The Quilting Frame

Ellie has been sewing a quilt. She started about 6 months ago, around the time Evie started doing sewing 4H. Ellie felt left out because she is a clover bud, too young to join the sewing club. So we picked out some fat quarters and she started working on her first 9-patch.

It is the sort of project that is hard to keep after consistently because we do not have a dedicated sewing area. In order to use the sewing machine we have to clear off one of the tables, which is easier said than done. Ellie kept after it though, and last week she finally finished the top.

There was a problem, though. To finish the quilt, that is to add the batting and backing, she needed some kind of quilting frame, so Daddy set out to build one.

This required some thought. We needed something that could be used for multiple size projects. It would have been easy to make a 4×4 frame and set it on a table, but as I alluded to above, table top space is not something we can easily spare in our house. That meant it needed to be free-standing. But since we won’t be quilting very often, it also needed to be easily collapsible, partly so we can get it up the stairs, and partly so we can put it away in a small space when not using it.

After much thinking and some experimentation, this was the finished product.

As intended, it easily broke down to fit in the car.

And was easily assembled upstairs in the house.

Winnie and Daddy took a quick trip to the post-apocalyptic wasteland formerly known as Jo-Ann Fabrics and Winnie picked out a pretty clearance fabric to use as the back.

We cut out the back and batting,

And laid it out on the living room floor.

Then we began the tying process. Daddy showed her the knot once, then helped her do it once, and after that she was off.

A few weeks ago we were coming home from religion class on a Sunday. The reading of the day had been from 1 Corinthians 12: “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.” Ellie Belle was very thoughtful in the back of the car on the way home, then she piped up in a gloomy Eeyore voice: “I know what my gift is. It’s a boring one.”

“Oh?” I asked. “What is your gift?”

“My gift is I can concentrate and do my school without getting distracted.”

This was very true, and I thought it was a great observation. “You are right. That is a great gift!”

She groaned. “It’s boring! I’d rather have water powers!”

Well, who wouldn’t?

But seriously, her ability to focus and keep plugging away at something is pretty spectacular.

Once she gets in the groove, she has to press through until she has finished it. That’s why she is good at her sticker-by-numbers, her jewel art, her coloring, and all the other detail oriented, focused things she does.

Last thing before night prayers…

This morning when Mommy woke up, Ellie was under the desk reading Calvin and Hobbes, with a fully tied quilt on the frame.

After Mass, and Religion class, and Daddy getting home from work (Clinic weekend) we cut the binding and sewed that on.

She kept asking us to letter her turn up the speed on the sewing machine, but when she does that she has a hard time keeping on her line, so we kept her in “turtle mode.”

Ellie’s First Quilt!

“Turn it around and show us the back!”

“Okay.”

So proud of her! She is planning on entering it in the Pierce Co Fair this summer, so if you happen to go there, make sure to give it a vote!