August 6 is National Friendship Day. National Friendship Day gives you the perfect opportunity to discuss the meaning of friendship with the children in your life. We spent the afternoon with Allie and Drew to create a visual representation of the different activities friends can do together.

What You Will Need:

• Scissors
• Hole Punch
• Glue Sticks
• Yarn
• Crayons or Colored Pencils
• 9-12 Square Sheets of Colored Paper
• 9-12 Slightly Smaller Sheets of White Paper
• 1 8.5 X 11 Sheet of While Paper

Your Work Space:

The best work space for this project would be in a communal area of the home where there is a flat surface to work on. What’s great about creating a friendship quilt is that your children have full creative freedom! Each square will become it’s own masterpiece!

 Step 1:

Brainstorm! Ask your children to think of a few different things they can do with a good friend. Next, equally divide the white squares to your children and let them draw a picture to represent each activity.

Step 2:

Once all of the white squares have a completed picture, glue the white square onto a colorful square sheet of colored paper. Be sure the white square is glued in the center of the colored paper sheet so that it leaves a visible border.

Step 3:

Using the white 8.5 X 11 sheet of white paper, create a name for your Friendship Quilt and make a colorful sign for it. This sign will be a collaborative art project between the children creating the quilt squares.

Step 4:

Lay out all squares into a grid design. This is an opportunity for everyone creating the quilt to agree upon a composition. Next, punch holes approximately a half inch from the edge of the quilt squares on each side that a stitch will be required. Using yarn, stitch the squares together using a simple knot or bow for each stitch. Lastly, attach the sign to the top of the quilt using three stitches.

Finishing Touches

Punch two holes at the top of the paper and tie a long piece of yarn through each hole and hang your creation!

Have a Discussion

The best part about creating a friendship quilt is the discussion you have following the craft explaining what each quilt square represents. Here is what Allie and Drew came up with when asked, “What are some things you like to do with your friends?” (from top left to bottom right):

Allie: “Eat ice cream.”

Drew: “Go to a baseball game.”

Drew: “Go shopping. This is a cowboy boot, a high heel, and a flip flop.”

Allie: “Have fun at school together.”

Drew: “Go to the zoo. This is a tiger!”

Allie: “Playing at a friend’s house.”

Allie: “Watch Minions at the movies.”

Drew: “Walk through a maze together.”

Allie: “You can go bowling.”

Allie: “Go to the park and play on the slide.”

Drew: “You can play outside together. This is me and my papa!”

Drew: “You can go to church together! This is the church and the different doors.”

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Rebecca Ustrell, Community Outreach Coordinator
Becky acts as liaison for Children’s Foundation of America. On any given day she could be meeting with potential donors, coordinating a fundraising event, recruiting volunteers and forming partnerships with other nonprofits that can benefit from the help of our Foundation. Becky is currently studying sociology as well as fine art and helps organize the Claremont Art Walk. You will most likely find Becky working on freelance illustrations, playing the cello, mingling at a chamber of commerce event or volunteering in the community.
800-543-7730 | rustrell@trinityys.org