Friendship Quilt & Quilt Kit

[QNPoohBear]

Released as Kirsten's Quilt in 1987, Quilt Kit (from Party Treats set) added in 1988, retired in 2009 with archival.

Kirsten’s quilt has been sewn from individual patchwork squares, tufted by hand, and inscribed with the same special message that Kirsten’s friends wrote on hers. Best of all, the quilt just fits Kirsten’s bed and keeps her warm on cold winter knights. Keep Kristen’s doll, Sari, warm too by making her a tiny quilt with your patchwork quilt kit. Appliqué the little hearts in three of the blank squares, then embroider your initials in the other one. The kit comes complete with a hoop, appliqués, a needle, thread, and patchwork pieces already sewn together.


Kirsten's quilt is really a coverlet, with no batting in between. It is a very nice patchwork quilt with no specific design. My version has random fabric but later versions use fabric from Kirsten's and the other historicals dresses, which I like better. The quilt is hand-tied with yarn in places and has blank squares for Kirsten's friends to sign their names. Miss Winston signed the bottom in her most elegant handwriting.

Grade: A




It came with a quilting set to make a quilt for Sari. The quilt was already pieced and the set includes a little embroidery hoop and embroidery floss to emborider three pre-cut heart pieces and stitch yours or Kirsten's initials.

Grade: A

[Ishiguro]

You make Kirsten's Sari Quilt yourself. It's adorable! I finished mine and I thought it turned out great. Small thing was that it came with the patches, quilt, sampler holder, and thread, no needle. However, on the box it says this packages contains a Sharp Point. A- for missing needle but still cute.

[American Girl Rescue]

Friendship Quilt & Quilt Kit
Item #KBAGR (F6921)
$22

"Kirsten’s quilt has been sewn from individual patchwork squares, tufted by hand, and inscribed with the same special message that Kirsten’s friends wrote on hers. Best of all, the quilt just fits Kirsten’s bed and keeps her warm on cold winter knights. Keep Kristen’s doll, Sari, warm too by making her a tiny quilt with your patchwork quilt kit. Appliqué the little hearts in three of the blank squares, then embroider your initials in the other one. The kit comes complete with a hoop, appliqués, a needle, thread, and patchwork pieces already sewn together."

I only have the Friendship Quilt and not the Quilt Kit. I love this because it uses actual material pieces from Kirsten's outfits, as well as other outfits that I don't recognize, except for one of them is Josefina's Christmas outfit material. That is a special bonus for me!
Grade A

The quilt measures 16 1/2" long by 13" wide.

[FelicityFan85]

After the whole missing out on Kirsten's School Supplies, I had to get this asap (just in case) as it's my top item I wanted for Kirsten. The quilt is pretty although, it is smaller than Addy's Family Album quilt. I like that they use some fabrics from different outfits-it's neat that they use the original Kirsten school outfit print, with the divide signs. Since I don't have Sari yet, I'm not sewing the small quilt yet. It has to be saved so Kirsten can sew it for her doll. This quilt gets an A from me (would've been an A+ if it was a tad bigger.

[Megan]

I love the detail on this item, especially the mini needle and embroidery hoop. A because of no batting in between (even thought it did go with what happened in the story).

[Wickfield]

We got Kirsten's quilt in 2005, and it is one of those pieces that is straight from the book. I love the "signature" from her teacher, and the fact that the blocks are made from Kirsten's clothing (although that is not quite realistic since the quilt was supposedly made by several different girls). The quilt kit is nice - it requires a knowledge of sewing and the recommended stitch is difficult to master. It's not exactly big enough for Sari but it looks darling in Kirsten's hand. This is a great set, nice for play and display. A

More pictures of the 2005 version; we lost the embroidery hoop.

[EofA]

I got an older version of Kirsten's quilt when I bought her bed second-hand, and liked the softer feel to the quilt better than the stiffer Mattel version that I already had. I decided to keep this version, and was pleased to eventually pick up an older Sari quilt that matched. This is a dear set and very story-specific. I think the quilts, Sari, and nightgown are musts to round out a representative Kirsten collection.

[rosieangel]

I bought this quilt from a board member, so I do not have Sari's quilt that accompanies it. Mine has a small tag marked Pleasant Company, 1996. Kirsten's quilt is a lovely coverlet, just as it is described in the books, with simple patchwork squares that have varying designs on them.

I wish the quilt was a little bigger... I don't have her bed, so I hoped that I could wrap it around her shoulders. However, it's too small for that. Other than the size, I love it! B+ due to size.

Kirsten wrapped up in her quilt:

[PleasantMemories]

A-

Originally, the quilt kit was included with Kirsten’s Party Treats. It was added to the Kirsten’s Friendship Quilt shortly after Mattel purchased Pleasant Company. Therefore, the Pleasant Company Kirsten quilts did not come with the coordinating quilt Kit.

The picture of Kirsten quilting with her friends during the barn raising has always been one of my favorite AG illustrations. I enjoy looking at the designs that the girls created. Each design was supposed to represent something about the character that created it for Miss Winston. Although it could have been costly and complicated to manufacture, I would have liked a similar version for the doll.

Kirsten’s Friendship quilt is still a great piece that’s nice both on its own and as a covering for Kirsten’s bed. However, it is more like a coverlet instead of a heavy quilt. Over the years, I’ve acquired three of Kirsten’s Friendship quilts. The first was purchased in 1988, the second in 1996, and the third in 2009.

As others have mentioned Kirsten’s Friendship quilt originally incorporated fabric prints that aren’t used in Kirsten’s collection. Although I have seen original quilts that are very similar (like mine and QNPoohbear’s), I’ve yet to see two that are exactly the same. Some are really quite different. In comparison with my other quilts, this one has a lighter backing, less even squares, and is a tad wider. It is also a bit thinner and softer.

The quilt kit, which was purchased with Kirsten’s Party Treats before December of 1987, coordinates with the 1988 quilt but isn’t an exact match.

The second quilt (1996) is my favorite version. Unlike the original version, it incorporates some of the fabrics from Kirsten’s collection. You can see material from the original meet outfit, original school outfit, the slate bag, birthday dress, summer dress, work dress, and the collar of the house coat. I think it’s a neat idea to incorporate materials from Kirsten’s collection. After all, a scrap quilt usually contains an array of odds and ends. Also, this quilt is a tad thicker than the original version and the squares are a little more uniform. While the quilt isn’t as soft as the 1988 one, it’s still fairly soft and well made.

The third quilt (2009) also incorporates fabrics from Kirsten’s collection. However, it doesn’t include squares from the birthday dress. It does include some squares from the exterior of the housecoat and a different variation Kirsten’s meet outfit fabric. This version is quite a bit stiffer than the older ones and is noticeably longer. It’s still a nice piece.

The newest quilt also came with a coordinating quilt kit. It’s wonderful that the kit comes with everything needed to complete the miniature quilt for Sari, down to the needle. Unfortunately, the hoop frame has a tendency to damage the quilt squares. Some people have needed to look through quite a few boxes to find a quilt without pulled threads from the frame.

In case you were curious, my first quilt kit (1987) came with DMC thread, the ones from the 1990s came with thread in a Pleasant Company wrapping, and the newest one has an American Girl wrapping. The instructions are the same with the exception of the Pleasant Company or American Girl markings. The hearts coordinate with each mini quilt.

Overall, it’s a great set for Kirsten and I recommend it without hesitation.

[5hensandacockatiel]

I think this is WONDERFUL! I mean, the quilt squares are actually fabric from dresses that you can buy from AG!!! And the doll quilt is awfully cute too. This is one of the best buys I've ever bought from AG.
A+++

[jennifermichelle]

I just got Kirsten's quilt on eBay and while I haven't taken a picture yet, I have mixed feelings about it. I'm very happy to have it because I agree, it is essential for Kirsten to have. But mine has some Josefina fabric in there from her holiday dress and it is too dark/jarring to look good with the rest of the quilt and knowing that it is Josefina's somehow irritates me to have it in Kirsten's quilt. I would much rather see the fabric from her summer dress, birthday dress, and housecoat in there! Mine only has the fabric from her meet dress, school dress, school bag, and work dress. I worry that the handwriting on it will wear off easily though I'm good with such things and if it doesn't last I will just ink it in myself.

Overall though, it's a very nice item. I might be on the lookout though for an older one that suits my taste for it a little more closely and sell the one I have.

I'm going with B+. I would love to have the little kit for Sari's quilt!

[starwenn]

For some reason, my stepsister had the mid-90s version of this in her collection, despite not owning Kirsten. I'm glad. As mentioned, it's a very nice piece, very well-made. I do love the use of fabric from her real clothing (mine includes her summer and spring outfits) in the quilt design! My girls use it as an extra blanket for chilly evenings.

I also have the doll quilt, which is also cute and has held up well, but as it's so small, I seldom use it.

[keeperofthepast]

This quilt is wonderful and looks like a real patched quilt. My daughter loved it paired with Addy's bed for a sweet prairie look.