Abilities Arts Festival A Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture  
PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR STORY QUILT

Individual story squares comprised of pictures, poems, collages, etc. can be attached to a backing made from fabric, cardboard, Bristol board, butcher paper, construction paper, etc to create a group or class story quilt. Group quilts, tapestries and collages should be approx. 2'x4' and no larger than 4'x5'.

Individual story squares can be affixed to the backing by sewing, stapling, gluing.

If desired, a number of different methods can be used to create a "frame" around each story square.

  • Have children and youth create their own frame by drawing/colouring their own personalized frame around their individual story square.
  • Have children and youth create their own frame by adding squares of fabric around the picture or poem they created.
  • Use a template with a pre-coloured frame.
  • Have each student attach their individual story square to a coloured piece of construction paper.
  • Attach each individual story square to the backing, leaving enough space between each story square to add strips of fabric, paper that can create the illusion of a frame.
  • Attach each story square to the backing leaving enough space between each story square so that the colour of the backing shows, thereby framing each picture or poem.

quilt example 3

 

Examples of creating frames and putting together story quilts

quilt example 4
quilt example 5
quilt example 6

 

There are a wide range of resources and examples on the web of story quilts, collages and tapestries. The following are just some of the resources that have been used.