Thursday, June 23, 2016

Teacher end of year gifts 2016

The 2015-2016 school year is in the books and the kids are excited to be off for the summer.
Like most other parents I took last day of school photos.  The changes in them over the past 9 1/2 months is mind boggling.

Sunshine's happy to be a 2nd grader now though she has been telling her teacher for the past week that she wished she could stay in her class forever.  I'm glad that she loved her teacher so much (and so do I...Jammer also was in her class in 1st grade). 

Jammer just continues to lose that little boy look and while part of me is sad, I'm also very proud of the young man he is becoming.

Lots of new and exciting opportunities await him in 4th grade including the Drama Club which he has already said he wants to get involved with.  As someone that did that myself all through school, that was great to hear.

Of course the end of the school year meant gifts were needed for their teachers.  My longtime readers know that when they were in preschool I was crazy enough to make full size quilts for all their teachers (3-4 each year) but now I don't drive myself that insane.  Since Jammer moved onto the public school, the gifts have been smaller but no less well received.  Two years ago, they got tote bags and last year I made them each a set of placemats.  So what did I create for the teachers this year?
Table runners!

I had 2 charm packs of Moda's Summersville Spring by Lucie Summers for Moda and knew that the bright colors would be perfect for both of them.  Wanting projects that would be quick and easy while still being pretty, I went with HST layouts.  

This is the runner that Jammer's teacher received. 
The quilting was kept simple with just diagonally sewn straight lines. 
Although I've had the charm packs for a while, I was still able to find some yardage to use for the backing and the binding.
To report that his teacher Mrs. A was thrilled is an understatement.  She hadn't received a handmade gift before and she is so happy that she will have this forever.  And as for the colors...I nailed it!  Those are so her.  Score!
The 2nd table runner, this one for Sunshine's teacher.
I saw an image online when searching for ideas and liked the result so I recreated it for this project.  I really like the way the 3 lines of quilting turned out.  I'll definitely use that plan again in the future.
The backing and binding for this one is the opposite of the other one and the print shows the quilting a little more. 
Though I had pieced them a number of weeks back, with all the craziness of the end of year Girl Scout events and a work trade show out of town last weekend, I didn't get the time until a couple of days ago to get these quilted and completed.  I literally finished the last stitches on the binding just minutes before the bus came.
Both teachers were thrilled with their gifts and I'm glad that they will continue to remind them of this school year for a long time to come.  Farewell 1st and 3rd grade and please Summer don't fly by too fast.

6 of you added your own colorful comments:

Doreen said...

Jammer is indeed growing into a handsome young man but the change in Sunshine's expression (from a wide-eyed, first-day-of-school look to a happy-I'm-a-second-grader, more "mature" look) is precious!!!! Beautiful finishes and I really like your quilting choices.....perfect!!!!

Needled Mom said...

The children have really grown up in the last school year. I love the runners that you made for the teachers.

beaquilter said...

great gifts and kid pics :) this is the first year I didn't give anything- guess you don't in middle school...now one is going to high school!

Marlene said...

Jammer and Sunshine aree certainly growing up quickly. Lovely photos of them both. Those runners are both gorgeous and I am sure the teachers were thrilled to receive them.

FlourishingPalms said...

Wow! You are one generous mama! First to make quilts for pre-school teachers, and now to make these runners for the public school teachers. I'm glad to know they appreciate what you've done. It's fun to see changes in the kids during a school year, isn't it? I agree with you about how the little boys lose their little boy looks. You've done a wise thing to take "before and after" pictures. You'll cherish those in the future too.

Sparky said...

Your children are such a reflection of the beauty in our world you have created for them. Hard to believe how mature they have become, so beautiful too. YOU are such a fine example of all the good things life has to offer....LOVE the runners ....you have become quite a lovely quilter...x