Sewing with Kids. 2July2010. Clothilde.com-Sewing Savvy Newsletter.

Just a note before the newsletter: Clothilde.com has a wide assortment of items for those interested in sewing and quilting. I signed up for their newsletter which normally has some very inspirational ideas.

Sewing With Kids

Kids may show an interest in sewing, but the sharp needles and fast pace of your sewing machine may intimidate them. It's pretty easy to start them out with some string and plastic mesh canvas to get the hang of hand sewing. After that, it won't take long to move them on to needles and scrap fabric, or to replacing missing buttons on their favorite shirts. When teaching kids to use sewing machines, it helps if you have a machine that has multiple speed settings. Pressure pedals will work too; however, just make sure kids can safely reach the pedals and set a nonskid pad beneath the foot pedal. Start slowly and pick a very basic pattern, or just teach kids to sew straight or zigzag stitches in lines on scrap fabric until they are comfortable. As long as kids remember to keep their little fingers away from the needle, they should gain confidence and learn to enjoy sewing on a machine.

Kids are naturally curious and love to learn new things, but they also have very short attention spans. Therefore, it is important to come up with quick and easy projects that they can complete in a short period of time with minimal assistance. Once they see the finished product, they will be excited about more challenging projects.

To get kids excited about sewing, you could take them to the fabric store and let them pick out their own fabrics. Fat quarters are cheap and small enough for kids to work with easily. They will love the bright array of colors and patterns to choose from. Giving kids their own sewing scissors and pincushion also makes them feel like their projects are their own.

Ideas for Kid-Friendly Sewing Projects

• Pillowcases
• Simple blankets for charities

Project Linus Donate homemade blankets you and your kids make to this great charity that gives blankets to hospitals and shelters.

• Shorts
• Scarves or bandannas for pets
• Reusable shopping bags

  Source:
http://www.clotilde.com/sewing_savvy.php?mode=article&article_id=1007&source=SEWNL