Underground Railroad Quilt Craft

Declare your freedom with this handmade blanket.

Submitted by
Kayla Chong

In their fight for (and flight to) freedom, African-American slaves used an ingenious communication method called "The Quilt System." When an escape plan was in the works, a quilt would be stitched with a "quilt code" and hung on the clothesline each day to communicate crucial secret messages. One pattern, called the Monkey Wrench, meant "Gather your stuff for the journey" and another, Tumbling Blocks, was code for "Time to go!" There were even quilts with directions to safe destinations, like "Crossroads," a quilt that showed the way to Cleveland. To the slaves, these quilts were a lifeline to a better life, but to the plantation owners, they merely looked like pretty blankets. Brilliant, right?

Quilt maker:
Your kid.
A quilt code pattern:
Have your kid choose an authentic pattern right here.
Felt:
A big square piece for the base and several pieces for the pattern in whatever colors your kid wants.
Glue
Scissors
Sewing pins
Paper:
To make patterns.
Chopstick
Hot glue gun:
Kids and hot glue don't mix, so make sure you do all the gluing.
Hole puncher
Yarn:
You only need about a foot in a color that complements your kid's quilt.

Talk to your child about the Quilt System and the Underground Railroad. You can use a picture book, like Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky or check out your local library's Black History Month display to help younger kids learn about this important piece of American history.
Show your kid the different Quilt Code patterns and have her choose one. Click on each image to see what the quilt's secret code is.
Head out to the craft store (or hit up your craft closet/box/drawer) and pick up the felt.
Help her sketch the quilt design onto a piece of paper to create a pattern. Depending on your kid's age, this might be a great time to break out the ruler and turn it into an impromptu math lesson about length and angles (you sneaky educator, you!).
Cut out the pieces of the pattern (a block of one color, a triangle of another, etc.) and pin them to the right color of felt. Unless your kid's already a seamstress, this is a step for you.
Then help your kid cut out the felt pieces. She should just cut around the outside of the paper to make the felt the right shape and size.
Have her glue the felt pieces onto the base felt to create the pattern.
When the quilt is all glued together, turn it over and have your kid point out which side is the top. Hot-glue the chopstick across the top of the quilt to make a sturdy edge.
Next, help your kid punch holes in the top corners of the quilt and tie the yarn through each hole to make a hanger for the quilt. (You'll probably have to punch pretty hard, so this may be a grownup job to avoid frustration!)
When she's all done, have your kid hang her quilt on her doorknob, her bedpost or her wall as a decorative piece of art. (Of course, she'll really know that it's a secret code!)
Wanna kill some more time? Have your kid make one of each code. You can even make up your own quilt codes, like a pretty red and blue one that's code for "Clean your room" or a bright green one that means "Eat your broccoli." You may never have to raise your voice again!