How to get boys interested to listen about how to make a quilt?

its my first year of college (so young audience) and i want to give a speech about how to make a quilt. Thing is, i need a "motivator" at the beginning of my speech, which pretty much means a way to get the audience interested. how do i get the males interested?? seeing as a lot of them have no interest in fabric and "blankets", i was thinking maybe saying that they could just appreciate how it is made and its only 3 minutes of their time... but any better ideas??

How to get boys interested to listen about how to make a quilt?
Talk about men in quilting. There is a male quilter I've seen on Simply Quilts. His name is John Flynn. He started out as an engineer and is now an avid quilter. He uses his mathmatical/engineering knowledge to create the most intricate designs.


http://www.quilt.com/Artists/JohnFlynn/J...


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05054/461...
Reply:well back when i was young, my mother tol me i had to learn,,, i thought it was dumb, but now i glad i did learn,,,
Reply:good luck, no guys are going to care unless there is a good looking girl underneath it
Reply:Well, some of the guys might respond to how much math can be involved in drafting and piecing, especially certain types of patterns, and even in quilting... and maybe show some of the "difficult" abstract quilts drafted and made by Jinny Beyer and Judy Mathieson, etc.





Also maybe frame part of your explanation in terms of "construction" and how it has a lot in common with engineering or architecture.


That can have to do with the design (and perhaps geometrics would be best), and also the various types of construction that lead to the creation of warm quilts or cool quilts (... e.g., materials used, sandwich or not, quilted or tied, etc.---the physics involved).





Let them know that quilts can also be made without "flowers and pretty prints," and can instead be rustic or outdoorsy styles suitable for an Adirondack cabin, or be made of old pairs of blue jeans or favorite t-shirts great for a dorm room.





Also, mention quilts' use of hidden maps and symbols in their patterns which were hung outdoors to "dry" or to "air out" but were really there to guide "runaway" slaves to safety as they passed near.





And how the women commemorated the barn raisings of the collected neighborhood men with quilt patterns, and about the red "hearth" square at the center of traditional log cabin block, and that the themes of quilts can be cars, sailboats, Mariner's Compasses, etc., as well as other things.





HTH,





Diane B.
Reply:Some how, ya gotta bring sex into it.





Think of it this way: Can you think of a passtime where you


meet any more women than this one?
Reply:I see quilting shows on PBS all the time with a man at a fancy sewing machine, or those new machines where you could make it in little time. Can you bring a tape of a show and have them watch just part of it? I think guys would be more interested in making something that went together quickly.
Reply:boys think that its a waste of time. I could be excersizing by playing football or play a game so why should I care about fabric. By the way most people I know that are boys dont appreciate work much. Try to tell why you like it and they might like it too.
Reply:That is indeed a challenge; not many guys are interested in stitchery. Possibly a design with footballs?
Reply:You could always try having a couple of pictures up on a screen of a little boy with a quilt and a Grandmother. Take them back to their childhood. Mentally. They would never admit it out loud.





Try to pull the math and geometry into it.





A power point of the shapes and them coming together might draw interest mathematically. Be sure to mention the mathmatical names of the shapes.





If you are actually showing a quilt, have cute girls in shorts come out wrapped in quilts to show off the quilts, they could walk up so you can point out the type of design. Have one walk out from each side, shoulders exposed, to attract their interest. Very high heels will be important.





They need to wear something strapless under it and hold it down to expose shoulders to give the illusion of possibly no clothing.. I know this is cheesy. But you are NEVER going to interest guys in quilt making (well 99.9% will not be interested) unless you put sex into it somewhere. At this age their brain is below their belt.





Maybe you could find some quilt block fabric, I wouldn't actually quilt anything since it takes so much time. And make little quilt fabric elastic tops or Short dresses. Under the arms with a little waist tie and shorts length. Just another little teaser.This for you and the girls to wear on stage. Them under their quilts and show them as they walk off stage.





Good Luck and just remember you just want their eyes on stage. Theyy do not give a darn about what you are talking about. For men presentation is what this subject is all about.
Reply:You could say that 'This way you people will be able to compile your "bedroom" and proudly show off your handiwork to your friends when they visit and could say to them that you use a blanket/quilt made by you.'
Reply:Yea I love quilts, you might want to say something about like there grandmother's quilts or the quilts that were made during wars, how some groups across the us make quilts for homeless shelters, or hospice. Tell them that a quilt hold a story behind it, and they are treasured by loved one. They are much like painting they can be hung and made in an fashion and are customizeable. THey can keep then in there car in case, they get stuck on the side of the road and it is cold, and what girlfriend wouldn't just love if a guy made her a special quilt or even a small quilt for valentine's day. Hmmm, what else, I'm just trying to think what else...def. say it won't take more then 5 mins and now they have something to call or write home about! :) In college, we are to learn about all types of things and what all parties interests are...we must broaden our horizons.
Reply:tell them how some girls like a guy that can do things like that. that it shos there open to new things nad could be helpfull or some thgin thay coudl do together... also it woudl help them be resorsfull on there owne and beproud of them self for makign sutch a thing cus thay can pic there owne colors and designes and make it more guy like.....
Reply:I would start by explaining the art and math skills it takes to create a quilt.


Do some research, quilts have always been make of some type of material. And in ancient times only men were believed to be skilled enough to do the job.


The quilts we think of today are more functional than art. The pioneers make them to survive. I am sure that meant males and females.


Good luck with your talk. I think you will be surprised how interested they will be once you get the confidence that your talk IS interesting. :)
Reply:Maybe try and get them with the grandma factor, make them think of their grandma's when they were kids and hopefully their grannies made quilts. I hope that helps.