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My Creative Space - learning to sew

I'm setting this to post in advance - hope it comes up ok.  We've got a HUGE cyclone headed our way, and I'm not sure if we'll have power over the next few days!  Hopefully this posts on time, and all is well!

In teaching my 5 and 7 year old to sew, I want them to be able to make things they will use, and be able to do as much of it as they can all by themselves!
To do this, I'm trying to make up some simple tutorials for them to follow.  I've never liked being told what to do, and my daughters are no different!  So, this way, they feel like they're learning by themselves, and I help when they ask me to!

This week they tried making fabric coasters - a nice basic project, very achievable for them!

I gave them the tutorial, pins, scissors and let them choose their own fabric, then away they went!

I helped them out here and there.  Making sure their pins were facing the right way,



I threaded the machine for them, but they watched how!


I have to have the foot pedal for the machine on top of a cardboard box so they can reach it!

And after not too long... they had made their very own drinks coasters!


Which are handily reversible!


They were very proud of themselves, and so was I!  It was a nice short project, but practiced several skills - using a pattern, pinning, and topstitching. 

I'm going to put all their tutorials in a special file so they can come back to them whenever they like to make more!


Now I have also decided each week to try and learn something new myself about sewing.  This week is a bit of an embarrassing one!
When making my own sets of coasters earlier this week (click here to see my talking coasters post), I discovered how to machine applique properly!!
I've had my sewing machine for around 7 years now, and last week realised that there are several 'feet' and settings on it that I've never used and have no idea what they are for!  Time to learn!

So this week I tried the applique foot and settings!
Look how neat the stitching turned out!!


Now compare this to, say, a mini baby rug I made around 5 years ago..
.(which my girls still play with now!)


Here's a closer look at my lovely zig-zag around the edges applique!!

MMmmm - the machine does it so much neater doesn't it!!






Ok - so maybe I should have done this years ago - but better late than never!  I wonder what else my machine can do that I didn't know about!!!

Jill



8 comments:

  1. Wow, they did a great job! I love the pedal on the box, cute!!

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  2. What beautiful coasters...well done girls!!
    Yes there are features on my Bernina that I haven't a clue about. They offer classes and I have yet to take one!! Sigh! Maybe this year?? Might be a good idea to be able to use all the functions of my machine!! Ya think???
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  3. They have done a great job. It is a light bulb moment when you find out something new...I did the same with the darning foot after having my machine for 23 years.

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  4. Oh! I totally need to figure out what else my machine does!
    The lovely sewing shop offered help whenever I needed it...maybe I should bite the bullet and get them to show me all the things my machine can do ;)

    Thanks for the inspiration!

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  5. Yay! Love the idea of teaching children to use the sewing machine! And your coasters came out really well! Love them.

    Thanks for linking up :-)

    Maggy

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  6. Hope you're safe and sound!

    My almost-4-year-old has requested a sewing machine for her birthday. I'm excited she's interested but not sure she's quite ready. ;)

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  7. Ps hope you are okay and came through the cyclone??? xx

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  8. I've noticed your pincushion/caddy in a few pics, and was wondering how you made it please? Was it your own design or someone else's? I'd love to make one.

    Hugs
    Naomi

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