And so it begins...

Our fearless class has been tasked with another quilt!

And there has been one major change since Peaches made its debut: the kids have blossomed into mature fourth graders. Also, this writer won't be writing so much since the turnaround on this quilt is much quicker than the last. It's a nose-to-the-grindstone-and-full-steam-ahead sort of job.

So let's get to it:

Since the 4th grade class is studying the Oregon Trail, this project incorporates some of that pioneer know-how by bringing our quilt into the kitchen. The kids have been challenged to dye hand-me-down sheets into a variety of colors with natural plant dyes.

But, first, the sheets needed to be set with a pre-mordant.

We used vinegar! (Which is actually an acid modifier, but nevertheless will work quite well.)

After using their math to determine the ratio of vinegar to water, the boys boiled the donated sheets in a vat of bubbling, sharp-smelling brew.

Hours later, the task was completed and it was time to move onto the dyes...