Quilting with Kids. Wendy Sheppard

      Wendy Sheppard

      Wendy Sheppard discovered her love of quilting in 2005 when a friend encouraged her to learn how to sew and quilt. Since then, Wendy’s designs have been widely published in quilting publications in the USA, UK, and Australia. She is also an instructor for online quilting classes for domestic machine quilting. As a thread fanatic, Wendy enjoys designing for the Italian thread company, Aurifil. She travels to teach and connect with quilters when she is able to do so.

      In recent years, Wendy has shared her passion for sewing with her young daughter, Gwendolyn. When Gwendolyn started showing interest in needlecrafts and quilting, Wendy taught her all about the craft, opening up a new way the two could connect with one another. Through their shared love of threads, needles, and fabrics, this mother and daughter team now share a bond sure to last a lifetime. They decided to create this book together so that other adults and children could experience the same joy.

      Gwendolyn Sheppard

      Gwendolyn is a fifth grader who loves sewing. Since she was five years old, her needlework adventures have landed her interviews in quilting publications in the US as well as in Australia. In 2017, she was selected to be one of Aurifils AuriKids when the thread company launched their initiative to encourage the next generation of crafters. Gwendolyn is proud to have curated her own thread collections for Aurifil.

      When not at her desk doing her homework, practicing on her violin, or stitching, Gwendolyn can be found daydreaming, reading, writing, drawing, and playing with her Playmobil® sets. She is also a proud American Heritage Girl member and loves to serve her community through service projects.

      AN INTERVIEW WITH GWENDOLYN

       How did you get interested in sewing?

      I was about five years old, and I saw my mom stitching and told her I wanted to learn. My Mom is an engineer. So, she was good at teaching me how to stitch step by step. She started by just letting me stitch buttons onto a piece of fabric. It’s really nothing special now that I think about it, but back then I thought it was a masterpiece. Mom also taught me to stitch with half cross-stitches before, finally, the real cross-stitch. I made two ornaments (a Christmas tree and a Christmas robin) for the holidays that year. They won a blue ribbon at the Woodlawn Needlework Show the following year.

      Gwen’s skill in cross stitch really comes in handy when it’s time to make gifts for others.

       What are some of your favorite stitching memories with your mom?

      I love stitching with my mom. One summer—I think I was about six years old—we stitched at night and listened to the Paddington Bear audiobook. We loved it so much that it became a summer tradition for us.

       What do you love best about playing with fabrics and threads?

      Coordinating colors is my favorite part. My mom and I have different tastes in colors. She always seems skeptical at my choices of bright and bold colors at first, but tells me that, in the end, they all work out. When I grow up, I am going to wear really bright yellow and hot pink dresses!

       Why do you think other kids should try stitching or quilting?

      Because when you are finished with a project, that project becomes an heirloom!

       Any advice to other kids who like to stitch?

      1. No matter what happens, keep trying.

      2. Always finish a project; don’t just start one. Sometimes I feel annoyed when my mom makes me work on a project I started but haven’t completed, but I also feel really relieved when that project is finally finished. That means I get to start on a new project.

      3. Keep the project materials in one place. I am not a very organized person, so it helps to have everything I need for a project in one bag. That way I don’t end up having to hunt for this and that when I have time to work on a project.

      4. Listen to the adult.

       What’s your favorite project in this book?

      All of them! But if I had to pick one, I have to say it’s the personalized pillowcase (see here). I loved adding my own drawings on the cuff.

      Gwen loves bold colors and her fabric choices always reflect this.

      Introduction

      How much do I love quilting? On the night I gave birth to my only child, Gwendolyn, I didn’t leave for the hospital right away. Instead, I stayed to finish the binding of a quilt that was slated to be featured in an upcoming issue of a quilting magazine. That’s love!

      This event set the stage for my stitching adventures with Gwendolyn.

      The children of quilting parents grow up seeing the important adults in their lives quilting and stitching for both work and pleasure, which will definitely make an impact on them. Parents may even notice it in their child’s play life; I know I did! When she was four years old, Gwen pretended a building block was an iron to press fabric scraps and chopsticks were her knitting needles. And when she “finished,” she jumped on the couch (her “car”) and exclaimed, “Let’s get to the post office to get this thing shipped!”

      When children showing serious interest in learning how to stitch, adults should begin with teaching them to stitch by hand. I taught Gwen when she was five years old. She is now competent at cross-stitch. She has even had her work recognized in quilting publications and the famed Woodlawn Needlework show. If a child really enjoys stitching, they will want to spend the time to learn and perfect the technique; perhaps they will even want to submit their work, too. Parents should definitely encourage them along the way!

      At the time of this writing, Gwendolyn is rather alarmed at having to inherit all 250+ quilts in my quilt stash.

      As a child grows older, they will

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