DogHouseMom

Hmm .... how about a Cathedral Window?

You can make up the "sandwich" squares ahead of time and have kids paint/draw/color some of the insert squares - then make up the cathedral window blocks at the show.

HillCountryGal

My 1st thought is a signature quilt. Have school kids sign their squares... some before the event and some during. You could have some squares already completed.

OR: You mentioned cake decorating. Why not blend the ideas? Make BIG sugar cookies and decorate them in various quilt square designs. If you offer free cookies to people... you WILL get their attention.

lluke

What about a T-shirt quilt where you demonstrate how to fussy cut logos, or graphics from T-shirts and sew them together to make a quilt?

leatheflea

What about tshirt quilts, thats something they can relate to. Every teenager and their parents have them. You could even add peiced blocks along with the tshirt squares.

GailG

I did a project at my former elementary school. I went into the classroom and introduced a few traditional blocks with a little history about the early quilters, etc. The following meeting, they chose a nine-patch block to do with crayons. The square was drawn on muslin. They were to "fill in" the nine patch with colors of their choice. After their block was colored in, we pressed it on brown paper to set the crayon. Then a pillow was made. I know this is extensive for a demo but perhaps some phase of it could be done....something hands on.

AliKat

How about an i-spy sort of crazy quilt. Let the kids color/design the central area and then you incorporate it into the quilt via crazy patching.

Or the kids can cut out appliques to put on a quilt. That way if you have the background quilt already mostly done all you do is fuse and ? sew on the appliques.

Most kids would like to see a jelly roll race, esp if you have 2 people and 2 machines. Heck, even adults will stop for that. If you want you could add applique to those quilts.

lfstamper

We did a tree with branches on fabric (muslin)- applique - then each kid used ink to make their thumbprint like leaves and sign it. Later framed it for the school to hang for their class. Parents could sign too,

AnnieSue

I really like the idea of a T shirt quilt with pieced blocks between.

suern3

I was also thinking of a tshirt quilt, maybe you can find one or more that relate to your school and border the blocks with school colors. It seems parents and kids are drawn to these.

tessagin

I agree. It would be great to invite a couple of the middle school students who sew or quilt. many by that time who've ben around quilting or sewing may just be more than happy to assist in the demonstration. I would ask to send a memo to the students and just say they are welcomed to assist in the demonstration.