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What's Great About Sewing With Children

"I have GOT to get one of those!" We've all said that at one time or another about a sewing machine we really desired. For me, though, it's pure joy to hear it from a child who has just sewn something for the very first time! Of all the things I do with sewing machines, the absolute best is sewing with children! Their interest and enthusiasm reflect my own, and it's such a thrill to see their genuine fascination and enjoyment! I have a small "fleet" of handcranked sewing machines that I haul around, and I sew with children at schools, community events, and sewing birthday parties. I've sewn with hundreds of children of all ages and all abilities, including children with special needs. I've never met a child yet who was willing to pass up a chance to sew on a real kid-powered sewing machine! They know how special these machines are! Antique sewing machines attract all sorts of attention. As I wheel a flatbed dolly loaded with ten or twelve machines into a school, kindergartners coming in from recess will stop and point and say, "Whoa! Look at those!" When I sewed recently with a group of sixth-graders, a few fifth-grade girls stopped by at lunch to get a closer look at the machines, and they asked longingly, "Will we get to sew on these when we're in sixth grade?" I let them each give the machines a quick try, and I hope I do get to sew with them in the next school year! Sewing with children is always an adventure! Invariably, in every class of elementary students, there is at least one boy who wants to see if he can crank that machine up to Mach 3. Then there was the 12-year-old whose classmates were aghast when he got experimental and sewed a dollar bill! Antique sewing machines are also great learning tools! We talk about science and simple machines, as I take off the plates and lift up the machine head so that the kids can watch the gears in action. We talk about math as we calculate how old the machines are, and geography when we note where they were made, and we talk about history and industrial art. The machines provide an opportunity for creativity, the satisfaction of accomplishment, and just plain fun! The children enjoy sewing so much that they would rather sew than go out to recess!! Sometimes, I receive thank-you notes from the children after I've visited their classroom. There are many that comment on how cool the machines are, and how tired their arms got, but the one that touched me the most was the one in which a young girl wrote "thank you for trusting us with your machines." Wow! A beanbag is a great first project. It's simple and quick, and provides a satisfying product that's fun and durable. I've tested and refined my "recipe" for beanbags on hundreds of children, and offer it to you here. Cut two pieces of fabric, alike or different, into rectangles 4"x6" (about 10cmx16cm). These measurements allow for ½" seams, a necessity for children who are just learning to "steer." I also find that it helps the children a lot to have seam lines drawn on the fabric. On one of the small ends of each fabric piece, fold over ½" (1.5 cm) toward the wrong side and iron. Then place the right sides together and pin three sides leaving the end with the folded flaps open. Sew the three sides together, then clip the bottom corners and turn inside in. Fill 2/3 full with rice or beans, then pin and stitch closed. The most effective way to close the beanbag is to start the stitching in the middle of the opening, sew to one end, turn and sew to the other side, turn once more and end in the middle after overlapping over the first few stitches. The advantage of this is that there are no loose threads on the sides of the beanbag, making it sturdier. Once the beanbag is finished, it's quite important to "test it" with a few quick tosses! It's amazing and wonderful to see how many smiles and how much energy a child with a beanbag has! So, consider sharing your own enthusiasm for these wonderful machines with a child you know, or even one you haven't met yet! You'll both have a great time!   Catherine Eith, © Copyright 2002

  Home
Invention of the Sewing Machine ~ Canadian Sewing Machine Manufacturers
Sewing Machine Values ~ Singer Dates ~ Willcox & Gibbs Dates ~ Needle Threading
Shuttle Identification ~ Common Problems ~ Why Make Quilts? ~ Sewing With Children
Packing a Sewing Machine ~ Paint a Featherweight ~ Favorites and Links

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