I’m still very hesitant to let my kids use their sewing machine unless I’m hovering nearby.  It scares me that they could sew their finger!  I did that as a kid and it hurt!!  However, my two older kids really want to sew.  And after reading this, I really want them too.  No more excuses – we just moved so I’ve been telling them we just don’t have a good space right now.  My daughter and I cleared a space on the craft table and got it set up.  You know what?  It didn’t take that long at all!

So (sew?), now I just need to make sure that I take time to teach them, because maybe it will turn out to be their passion.  And maybe it won’t, but at least I won’t be holding them back.

 

Read part one here.

I started my six-year old out the same way – making a pillow.  He made one and was ready to move on.  I knew he wasn’t really ready for anything more complicated, but he was insistent and he had it in his head that he was going to make matching sleepy shirts for him and Dada.  Shirts aren’t that hard, but when you’re six and just learning they can be complicated.  But, he was intent on making a sleepy shirt, and I can’t resist his face when he looks so brokenhearted (after I tell him that he can’t do something), so I decided to go for really simple.

I took a t-shirt of his and one of Dada’s and folded them in half.  I used that as my pattern.  We used a knit material (so the shirt would have some stretch – much like a t-shirt) and folded it in half.  Then I pinned the shirt to the material on the fold and cut it out.

 

I ended up with two shirt halves for each size.  It was very easy for my six-year old to sew the side and shoulder seams.

Dada’s shirt fit perfectly, but for my son I put elastic around the neck so it fit better.

My son was thrilled with the shirts!  Now he’s hoping to make shorts.  I’m thinking he needs to practice a little more.  The hardest thing for him is keeping the seam width even.

Do your little ones sew?  What do they make?

 

As I mentioned previously, I learned to sew making Barbie doll and Cabbage Patch Kid clothes.  My first sewing machine was one for kids.  It was plastic and apparently not very good although I don’t recall having too many problems with it.  Eventually my parents decided to get me a “real” sewing machine.  My mom and I went to a local store where they sold used sewing machines.  I got this Singer.  I did a lot of sewing on it!  I taught my brother and neighbor to sew too (my neighbor was forever calling the bobbin a bobber – her family did a lot of fishing).  

When my eight-year-old daughter wanted to learn how to sew, I had just the machine for her.  Even though I had gotten a slightly more complicated machine, I still had my old Singer.  I had to figure out how to make my old Singer machine go slower.  I definitely didn’t want her running over her finger (I did as a kid…not fun!).  My dad had put a screw in the pedal to keep me from being able to push it down all the way.  As I had gotten older and better at sewing, they took it out.  We fashioned a similar solution – a screw into a small piece of dowel.

I needed something simple for her to start sewing.  She wasn’t into Barbie dolls at that point so I went with really basic – her first project was to make pillows.  Pretty simple – cut two squares of material, pin them together, and sew three sides.  She quickly mastered that and was ready to make something else.  So, my husband suggested lightweight sleeping bags made of sheets.  We took an old flat double sheet, folded it in half right sides together and sewed two sides.  It was a super easy project!  She then wanted to make another one, so she made one for each of her younger brothers.  About this time, my six-year-old son decided he wanted to learn to sew too.  I tried putting him off – that he wasn’t old enough, that it would be too hard for him….he wasn’t having any of it.  When he gets something in his head, he doesn’t let go!

Come back next Wednesday for more about teaching kids to sew.

One thing I love to do is sew.  My mom taught me to sew as a little girl making Barbie doll clothes and then later Cabbage Patch Kid clothes.  Eventually I was good enough to make my own clothes.  In high school, I made my senior prom dress and then four years later, I made my wedding gown!  I don’t normally make such elaborate clothes but I do enjoy making clothes for myself and my family.

Side Note – In 1999, I started to make my husband a suit.  In 2012, we were packing to move (for the 3rd time since I started the suit) and I finally threw it away!  It was just too much.  Do you know how many pockets there are in men’s suits??  There are pockets that have pockets and they aren’t simple patch pockets or side seam pockets.  They’re complicated buggers!

Now that I have three kids, I make clothes for them.  My daughter benefits the most from my sewing, but my boys do get mom-made clothes once in a while.

A few years ago, I decided to try sewing for other people.  It was brand new territory for me and I was a little (maybe a lot!) nervous.  I decided on footie pants – something that I really like for my kids but couldn’t find in bigger sizes.  I made a few pairs and put them up for sale on etsy.  Before they sold, someone asked me if I would make a pair for them in a different size.  I turned down the request – it was just too far out of my comfort zone at that point.  I don’t remember exactly how long it took for them to sell, but I do remember being so excited and scared!  Now, I regularly do custom orders and don’t think twice about it.

Check out my Sewing page for more sewing ideas and resources.