Summer Learning to Sew

Since I started sewing four years ago Summer has been at my side watching and anxiously awaiting her turn. She has been wanting to sew for some time now, but I always put it off because I didn't feel she was ready yet. Maybe I just wasn't ready to sit there patiently teaching her. She has even asked on several occasions for a kids sewing machine. 

So, the day finally came when I told her my attention was all hers and that I would teach her how to sew. The first step was choosing a project. I let her pick something I knew would have all straight stitches. She ended up picking a scarf. So we went to my fabric stash and I let her choose her fabrics. It was hard not to guide her and pick for her what I thought went best, but she did it and managed to get coordinating prints. 

I am not ready to let her begin using my rotary cutter or my really sharp scissors yet. So I ended up cutting all the fabrics out for her and then she began. 

She sewed everything herself. I sat next to her to guide her. I taught her what it means to put the right sides together in her terms of course (the pretty sides), lining up the edges, pinning, sewing a straight line, and most importantly controlling the foot peddle. It is very easy to press too hard and make the machine go super fast and out of control. So she quickly learned to press gently or it goes crazy. 

Lining up the edges.

Pinning

Sewing 

Topstitching

She was curious how we were going to get the ugly side (wrong side) to be pretty again if we were sewing both of the pretty sides on the inside. I explained that we would make a magic hole that we can pull it out and it would look pretty again. I still think she believes it was a magic trick. 

It was actually really good to spend one on one time with her teaching her something that we both have an interest in. I am glad she had fun and that she did really really well. I was impressed because this was her first time and she really did sew everything except for a part of the topstitching at the end. 

Yay for Summer. Nice finished Product. 

 Happy she got to sew. 

I am glad we had fun and that she now has a scarf to wear. Love you Summer, and yes someday you can have your own sewing machine.