Introduction

You have been introduced in social studies to Colonial America and Pioneering Families who made and used quilts.

You have read some wonderful picture books about quilting in your reading classes at your reading level.

You have learned through Earth Day and science activites that quilting is one way of recycling and reusing.

You have brought in a quilt, or will soon, for the class's Quilt Show to examine a variety of different quilts.

You have  written or will write a persuasive, narrative or expository paper in our language and spelling classes about your favorite quilt.

How would you like to design your own quilt blocks with help from the internet for our next art project?

Wouldn't it be fun to use those quilt block designs to create a classroom quilt?  It would require a lot of teamwork!

But first we need to learn some math and geometry related to the quilting process before we begin to...

---

 

The Task

You will be doing a variety of tasks as you and your classmates complete this project:

• Examine quilt blocks and quilts through the internet, literature, and class quilt show.
• Identify  geometric shapes and symmetry found in quilts.
• Experiment with with color, design, and patterns on quilt color book pages and pattern block manipulation found on the internet.
• Use problem solving skills to sequence  steps needed to assemble a quilt block to perfectly fit into a 12 inch by 12 inch square using materials of your choice.
• Use measurement skills and tools to measure sides, perimeter, area and calculate number and color of each piece needed.
• Contribute to a team of classmates  by sharing your quilt block and discussing how the class could combine blocks to create a classroom quilt.
Plan and execute your individual block according to the team's plan, and contribute to the construction of your team's quilt as you add your block to the classroom quilt. 

The Process

1. First take time to look at and read some good books about quilting.                 Click here to getsomeideas.                                                                               For some newer books, click here.                                                                      Click here to see a puzzle found in the cover of a new quilt book.
2. Next, take a good look at the quilts at the Quilt Show and in the books.  Try to identify as many geometric shapes and examples of symmetry as you can.                                                                                                                   Click here to see a collection of one lady's quilts.                                             Click here to see some interesting quilts with geometric designs.
3. Use the internet and click here to see how quilt blocks are made. 
4. Use the Quilt Coloring Book pages on the internet to try your hand at some quilt blocks of your own.                                                                                                                Click here for the Quilt Coloring book.  Select the pages. Print. Then use your colored pencils.
5. Use the Pattern Block Manipulation page on the internet to create a quilt or block. The Pattern Block Page 
6. Click here for another activity. Don't forget to check out the Symmetry Link while you are there!
7. Now go to this internet site to read and see how a quilt block is put together: Click here for the Quilters' Cache of quilt blocks. If you have trouble loading, press stop once you see a brown background or press Reload on the above bar.  Scroll to look at the examples, then check out the alphabetized list!  Print out 2 or 3 of your favorites.  These will be a great guides for when you create your own quilt block!
8. Use graph paper with 1 inch squares and a ruler to design your quilt block. Your teacher may be able to get a long roll of 1 inch graph paper from the Lakeshore catalog.  To see a collection of more quilt blocks, click here and link to one of the lists at the top of the page.
9. Use colored pencils to make a final sketch of your quilt block design.  It can be a copy of one you have seen, a combination of several you have seen, or one you make up! Click here to see some blocks that are good for children to use.
10. Now create the quilt block in a material of your choice (fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper, etc.).  You will use your colored sketch to measure and cut the correct number of pieces for your quilt block, then assemble to create a 12 inch by 12 inch block.  If you are sewing fabric pieces together, it will take some extra measuring skills.  Talk to your teacher before planning to sew a quilt block.
11. Display your finished quilt block for the team to see.  Begin brainstorming ideas for a class quilt using all of the quilt blocks, each remade in the material and colors the team agrees upon.
12. Select a team leader, recorder, artist, peacemaker.  All will take individual notes that will apply to their individual block as determined by democratic concensus of the team. Recorder will record group notes on computer and make copies for everyone in the group.
13. Create your individual block and add it to the quilt as planned by the team.
14. Decide as a team how to frame, border, matt, and display quilt.
15. Celebrate with a quilt party.                                                                                 Click here and go to #11 for food ideas  and invite parents and friends to come see your hard work! Click here and scroll to end of the unit for party and food ideas!

Evaluation
Your teacher will evaluate you using these guidelines.

The following Illinois Learning Standards in math and fine arts were covered by completing this unit: 7.A.1a,  7.A.2a,  7.A.3b,  7.B.2a,  7.B.2b,  7.B.3,  7.C.1, 7.C.2a,  7.C.2b,  7.C.3a,  7.C.3b,  8.A.1a,  8.A.1b,  8.A.2a,  8.B.2, 9.A.1a,  9.A.2a,  9.A.2b,  9.A.2c,  9.B.1a,  9.B.1c,  9.B.2,  9.C.1,  9.C.2b,  25.A.1d,  35.A.2a,  25.A.2d,  26.A1e,  26.A.2e,  26.A.3e,  26.B.1d,  26.B.2d,  26.B.3d.
 

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Identification of geometric shapes and symmetry in a quilt	Identifies 2 geometric shapes, may not understand symmetry	Identifies 3 geometric shapes but may not understand symmetry	Identifies 3 geometric shapes and an example of symmetry	Identifies 4 geometric shapes and an example of symmetry
Accurate ruler measurement of quilt block pieces edges, perimeter, and area	8 or more errors in measurement of sides, perimeter, area	4-8 errors in measurement of sides or perimeters, can find the area of 1 piece in block	No more than 3 errors in measurement of sides or perimeters, can find areas of 2 pieces in block	No errors in measurement of sides or perimeters, can find area of 2 pieces in block
Design a 12" by 12" quilt block with interesting geometric shapes, color, and materials	Block is completed with geometric pieces, but they do not measure 12" by 12", there is significant problems with spacing, color, neatness	All geometric pieces fit a 12" by 12" block, but there are several problems with spaces or gaps, colors, materials, or neatness	All geometric pieces fit a 12" by 12" block with only minor spaces or gaps, good use of color, materials, neatly done	All geometric pieces fit a 12" by 12" block with no spaces, color and material chosen  very appealing to the eye, neatly done
Participate in team planning and execution of a class quilt by completing a second quilt block to team specifications	Little to no participation with the team planning, poor notes, constructed quilt block but did not meet team's specifications and could not be used in the quilt as is	Participated inconsistently with the team planning, notes were incomplete, constructed quilt block but it did not meet all team's specifications, but still could be used in the quilt	Participated most of the time with team planning,completed notes well, constructed second block to accuractely meet team's specifications and looked good when added to the class quilt	Was a leader in team planning, accurately completed job as team leader (notes too),constructed second block completed exactly to team's specifications which looked great in the class quilt
Created or practiced with quilt design using identified internet tools and resources	Used only 1 internet quilt designing tool, made a copy or showed teacher on screen use	Used 2 different internet quilt designing tools, made copies or showed teacher on screen use for each	Used 3 internet quilt designing tools, made copies or showed teacher on screen use for each (2 must be different)	Used 4 or more internet quilt designing tools, made copies or showed teacher on screen use for each (3 must be different)

 

Conclusion

Wow!  Awesome Quilt!

The classroom has a great addition to decorate the wall.  You can always come back and visit and say, "I helped make it!"

You also have a quilt block of your own to enjoy at home!

Could you have created all of this beautiful artwork without using math and geometry?

Now that this project is finished, what other quilt projects would you like to learn about?

---

Credits & References

You may want to visit some other quilt units designed by teachers.  I thank them for the inspiration I received from their work.  These creative and talented teachers' units may be seen by clicking below:
     Our Online Quilt Unit (no author listed)
     Quilts:  An Integrated Unit (Mary Beth Martin)
     American Quilts (Jennifer Henderson)
     Quilt Blocks:  Geometry with a Cultural Warmth (Patty Winkler)
     Exploring Mathematics Through Quilts (Debbie Meyer) Math Ideas
     Geometry with Quilts (Carol DeCoster and Maryann Whitten)
     BowTied (no author listed)
     Slave Quilts: Stictched From the Soul (Dr. Gladys Marie Fry)
     The Art of the Quilt (Sylvia Sherertz)
 

Any library, craft/fabric store has quilt books designed for the beginning to very serious quilter.  Any of these can be used for the students to look at the photographs and drawings for ideas.

Go to the links in the first step of the Process for lists of great quilt books. Also use the bibliographies found in most of the quilt units listed above. 
 

Learn more about The Quilter's Computer Companion by clicking here.

See more about a book Mathematical Quilts by clicking here.

To see a great glossary of quilt terms, click here.

I appreciated the wealth of quilt clip art I recieved from Pat's Web Graphics.

A special thanks to Steve Bjork and his Integrating  Technology in Math course from Aurora University.  He provided time for us to explore some  great math sites which helped me to get me started on this unit.  To email Steve: bjorkshep@yahoo.com