Scrap Quilting By Hand, Part 2: Choosing A Style

Dear Lissy,

Most quilters gravitate to a certain style of quilting after a few years. I enjoy what I have dubbed controlled scrap quilting.  In true scrap quilting, dozens or even hundreds of fabrics are used without regard for color, type, or the overall effect.  In controlled scrap quilting, some element of either color or design is controlled to create continuity.  I don't, however, use the same fabric and fabric placement in every block which gives a static, designer feel to a quilt.

This little beauty is a classic controlled scrap quilt.  It uses a simple block design called nine patch and snowball, the same pattern I used for Laura's baby quilt.  If you look closely, the artist used solid fabrics on the vertical stripes to create a secondary design element as well.  This looks like a true scrap quilt at first, but by limiting the work to only 1930's reproduction fabrics, the quilt has a light, happy feel.  I used this technique when I made Saratoga Stars to for Auntie Nan.  By using all navy, burgundy, and tea-dyed muslin fabrics, I created a vintage Americana quilt.

Flowers for Laurie is a designer controlled scrap quilt.  Here the quilter used a designer "focus fabric" for the sash and borders, which means all of the fabrics in the blocks are either directly in, or a shade of, the floral fabric in the border and sashing.  The scrappy quality of the quilt is also controlled by using the same fabric within each block even though the blocks aren't identical. I dislike the flowery fabric she chose for the sashing and borders, but if I step back from my computer so I can't see the design of that fabric, the overall quilt is very appealing.  
I used controlled scrap for your baby quilt.  The Kate Greenaway fabric was the focal point of the quilt, and all of the other pieces were chosen to complement that fabric.  Rather than using the Greenaway fabric as the border (too busy!) I fussy cut the fabric for the center of the star block and chose a simple check for the border.

This contemporary scrap quilt emphasizes color and overall design rather than individual blocks or a focus fabric. There is little to no repetition of fabric and no white space, which gives the quilt the feeling of a piece of art rather than a quilt.  Contemporary scrap quilting requires looking at the big picture, which can be more challenging.  Katie's baby quilt and "Star Light, Star Bright" that I was commissioned to make for Dr. Gillock's office were both contemporary scrap quilts.  As a general rule, very simple blocks or one patch designs make the easiest "canvas" for contemporary work.

After I decide whether the block design I chose would work best as a classic, designer, or contemporary scrap quilt, I finalize design details.

Butterfly nebula, the inspiration for Katie's quilt.

The first thing I pick is my focus art.  For some quilts this may be a focus fabric, but I generally prefer a photo, painting or object.  I'm quite fond of nebulas.  Katie's tumbling blocks baby quilt was done in the rusts/purples/greens of the butterfly nebula with carefully placed stars of a creamy white fabric.  Your baby quilt was centered around Kate Greenaway picture book illustrations.  The focus art determines my palette somewhat, but it always sets the tone for color -- brights, grayed, soft pastels, jewel tones, etc.

After picking a piece of focus art, I choose a handful of techniques that make the quilt more interesting.  This is done first by shading blocks in black/gray/white on a paper design, and then by choosing fabrics to amplify and create certain effects.  Not every one of these techniques will be used in every quilt unless you're Jinny Beyer.

• Glow:  Areas where I can shade adjacent pieces in a block from dark to light or from one color to another.  Often I use both shade and color glow.
• Movement:  The overall design should pull the eye across the quilt.  This is usually accomplished by strong diagonal lines in either the pattern itself or the color/shading choices. If the quilt doesn't have much movement (like Flowers for Laurie, above), try setting the blocks on point or adjusting the colors to create diagonal lines.
• Sparkle:  This is created naturally created by dozens of different fabrics, but every quilt needs a little yellow, too! 
• Rhythm/Rhyme:  Using the same 1-2 fabrics in an area that forms a secondary pattern or a small part of the main pattern to create a "beat" or "rhyme" for the eye as it moves across the quilt.  Many blocks form a four patch or a simple star where the corners touch.  This is a great place to put the same 1-2 fabrics.
• Contrast:  Incorporate contrast in shade (light and deep dark) and/or color (purple/green, orange/teal)
• Continuity:  I have a thing about white space in classic or designer scrap quilts.  I always use the same single (plain!) fabric for the background of the blocks or the quilt looks too busy and messy to me. I also like to create some continuity within the blocks even though the overall quilt is scrappy.  Each block has parts that are light, medium, and dark.  I use the same fabric within the block for each piece that is the same shade (light medium, or dark) or the block starts looking too busy.  Except for the background and rhyme pieces, each block will have different fabrics from every other block, however.
• Medallion:  I like to see if I can manipulate the overall pattern into a medallion over the face of the entire quilt by twisting blocks, shading colors or values differently, or creating a complementary pieced border.  If I can't, I'll often use a medallion quilting pattern.

I'll write again soon about choosing (and stashing!) fabric as a scrap quilter.

May your bobbin never run dry,
Momma

Linkd up at Homestead Barn Hop #96

Education At Home, Part 3: Homeschool Lesson Plans

Dear Lissy,

We've come through the worst of the brutally cold weather, and I'm taking a few minutes to wrap up a letter I've been writing to have an excuse to sit by the stove for the last week.

 The subject of lesson plans often comes up when I'm with other home schooling moms.  Some feel that they need to write formal lesson plans for each child for each subject every week (yikes!), others feel a plan can be stifling, and choose to move along at the child's pace (yawn), most fall somewhere in between the two.

• A formal lesson plan is a vital tool for a classroom setting.  Teachers are dealing with state assessments, discipline issues, substitutes, and different children each year.  The teacher may also have days that another faculty member or substitute covers her class.
• A formal lesson plan is not a vital tool for a home where the parent  who knows the child intimately works with them one on one over long periods of time.   

Even a home school needs direction and drive, though, and that's where these thoughts come in.  This is the way I've chosen to create order and discipline in our school and ensure you get an excellent education.  There are hundreds of other systems that are just as effective.  If you home educate, I highly encourage you to use a curriculum for a year or two that provides daily lesson plans pre-written for Mom until you gain the confidence to relax into a routine like ours.  After just two years of A Beka, I was confidently adding in Latin, swapping out their writing program for IEW, and making other changes to cater to your abilities and weaknesses.

Scope and Sequence  

A scope and sequence (S & S) is a document that states the scope, or extent, of what you plan to teach and the sequence  in which you will cover it from K-12. 

 I choose to use a professionally developed S & S and modify it to fit each student.  This will be updated year-to-year, but gives a "big picture" plan for their school career as well as the year.  

Most states have an "S&S" they will send you free upon request.  These are large documents written by and for professional educators.  Do not be intimidated or overwhelmed by them.  They are for reference purposes only.

Many textbook publishers have a free PDF.  I used the A Beka Scope and Sequence, the Bob Jones University Press Scope and Sequence, and the Veritas Press catalogs/website to create our family's traditional  S & S with Classical education elements.

Whether you are following a traditional approach or using unit studies, an S & S will ensure that you cover the topics thoroughly and in an orderly fashion.  It also allows you to swap out materials from your curriculum that aren't meeting current needs without creating "holes" in a child's knowledge or skills.

Weekly/Daily Routine

A parent is already aware of their child's learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses.  Rather than creating a lesson plan for each day, I choose to create routines at the beginning of the year for each child based on their individual needs and interests.  If I am ill, you each know the routine, and keep on the same schedule.  Used in conjunction with a well-planned assignment notebook, the need for daily lesson plans for each child in each subject are eliminated.

Middle Elementary weekly plan

Subjects are completed in the order listed to maximize attention and energy levels.  Times are approximate.

Monday-Friday:

Bible (30 minutes) 

Arithmetic (45 minutes)

Language Arts: Grammar, Spelling, Reading (45 minutes) 

Break (20 minutes)

Language Arts 2:  Writing and Handwriting (30 minutes)  

History (30 minutes)

Science or Health (30 minutes)

Art, Music, Science, Home Arts(30 minutes)

Middle Elementary daily plan for each subject

Basic facts drill or flashcards

• Each subject is different:  Bible verses, math tables, being verbs, states and capitols, etc.
• Each child responds to different methods:  games, challenges, puzzles/3d manipulatives, computer, etc.
• Keep it fast paced and fun.

Review of previous day's concept or homework

Learn ONE new concept.  We don't double up lessons.

Practice new skills, complete experiments, or work on hands-on activities

Independent work  - Mom checks work is done neatly, quickly, and completely!

Beginning in 6th or 7th grade we transition to textbooks, DVD, and online courses that are self directed.  We plan your daily routine together at the beginning of the year, and any changes have to be approved.

• For classes that are self or computer directed I tutor, review, proctor quizzes and tests, and perform experiments/demonstrations with you.  I also check that work has been accomplished satisfactorily at the end of the day, 
• For classes that are still being taught traditionally, I follow the same format as elementary, but require you to pre-read the assignment so we can discuss on higher levels than simple recall.

Assignment Notebooks

The assignment book is Mom's written record of what work each child is going to accomplish during the week in each subject. In elementary school we use mostly A Beka which has the lessons all pre-planned for the teacher/mom.  Once we transition to other textbooks, we simply divide the number of lessons  and determine how many need to be done each week.  I will often skip one or more units if the material has been covered recently or will be covered the following year (this is where an S & S is vital). I write the assignments and gather teaching materials during the day on Monday for Tuesday through the following Monday.

Early Elementary:  Daily or weekly folders/boxes with worksheets and necessary materials.

Middle Elementary:  Assignments for each day in planner.

Example:

Monday

Bible: Begin verse review for Friday
Math:  Lesson 66 Speed Drill, p. 167-168

Language:  Pp. 103-107, Read 3 chap. in book report book, take notes.

Spelling:  Copy List 15, Recite The Children's Hour every day 2x

Reading:  Oral Quiz over HW,  read Adventures pp. 13-21

Handwriting:  p 153, concentrate on slant of descending loops

Writing:  "How to make pancakes"

History:  Read pp. 117-119, Comp check ? 4.7, Maps 12 &18, Preamble 2x

Science:  5.7 Soundwaves, Comp ?, Tin Can telephone demo

Art:  Origami snowflake

Upper Elementary - Middle School:  Assignments for week recorded by subject, students have to prepare daily work plan and log.

Example:

Week of 1/15 - 1/19

Bible:  Cumulative Verse Test Friday

Math:  Lessons 61-64 (inc. Speed drills) Test 15
Grammar:  Lesson 20 & 21
Spelling and Vocab: List 15 w/ test
Literature:  Finish Across Five Aprils, prepare for discussion Thursday compare/contrast AFA with Uncle Tom's Cabin.
History:  Unit 14, all review ?, Quiz 14, Writing assignment #2
Science:  Biology Unit 6 reading, lab list, notebook check Fri.
Robotics: Fund raising letter mailed by Friday.

High School:  Nate's first online class required him to produce a "pace chart" for his teacher.  I probably would have still been writing weekly assignments through high school if I hadn't seen their method and realized how much better it prepared him for college and life.  I now give high school students semester or yearly syllabuses, and then the student writes a weekly pace chart for teacher/mom's approval.  I teach each student how to do this exactly the same way I taught you Math problems in third grade.  I require a weekly plan and a daily work log/check in as well.
Example:

American History:  

• Final exam Part 1 January 25th, Part 2 May 27th.  
• Worldview discussions and paper rough draft eval with mom on Thursday afternoon.  
• Weekly papers must be submitted by 2 pm Friday for grading.  
• All required resources must be read and logged each week.  Reading will be spot checked.
• Unit exams will be administered the last Wednesday of each month unless change is requested and approved.

In order to work with three students simultaneously, I work with each one individually reviewing and teaching new concepts.  Often we combine classes for two or even all three of you.  The others work independently from assignment notebooks while they wait.  Once each child's teaching time is complete, I am available on a first come, first serve basis.  Each of you is required to show me completed work before you put away school books at the end of the day.

Again, this isn't the "right" way for every family.  One of our main goals is to teach discipline, and we felt that this method works well to accomplish that purpose.

I love you bunches and hope that you will one day have the joy and reward of educating your own little flock.  Sweet, sweet times, these.

Ancora imparo,
Momma

Linked up at Homestead Barn Hop #96 and Raising Homemakers

Scrap Quilting by Hand: Part 1, Choosing a Pattern

Dear Lissy,
I adore scrap quilting.  I quilted every day when you were small children, eventually opting for hand piecing and quilting because it was easy to pick up and put down at a moment's notice and didn't make a mess.  Machine piecing and quilting is wildly popular, and there are literally millions of tutorials, books, and videos available.  Right now, I think you'd vastly prefer the speed.  But someday, when your home is full of littles, and you have only bits and bobs of time to create something beautiful, pull this letter back out and enjoy!

The sophisticated Windows on the World
scrap quilt made by Jinny Beyer to
commemorate those lost in the 9/11 bombings.

I define scrap quilting as using "scraps" of many different fabrics  rather than buying yardage of 3-5 fabrics.  This gives a quilt sparkle and interest even if you use a simple pattern.

Hand piecing offers many advantages over machine piecing:  accuracy, portability, and economy are just a few.  It is for people who prefer process over product, though -- fair warning!

The first task is to pick a block.  Beginners usually enjoy small scale projects with just squares and triangles  Print or photocopy a scale sized pattern in b&w.  

Kansas Star Quilt Block

Now here's the tricky bit.  Value (how dark or light a piece of fabric is) is more important than color in a scrap quilt.  A table runner may have four blocks in four different colors.  The important thing is that you keep the same parts light, medium, and dark throughout the quilt.  Take a minute to shade your line drawing with black, gray, and white before you start choosing fabric.  As you get more advanced, you'll have more shades.  Here are a few ideas of how quilters have chosen to shade the Kansas Star Block. . .

This block has a strong star and will
form two distinct secondary all over
patterns when placed in a quilt.

This block has a checkerboard feel

Shaded differently, the same block
forms a pinwheel.  Most quilters
wouldn't recognize this as the famous
Kansas City Star block.

This block, another checkerboard, is the opposite values of the
one above. 

I'll write you about fabric choices soon.  It's easy to have a country-messy looking scrap quilt or a more sophisticated look depending on how you use fabric and color.

TTFN!

Momma

Lesson From A Loaf of Bread

Dear Lissy,

I recently wrote you a letter detailing how to make bread.  I did not, of course, include how to prepare a garden to grow wheat, or all the challenges of the growing season.  I didn't explain how to harvest a wheat crop or thresh it into grain.  Although I've ground my own grain, I didn't detail the process for you in that letter.  I started with an assumption that you have a ready supply of milled flour.

Even starting with flour, there is considerable effort and hours of time required to make bread.  I think I would be gobsmacked if I counted up the time and effort required to go from a grain of wheat seed to that first bite of hot buttered toast.  But that's what most of the world has done for most of history.  Bread was a symbol of labor, diligence, skill, and a dash of good fortune.

As I've meditated on the simple phrase, "I AM the bread of life" from John, I've appreciated Jesus in a new way.  Just as Boaz handed Ruth his own bread while she was busy gleaning, he hands us Himself, spiritual bread.

He's taken all the work on Himself, and given us all the blessing.

He's given us life.  He nourishes us with the fruits of His labor.  From the first grain of promise in Eden until He rose and gave us new life, He spent centuries and made a sacrifice we scarcely comprehend.

We look at the overprocessed loaves of frankenwheat we toss in our grocery carts, and don't understand or appreciate the significance of Christ's statement.  Those loaves cost us next to nothing in time or money or effort.  Even when I've spent nearly two full days making Simple Gifts loaves, most of the time was waiting, not working, and all of the heavy effort was accomplished by my Kitchenaid.  Imagine how startled Ruth must have been.  She knew, first hand, the back-breaking toil required to make a single pita so she and Naomi could eat. It was not a small thing to her to receive bread.

The Germans have a beautiful saying that roughly translates to "He who eats my bread sings my song."   Loaves of bread are as unique as fingerprints.  Today, take just a minute to think about Jesus, the Bread of life, and allow His song to fill your heart and mind.

Love,
Momma