Before Retiring, Teacher Spends Months Making Personalized Quilts for Every Student in Her Class

May 30, 2026

As she closes the final chapter of a 35-year teaching career, one Iowa teacher is leaving her students with something they can hold onto for years to come: handmade quilts stitched with love, memories, and personal touches unique to each child.

Kim Rohlf / Credit: KCCI News

Kim Rohlf, a second-grade teacher at Westwood Elementary School in Ankeny, Iowa, spent months creating custom quilts for every student in her class before her retirement. The heartfelt gifts were presented ahead of her final day of teaching, giving each child a lasting reminder of their time together.

For Rohlf, the project combined two of her greatest passions.

"I love teaching and I love quilting, so it gives a little to share my love with them as they leave and I end my chapter of teaching," she said.

No two quilts were exactly alike. Some featured themes connected to holidays or birthdays, while others reflected individual interests such as dinosaurs or sports. Rohlf carefully designed each one with the student in mind.

Second-grader Gabrielle was touched by the effort her teacher put into every detail.

"Every quilt is made based on our personalities," she said. "She would add special details about us and she would make sure that it is very nice."

The quilts weren't the only gifts. Rohlf also wrote personal notes to each student, adding another layer of meaning to her farewell.

As retirement approached, she discovered saying goodbye would be much more emotional than she expected.

"It's very heartwarming, it makes this harder than I thought it was going to be, but I'm excited to start that new chapter in my life," Rohlf said. "I thought it could just be at the end of the year and walk out the door. They're making it a little bit harder than that."

After 35 years in the classroom, Rohlf's lessons will undoubtedly be remembered. But for these students, the warmth of her kindness has been sewn into something they can cherish long after second grade is over.