The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!
 Quilt Adventures

Quilts, Kids and MLK

1/26/2015

0 Comments

 

Kids at the Women's Shelter
​
​
Each year I use a quilt theme with the Shelter kids around MLK Day. There are so many ways to use the idea of a quilt to focus on the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Picture
"Belle, the Last Mule at Gee's Bend", by Calvin Alexander Ramsey & Bettye Stroud, was the perfect book to help get us started.

​Quilts and Dr. King

This colorful book not only spoke of the beautiful quilts that have ​been made in this small Alabama community, since the days of slavery... But the book focused on Dr. King's long ago visit to Gee's Bend, to encourage voter registration.  ​
Picture
The story ends with 2 mules from Gee's Bend pulling the wagon that carried Dr. King's casket on April 9, 1968.

Closer Look
​
​
I sat on the quilt outside with the kids, since our January day was warm and sunny. I could hardly get through a page with all the questions from the kids.  "Is it a wedding!"
Picture
A 6 year old asked when she saw the crowds and flowers in John Holyfield's final illustration. It was sad to have these kids, all African American, pondering about who this man was and why he died.  But as kids will do, they found the positive.  "Dr. King got his wish!  He got to have Belle pull his wagon when he died!"  "I think that one is Belle for sure!" Said another child, pointing to the mule in full view.

Visiting Gee's Bend
​
​
I told the kids how I once visited Gee's Bend where the women still make quilts from scraps, like their great, great,  grandma's did.  
Picture
We talked about how Dr. King liked it when people worked together and how quilts are often made by the cooperation of a few people. They liked seeing how many different shapes were in this old quilt of Mary Anne's.  Different shapes and colors, like all the different people who helped make the quilt.
Little Quilts for Little Kids
​

Picture
I pulled out some tiny fabric pieces and some poster board squares to let the kids  work on designing their own little quilts.

What Would MLK Do?
​

Picture
This mini project didnt have kids cooperating on one large quilt, but they still had to share materials... which for kids, is sometimes a big enough challenge. "Hey she's copying me!!"  That was another problem, that required a reminder about how Dr. King would expect us to listen to each other and not shout.

Working Alone
​

Picture
Working together is a wonderful thing.  But sometimes it's not a bad idea to find our own space and just work alone.  Even if that means finding a patch of sidewalk... with bugs. "Miss Beth!  There are ants over here!"
Picture

​What Did I Learn?

I was a little surprised at how little these children (ages 4 to 9) knew about Dr. King.  I was glad I was able to use this wonderful book as a tool.  I'm guessing they will remember 2 things about what we discussed.  They'll remember Belle, the Mule. They loved her.  And I think they'll remember that I am very, very old!! They could hardly believe it when I told them "Yes I was alive when Dr. King lived. His funeral was on my 11th birthday."
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    The Quilt

    For 20+ years children have called it the Magic Quilt.  They've danced and pretended all over these colorful squares.  I've dragged it to schools, shelters and studios where children have climbed on top to hear Magic Quilt  Stories and to act them out.

    I still regularly use the story telling quilt with children at a nearby  Shelter, but 7 years ago I started using the quilt on a table with a group of Alzheimer's  folks.   I was blown away by what these incredible people could share and enjoy, so I started up "Quilt Groups" at other centers.  

    In 2013, motivated by the warmth and generosity of the friends I've made through this quilt, I decided to start taking the quilt with me, when I vacation. So far I have met some wonderful adults and children while traveling and sharing the quilt in Mexico, N. Carolina, Utah, California, Mississippi, Chile, Mexico, Guatemala New Mexico, Bermuda and Honduras.  

    In this blog I will share about some of the adventures I've had near and far with the help of the quilt.  Mostly, I'd like to share some of the things I've learned along the way.

    Archives

    April 2022
    September 2021
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!