Little Ones Sewing!

[Cheesecake]

A few weeks ago we won some fat quarters in an Easter raffle from our local sewing shop and so Little one then picked a few more to go with them and has started learning to sew.  This has been the first time She's had a go with a set up machine, in the past she's played with no needle or thread and I was very very nervous about this haha.

She chose the layout for the fabrics herself and with Mummy's help we made a patchwork cushion cover, She paid lots of attention and listened, sewed a few seams by herself and watched closely as sewed the zip in as well as helping a lot.  She was super pleased to discover how to change sewing direction and as soon as the cover was finished she found some scraps to practice on.

All the sewn things in the home - more items made by people on here than by myself have rubbed off on her I think (mugrug swaps are used as rugs in dollhouses as well as the lovely quilt and cushion covers) 

Anyway I'm very pleased our first little project worked so well together and hopefully it will continue with her able to do more herself each time, and I'll be more active on here again.

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[SewRuthieSews]

Oh how wonderful!

[Lachica]

How lovely! I'm looking forward to sewing with my 6 yr old granddaughter. She's had a go on her Nanny's machine & is looking forward to helping make her dress with me next time she's here. Nanny and I both have Pfaffs so I need to find out whether she used the foot control or the button in the machine.

[Cheesecake]

@Lachica that sounds great, we're planning to make an easy elasticated skirt for her as our next project.  I did wonder about using my Janome with adjustable speed and start/stop button but definitely for now I think will stick with the handcrank (my arm got rather sore after doing the whole thing via it though). Would be interested to find out how you get on with your grandchild and which works - foot pedal or the button.

[Bumblebuncher]

  Adorable!

[classical retro]

That is the machine I learnt to sew on. Brings back happy memories.  I had to do years of hand sewing before being allowed to use it. Thank you Cheesecake.

It’s now mine, I used it again for the first time a couple of years ago.  My reaction, takes too long and turning the handle … when did that get so hard?

Maybe I ought to go back to it, slow sewing is good for the soul??

CR 

[WildAtlanticWay]

Wow, how impressive does that cushion look!
What a lovely picture of her carefully sewing. 

My darling GD is just turning two and we only see her about once a year, but I do have a hand crank (with a couple of missing parts), so maybe I’ll need to get this sorted for the future?

[twopence]

Also the machine I learnt on.  It was my grandmother’s. She taught me to sew and I still have it. 

[Ohsewsimple]

How lovely.  It’s a great idea to get them sewing at an early age. 

[Cheesecake]

Glad its bringing back memories for people who also learnt on hand cranks! Hand cranks really are hard work but definitely still useful.

She likes to practice playing at sewing on an old Jones machine which had been my Grandma's who I think bought it second or even thirdhand.  Thankfully Little One didn't make too much fuss when I explained she couldn't use that for the cushion project - takes funny needles and it has a long bobbin in a bullet shuttle.  Its a shame as I'd have loved for her to use that one (not that I ever remember my Grandma having a sewing machine).

[Ohsewsimple]

@Cheesecake my mum had a treadle so it was easier.  But I remember my friend's mum sewing with a hand crank and she used to sit on the sofa with the machine on a dining chair.  Gosh, that must have been hard now I think about it. 

[Cheesecake]

Haha @Ohsewsimple yeh if that was only machine to use, very hard work, even the treadles are quite some exercise.  I do like them for quickly mending things, often easy and quick to set up, I just use random thread ends and bobbins that haven't yet run out. 

I do have a treadle too (its what 'her' (my granma's) machine sits on top of) so once she's tall enough she can have a go on that but I suspect she'll be onto electric with foot pedals by then.

[Bill]

Wow! Well done mini @Cheesecake
That is absolutely fantastic! 

[Surest1tch]

That's amazing, bless her. I'm not a quilter but I think she's made an awesome job of that, far better than I could and I'm supposed to be an old lady Noe  .

[Sheilago]

I tried getting my almost 5 year old Granddaughter to sew something yesterday- we decided on a simple bow to attach to a hair elastic. However I thought she’d be able to cut out the 8” x 3” rectangle- but even with fabric scissors she couldn’t. Then I offered to let her use the machine ( closely supervised at slowest speed) as she’s seemed keen in the past. However when it came to that bit, when she had to sit down and use the pedal she said “actually my legs are a bit tired”  . In other words she was too afraid, so really Gran did everything except choosing the fabric. She loved this rainbow fabric. This was the result  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
A good simple first project though, for maybe someone a little older.