Teaching your kids to sew

Over the years my two girls have shown an interest here and there in learning to sew. This interest comes and goes but I always make sure to grab the moments when they're keen and interested and help them give it a go and learn. I believe that learning to sew - and other crafting skills are valuable ones for kids to learn.

But back to my girls sewing. Over the years, they've made a few things pencil cases are always a favourite:

Roll up pencil cases

Lined and zipped pencil cases

I've encouraged them to design their own things too - here's ...well..ok, another pencil case, designed by my younger daughter:

And a cuddly turtle, designed and made my by youngest.

There were other things they made - it just seems to be the pencil cases I took pictures of!

Then a couple of years ago, I decided to put together an e-book which was a short course for kids to learn to sew. Something with a bit of structure to help kids (or indeed adults) learn some basic sewing skills which would enable them to sew all kinds of different things - particularly learning to follow tutorials as there are so many great tutorials available online now - you can learn to make just about anything!

My girls agreed to be the 'pattern and tutorial testers' for my book. After I had written each individual tutorial, I would give it to them to try and follow and make the item themselves. They would then be able to give me feedback on what they found easy or difficult and I could adjust the patterns and tutorials accordingly.

I decided to incorporate my favourite thing and one I'm passionate about into this learn to sew book too - clothes upcycling.  So the contents of this e-book can be made using an old pair of jeans and some co-ordinating fabric.  

My girls both had a pair of coloured jeans that they'd grown out of that they wanted to use - and they chose their own matching fabric to use with them.  

We had a lot of fun with creating this e-book together, and the girls learnt a lot about sewing too!

Here are all the things they learned to make following the tutorials in my e-book. Those in the picture below are the ones I made as examples while I created the tutorials - and I also used a coloured pair of jeans!

This e-book is available as a FREE PDF download.

To get your copy just click here.

So why not help your kids learn a useful lifelong skill and make some fun things along the way.

Happy sewing and upcycling!

Can your kids sew?

This is an e-book course I developed to teach kids to sew. 

 It uses a pair of jeans as the main fabric for the nine projects included in the book.

I chose a pair of jeans because I personally love sewing with denim, it's strong, hard wearing, looks great and only improves with age.  Sewing with old clothes is also a very eco- and budget friendly fabric source option, which is something I feel strongly about.  It teaches kids to use what they've got for sewing resources - the tutorials making use of all parts of the jeans from the zip to the pockets and even the waistband!  

Most people have an old pair of jeans at home that they can use for this, or there are always plenty of second-hand jeans for sale in charity and op shops for just a few dollars.

The nine tutorials in the book build up skills and techniques gradually, but each project is achievable for kids to make either by themselves or with a little help from an adult.

Through the course of the book, kids will learn skills like appliqué and putting in zips; and also how to read tutorials and patterns that use both written instructions and photos to make each step clear and straightforward.

My own two daughters, aged 10 and 12 when the book was created, were been my pattern testers for this book. It was great to see their sewing confidence grow as they progressed through the tutorials. They started out with the super simple and very fast project - tissue pouches.

and then went on to make things like bags, soft toys and zipped pouches!

By the end of the book, once all the tutorials have been completed, the sewer should have the confidence to be able to browse through the endless sewing tutorials available online - both here on my blog and on many other fabulous blogs and sites - and try making lots of new things!

To download your FREE PDF copy of this book to teach someone (or perhaps even yourself) to sew, for just

Click here

Thank you for your support of my blog and my sewing tutorials. I would love to hear from you if you use this book to help kids (or adults too)  to learn to sew!
Happy Sewing!

How to teach your kids to sew

Can your kids sew?

My kids have shown an interest on and off for years and I've helped them make things here and there.

But finally I decided it was time to add a bit of structure to their sewing learning - while still trying to keep it fun.

So I created a series of tutorials to help kids learn to sew using a pair of jeans.  

My girls used a pair each of coloured jeans they'd grown out of.

By sewing with an old pair of jeans, the kids also learn about upcycling and making use of materials you have, as well as learning a series of sewing techniques that are gradually built upon so that by the end of the course they should have enough knowledge and competency to tackle most free sewing tutorials you find online!

One of my daughters' friends has also been testing out the tutorials in my book. Here are some of the first things she made.

A fabric basket and tissue pocket.

And a cute pencil case!

Apparently, she enjoyed the sewing so much that her mum had to take her to the charity shop a few weeks later to buy her another pair of jeans to sew with! 

So if you'd like to get your kids sewing, in a fun (and cheap) way - just using materials and fabrics you have on hand. Then do take a look at my e-book - there are more details here.

The book is available as a FREE PDF download.

Simply click here to get your copy!

It would make a great gift for someone - perhaps packaged up with an old pair of jeans to get them started!

Happy Sewing!

Teaching Kids to Sew

Can your kids sew?

My kids have shown an interest on and off for years and I've helped them make things here and there.

But this year I decided it was time to add a bit of structure to their sewing learning - while still trying to keep it fun.

So I created a series of tutorials to help kids learn to sew using a pair of jeans.  

My girls used a pair each of coloured jeans they'd grown out of.

By sewing with an old pair of jeans, the kids also learn about upcycling and making use of materials you have, as well as learning a series of sewing techniques that are gradually built upon so that by the end of the course they should have enough knowledge and competency to tackle most free sewing tutorials you find online!

One of my daughters' friends has also been testing out the tutorials in my book. Here are some of the first things she made.

A fabric basket and tissue pocket.

And a cute pencil case!

Apparently, she enjoyed the sewing so much that her mum had to take her to the charity shop a few weeks later to buy her another pair of jeans to sew with! 

So if you'd like to get your kids sewing, in a fun (and cheap) way - just using materials and fabrics you have on hand. Then do take a look at my e-book - there are more details here.

The book is available as a FREE PDF download by clicking here.

It would make a great gift for someone for Christmas - perhaps packaged up with an old pair of jeans to get them started!

Happy Sewing!

My Creative Space - teaching my girls to sew

Little by little I'm teaching my two daughters, aged 5 and 7 to sew.  I'm loving the whole process - getting to spend quality time with them, involving them in my passion, and learning lots myself!

This week we made..

Roll-up pencil cases!

They work together, taking one step at a time - and I step in to help when needed.

(I've been making up a picture based tutorial for them for each project we're doing, so they can try to follow it themselves)

My youngest got a bit distracted measuring other things - as they're just learning that in school now!

But in the end, they turned out really well!

And have been filled up already with pencils and pens!

Aren't they clever!!

Proud Mum Jill!!

My Creative Space - teaching my girls to sew

This week my girls learned to make little bags.  My eldest had asked me for a bag that would fit her princess game into (in the picture above) so I thought this would be an easy thing for them to try and make for themselves!  I shall call it the 'Annelise Bag' since it was Annelise who asked for it!

My younger daughter chose something to make a bag for too - her cuddly Kookaburra!  And they chose their materials!

They're getting good with the machine!

Through teaching them, I'm learning myself - learning what I need to explain (like 'right sides together' is better described as 'pretty sides together'; and that it's important to explain which way your pins face when sewing so it's easy to pull them out as you go!)

I also learned not to sew with the stick on velcro.  It's all I had left in white, so I thought we'd just use that -

Great! no need to pin it in place! 

Oh no! the machine needle did NOT like stitching through the glue!

Out came the eucalyptus spray to clean the needle - off came the velcro, and on went black stitch-in velcro!

The girls followed the instructions really well, and were both very happy with their little bags!

Kookaburra didn't like being in the bag - he decided he wanted to fly free - so kitty got the snuggly bag instead!

Afterwards the girls said,

"Oh I wish I'd put a pocket on the outside of the bag"

So next time ...........

Jill

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