Quilted With Love
Geri Memaj carefully guiding his square through the sewing machine with hand-over-hand assistance.
The students in the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. (Beginning to Realize Individual Development and Growth for Educational Success) self-contained special education classrooms at Garfield Middle School were given the opportunity to do something truly exceptional. Miss Kate from the Lakewood Public Library has brought her passion and love for quilting into our classrooms. Each student was able to let their individuality shine through as they created their very own blocks. They chose their favorite fabrics, they created their own pattern and they even helped pin them together.
During the next couple of visits Miss Kate brought her sewing machine into our classroom and gave every student the chance to sew their customized block and sashing with hand-over-hand assistance. The students enjoyed pushing down the peddle and holding their creations steadily as they operated the sewing machine. For most students, this was the very first time they had ever seen a sewing machine, not to mention operate one! They were able to be involved throughout the quilting process and they could see all the hard work and effort that goes into each step.
In the end, Miss Kate not only showed the students how to make a quilt, but also taught them a bigger lesson. She taught them that each piece of a quilt is unique and special and when they work together they can create something even bigger and more beautiful than they imagined. The students in the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. classrooms were able to see first-hand the beauty of being true to themselves and how rewarding it is to work together.
Tricia Duhr
Hello, I'm an Intervention Specialist at Garfield Middle School. I teach students with special needs grades 6-8 in a self-contained special education classroom called the B.R.I.D.G.E.S. (Beginning to Realize Individual Development and Growth for Educational Success) Program.