quilting with a 6 year old

Well, I've never made a quilt.  I hear that quilting is addicting...and I'm already addicted to fabric, so I've been putting off dipping my toes into the quilting world. 

playful pup jammy pants

BUT lately my son has really been interested in learning to sew with me, or at least helping.  He thinks the amount of fabric (heaps of storage bins and piles of freshly laundered fabric all over my 'sewing office' as he calls it) that I have is amazing and wants to play too!  So I've struggled with what a 6 year old boy could really make.  What would be easy to have him help me with?  I sew mostly for babies or girls or myself with pajama pants thrown into the mix for him...  But I want something that is all about him.  Something he'd like. 

So, he asked to make a stuffed animal.  Specifically a dog.  So I thought about it and thought about it...seems a bit to complicated for a first time project.  Although I'd LOVE to get my hands on a panel of these 'Softies' from http:saffroncraig.com.  Unfortunately that is not in the budget right now...but one day!

And I think the dogs pictured here are cute too: http://www.sisboom.com/blog/2011/05/26/girls-world-pups/  but I don't think that's going to be our first project. 

I recently discovered this blog: mon petite lyons.  She has two young boys and likes crafting with them so I asked her if she had done sewing specific projects with them.  She replied with a fantastic idea!  A simple small quilt!  They helped pick out the squares, they put them in the order/pattern they wanted, and sat on her lap while she controlled the machine.  I fell in love with the idea instantly!  What a great way to get my toes wet!  Experimenting with my son, sewing straight lines of squares!!!

 (yes, i know this may be crazy...it could turn into a crazy frustrating experience, but i'm willing to try)

So, I proposed this idea to my son yesterday after he came home from school.  He is THRILLED!  Jumping up and down thrilled.  Running around the room crazy shrieking thrilled.  Getting our two dogs all riled up and barking thrilled.  (i see a headache coming...)

Since he's so excited I showed him some google images I found online of some simple quilts other children had helped make and he was definitely committed.  We had a 'state of the school' meeting at his fantastically wonderful school (South Suburban Montessori School) and then came home and he wide eyed and squirming with joy accompanied me to the 'sewing office'.  There he could hardly contain himself in his little blue chair while I showed him fabric option after option for squares.  After we had a good lot set aside it was time for bed.  I promised him that over the next few days and long weekend he will help me cut the squares, he will plan the order of squares, and we will make him a simple summer quilt! 

I will post photos of this journey and hopefully, my son will be happy and have a nice summer quilt soon!

p.s. I knew he was still super excited when he woke us up this morning 30 minutes before he's supposed to even entertain the idea of getting up asking, "Can we work on my quilt?  Is it time to work on my quilt?"  My husband sleepily replied, "No buddy, it's too early and you have school today."  I then chimed in, also quite sleepily, with, "After school, Alexander."  He then grumpily sighed the biggest little boy sigh ever and went and played with his toys...Hilarious!