cover all with a clean piece of paper to protect the iron. Then press the back of the sandpaper to transfer the picture to the cloth. Press firmly. Do not wiggle the iron too much.
7. An adult constructs the quilt with as much help from the artist (or artists) as is appropriate. When all the squares have been ironed onto the sheet, cut a piece of the quilt backing to the size of the sheet. Choose a fabric that is already quilted, has a nice pattern, and is soft and cuddly. Turn both fabrics inside out (good sides facing each other), matching edges and corners, and sew three sides together with straight stitches on the sewing machine. Sew the fourth side almost closed, leaving about 10" (25cm) open. Turn them right-side out and sew the remainder of the fourth side closed. Iron the seams flat. To hold the layers of fabric together, at the corner of each quilted square, sew a piece of yarn through both layers of fabirc and back to the front, and then tie tightly in a little knot.
8. The quilt is ready to be given as a gift, or enjoyed as a wall hanging, throw, or naptime friend.

Variations:

Make wall decorations or pillows out of individual squares. Use this melting and ironing process to decorate T-shirts or other articles of clothing. Create a tablecloth or table runner instead of a quilt.

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