First Kid's Sewing Project: The Drawstring Bag Is Done!

Okay, we have completed our first project, the drawstring bag! The girls are so excited to have something that they have made themselves. They want to take it everywhere so that they can show off their hard work.

It took a few weeks to finish, partly due to the fact that we do sewing on Mondays after their other schoolwork is finished. So if they took a long time finishing their schoolwork they don't have as much time to sew. Also, I don't tolerate whining, so if there is any whining no sewing, and if there is whining during sewing everything gets put away. Also add in the fact that we caught that horrible cold going around!

I somehow ended up with two sewing machines. Okay, I admit it wasn't the sewing machine fairy, it was my own organizationally challenged self to blame for that. I was making a baby shower present about two years ago, and I had lost the screw that holds the presser foot on, and I needed to get it done that day. At that time we only had one car and my husband had to get to work, so I could not spend all day finding somewhere where I could buy the screw, besides I had to finish the gift that day! So I ran to WalMart as soon as they opened to get the screw, be forewarned they do not sell just the screw at WalMart! I knew that I didn't have time to run all over creation looking for the screw, so I bought a whole new sewing machine, came home took the screw off the new sewing machine and sewed my project. Now the plan was to put the screw back on the new machine and return it, after all what I need two sewing machines for? And I would spend that weekend finding someplace that had the screw that I could buy. Well, I finished the project, put the screw back in the new machine made sure everything was in the box and in great condition, and set aside the box to return. Well, then life happened and the box got pushed back into a corner and didn't get rediscovered until months later, oh and by that time, I had already found the lost screw hiding somewhere else! Lesson learned, being disorganized is a sure fire way to spend money that you don't need to spend, and you will never get out of debt! But that another blog.


Anyway, so we now have two sewing machines, which has worked out well, 2 girls + 2 sewing machines = no fights about who's turn it is! Here are the girls sewing at their sewing table. We got the table at Sam's Club for my husband to take with him when he does magic shows. It has positionable legs, the lowest setting is the perfect height for my kids to sew at, and the tallest height is perfect for my husband to do magic at!

Overall, they did a great job sewing their bags and they are getting a lot more confident using the sewing machine as well as the other tools, or as they are known in the sewing world, notions.

They even had to use the iron for the first time ever to press their material. They were a little concerned but they did a great job. I have one of those height positionable ironing boards as well, which worked really well, because I needed to get the board down to their level so they could do the ironing themselves. I hear a new chore being added in a few years!

WAY TO GO GIRLS!!

Some Rules For Kids When Sewing

When you begin to teach kids how to sew it is necessary to have a clear set of rules or do's and don'ts in place, for the safety of the children as well as making things run smoother.

I like that with the Kids Can Sew curriculum includes a poster of sewing do's and don'ts that you post in the sewing classroom. Whether your classroom is just an extension of your dining room or living room, a whole separate room, or a small corner at your local fabric store, going over the rules is a must for the first lesson.

You can see my daughter showing off the sewing do's and don'ts poster where we have it hanging in our living room. After talking about the rules at our first "class" and reviewing them at the second, the girls now know all the rules and follow them to the letter.

No matter if you are only teaching your own children, like me or whether you are teaching other people's children, safety is the key to a good time. After all, no one can have fun if they are hurt by a careless accident!