My Little Sewer
Did my title leave you wondering whether I was referring to needle and thread or flushing the toilet? I have often wondered how two such very different words are spelled exactly the same and yet pronounced so differently with drastically different meanings.
In this case, it’s the needle and thread kind. =) After I finished up the Chevron Cover last week, Chloe decided she wanted a cover for her Bible also. She had been digging around in my fabrics and picking and choosing as I was working on the Chevron cover so I wasn’t surprised she now wanted one.
I had given this a little bit of thought and figured this was a sewing project, with the right pattern, that she could handle mostly on her own. Chloe was very meticulous about her fabric choices–I was very careful not to influence her with my likes and dislikes. This can be very hard to do as a mom!–The last time we worked on a sewing project together I couldn’t wrap my head around some of her choices and I did a bit of steering.
She started with a number of Kate Spain, Cuzco, fabrics that she liked, then she added in some fabrics from Aneela Hoey’s Sew Stitchy line of fabric. She’d add fabrics in, take some out, add some others in. She’s got a great eye for color and the choices she was making were pretty much the same choices in fabrics that I would have made. She finished off her fabric choices by adding in two fabrics from The Birds and the Bees by Tula Pink.
I cut the strips for her and did the ironing and she did all the sewing(every last stitch). She did a great job–got good 1/4″ seam allowance practice –kept her fabrics lined up nicely & she’s got a nifty little Bible cover to show for her work.
The cover looks great! I was wondering how old your daughter is and how old was she when you first let her use the sewing machine, iron, etc. I have a 6 year old son who wants to try to sew and I have him working on a hand sewing project but was wondering what would be the right age to introduce machine sewing.
Thanks!
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, my 6yo son was interested in learning to sew this July so I taught him. He was fine with the machine, remembering the procedure and everything. He made a little cushion that he stuffed with toy fill and hand sewed shut. Now he wants to sew all the time! Because he’s a sensible kid I let him go and make what he wants now. I’m always close by somewhere but I don’t have to sit right there with him anymore.
Cute! How fun to get to the point where she can sew her own projects. 🙂
How exciting. It is a wonderful hobby for life.
I was teaching my Granddaughter to sew and she was having a hard time getting the 1/4″ right. How can I help her?
Each day she reads her Bible, she may feel about her scriptures and her sweet mother who taught her so many things as Paul did about the people: Philippians 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.
Great job. Fun project for the beginning or experienced sewer.
Tell her I also think she has a great eye for color!
awww… I love that you are sewing with your little girl… I’ve started typing ‘sewist’… I know it drives some people crazy!
I automatically read it “sew” but laughed pretty hard in the middle of Starbucks when I looked again and thought of it the other way. 🙂
Good for Chloe! She must have such a sense of satisfaction from having something so concrete to show for her effort!
As for “sewer” and “sewer”, I have begun using “sewist” as well for that very reason. Seamstress just doesn’t seem to work any more, and quilter is much to narrow. So, despite the opposition I’ve heard to the word, “sewist” it is – although I’m more than willing to entertain other ideas.
I’m looking forward to the supersized block you show. Hope they stay up a while, since I’ll be out of town, and won’t be able to print until Oct. Thanks!
Oh Corey, you are the BEST mom!!! I’ll have to check out Chloe’s bible next Sunday. She’s getting to be like you 🙂 I never know what you’ll do next!!