Houghton Regis Play Scheme 

Drawings were done on paper as templates for fabric pieces and children worked with adult assistance to do cutting and stitching. Having groups named after colours helped the colour choice, this gave a background colour for each of four groups and the main part of the blanket. The afternoons were 'drop in' sessions; the border pieces were worked on at these times.

This project was very well run and supported by the Play-scheme organisers; it had a good atmosphere with children and adults working well together. The quilt has the character of the group and is very child-like in appearance, while still being well considered and well made by all participants. I enjoyed seeing how the making process was fun for all involved and not a chore, conversations varied widely and helped make community links.

One of the adults helping was a lady of ninety; she had been a professional tapestry weaver with the Cambridge Tapestry Company before 1947. One piece she worked on hangs in Buckingham Palace, given to George 6^th at his coronation(?). Other members of the church had not been aware of this and were very interested; she was encouraged to bring in photographs of herself with the tapestry and a newspaper cutting from 1946. She expressed  interest in coming to see the tapestry loom set up in Thornhill School.

The finished quilt is used by the same group of adults and a changing groups of children at the after school club for story times. The quilt is backed with heavy-duty cotton and will have a detachable groundsheet for outdoor sessions