A phenomenological analysis of a girls’ club quilting project

The phenomena of connection, competence, and self-efficacy have not been explored in the context of an after-school girls club. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of 9 girls engaged in a quilting project in an after-school program for expressions of connection, competence, and self-efficacy using a feminist quilting metaphor to stitch together a feminist relational framework, psychosocial framework, and social cognitive framework. Secondary data was collected from the de-identified transcripts of an after-school program evaluation which used semi-structured interviews with the participants. Transcripts were analyzed using a three-stage coding process. Themes were organized into a novel strategy called Code Group Quilt Blocks and found poetry. Findings indicated that the participants expressed connection, industry, specific self-efficacy, and boredom regarding the quilting project. The quilting project provided an opportunity for the girls to develop connection and friendships with one another, as well as an opportunity to develop and learn new skills. This study has implications for improving the experience of children in after-school programs and for the use of a new strategy for qualitative analysis.