Canadian Kinder-Quilters

Sometimes life is just so incredibly kind -- that it takes your breath away. Last week in Dallas, I was sitting eating lunch with Enrique after our four-hour long presentation for NAEYC. We were happily comparing notes on our participants responses, when I feel a tap on my shoulder and then a subsequent hug-fest ensued.

It turns out that my hugger is Canadian kindergarten teacher, Trish. She went on to thank the two of us for our presentation at last year's NAEYC in Chicago. From there she continues: to tell how she was so inspired by the quilts from my first picture book, "You're Wonderful" -- the quilted fabric illustrations that I created for my book version of my song by that title.... that...... are you ready for this? Drum-roll please.....................

Here's the most amazing part.... the response from her kindergarten children! She directed each of her 35 students to sew together their own artwork, creating their own individual quilts in the process!! This task required over five months of work and included each child learning how and then each child using an actual sewing machine!!!!

I was overwhelmed at the mere thought. Here are a couple of the pictures awaiting me in my in-box. How amazing to think that I was the inspiration for this momumentally creative project. If there is an award for hard work in kindergarten, I would like to nominate Mrs. Draper for this year's prize!!!!

Let me give you a little peak inside the book -- to see my original quilt/fabric illustrations, that served as Mrs. Draper's inspiration.


"You're Wonderful" by Debbie Clement, fabric: quilted interior illustrations!