My 3 year old is quilting!

Yesterday we were in a fabric shop. We were the only customers. Mr 3 ran from display to display declaring 'this is what I want, it's so yellow' 'this is what I want, it feels so smooth' 'look at this Mum, this is amazing, it has sparkles' ooh I love this golden one, this is what I want' But it was when he proclaimed 'I wish I didn't have my own house, I wish I had a fabric shop to live in' that the shop owner was thoroughly won over. He presented Mr 3 with a fat quater of quilting fabric he could keep. At first glance he saw it was brown and was not exactly thrilled. But then he saw the diggers and concrete mixers printed on it and fell in love. He spent the rest of the day stroking it, folding and unfolding it, showing it to people, musing over what he could make it into... any fabric addicts out there, does any of this sound familiar!!! He was torn between a blanket to snuggle under or a blanket to have a picnic on. I suggested we see what Grandma had in her fabric stash that we could use with it (I always like to be generous with Grandma's stash!!!) and that we could make the blanket first before he decided. "Yes, good idea' he agreed 'it needs some orange. And some blue. And green' and when we were in the cave of delights that is my mothers sewing room 'Sparkles. And could we put some beads on it'
I dutifully made it up into a very simple (quick!) quilt top and was pondering hard over how to quilt it so the pattern of his precious fabric wouldn't be obscured. I ran idea past him. 'Ummm... no. I want small squares around each digger and rectangles on the orange part and triangles on the blue.' While I sewed he sat beside me working the foot pedal. Or sat on my knee guiding the fabric with his hands. And he chose thread colours, nearly forgot that, by lining up all the available colours on the strip to be quilted and choosing which looked the best. I didn't think it would be him being mini me!!

Anyone who knows me knows 2 things: I like to buck the trends on formal early childhood education and I like to follow my children's interests and see what magical places they can take me. Us. Well, them really but I get so much out of it too. This scenario is a cool story but more than that it screams opportunity to me. And one I am loath to miss. And not just because I will jump on any reason (excuse?) to start and finish a quilting project!

So...what has he learned? He has been able to develop his interest in colour, in texture, he has been able to use and extend his vocabulary of adjectives, he has been able to emulate what he sees me and Grandma do with fabric, he has been able to plan a project, he has been able to use his knowledge of geometry in an awesomely meaningful context.

My response to his learning? I don't know where this is going. I'm trying to be prepared for the next step whatever it might be. I wonder is this about the fabric? the colour? making something? doing something together he knows I love? So far I have given him as much control of the project as I was able to relinquish and still come out with a finished product! I have let him choose the colours of fabric. I didn't give him total free reign here, I picked the actual fabrics and submitted them for his approval, if you saw The Stash you'd know why - we'd still be choosing at Christmas!!! He chose the thread. His picks were interesting and not what I would've chosen sometimes but then what do I know, they look awesome! I'll be asking him for his input in my projects in the future.

Kaffe Fassett knitting.

I am on the lookout for more ideas for exploring colour and texture, and I want to introduce him to Hundertwasser and Kaffe Fassett. I want to point out the richness of colour and texture in The Very Hungry Caterpillar next time we read it.
And the next time I hear the words 'I want to make...' my ears will prick up.

Hundertwasser

He's getting more than just a quilt out of this. He could be getting a love of making things, a love of fabric, it could be sparking an interest in design or maybe just an assurance that while I may have to say no to lots of his ideas (like ones that involve screwdrivers and small appliances or soccer balls and televisions) I am willing to listen to him, give his thoughts some credence, and support his creativity and help him see his ideas come to fruition.