A Little Help?
I’ve been recruited to teach a class at our elementary school for our after school clubs. It’s a sewing class for 1st, 2cd, and 3rd grade students for 1 hour each Monday for six weeks….
Can I admit to having fear and trepidation? It’s one thing to do fun little projects with my girls… but this… this is a horse of a different color.
I’m thinking a little wool applique like this one might be a doable. And a little embroidery. Maybe a we could make a stuffed felt toy? I really want to make the class relaxing and fun…
If any one has a brilliant idea, I would love to hear.
You’re idea sounds good. I tried to teach the Beehives how to sew on a button…they were clueless.
It’s best to start early, while they’re eager to learn:)
My three year old showed some interest, and we are using an embroidery hoop, embroidery floss, and a plastic needle for sewing in ends on knitting with burlap. It’s a good, easy way to get started and pretty safe for their first time with a needle. I would think it would be a nice way to feel out what they know and are interested in, and a way to teach beginning skills.
I’ve never commented before, but I love your blog! I just read a post on this a few days ago on Filth Wizardry. http://www.filthwizardry.com/2010/02/sewing-and-embroidery-for-kids-with.html . Other than that, I think my first hand sewing experience was actually crosstitch, other than a few straight seams. The trouble is, I think that little ones tend to make running stitches, and it can be frustrating when the fabric puckers up. Perhaps there’s a project out there that includes gathering? Yo-yos?
Oh Calli…you’ll be great! Can’t wait to see how it goes.
What a cute idea! Being it is felt, they could also use glue, if you see that the sewing is not going too well. I can’t wait to see what you have them do.
How about a small pillow or simply a pillowcase?
I used to teach arts and crafts at a summer camp; I got a lot of good ideas at http://www.about.com just search kid crafts or hobbies or simple sewing or suchlike.
A simple felt pillow, ebroidered around the side with the felt letter of thier name on it; kids love when they have thier name on it.
At the craft store you can get alphabet beads. Children are crazy for alphabet beads. You could get some and they could make a felt pillow and sew thier alphabet bead name on it. Or, they could make a simple crochet chain necklace and sew their alphabet beads on that. I could go on…
I had my 8-year-old make one of the birds here:
http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/2008/05/16/bird-mobile/
I also made one. I would recommend making the seam allowance bigger, though, as it seems to need it when being flipped right side-out.