Phoebe needs some spring clothes. These five dress sets along with a few dolls should be up on Etsy by the end of the week, hopefully by the end of tomorrow.
Teaching a Child to Sew, Lesson 2
Warming Up: Getting the Feeling of Sewing
Your child, like most kids, will be anxious to make their doll dress. Although sewing can be fun, finished products, like doll clothes, are more fun. But before you cut out the pattern, everything will go a bit smoother if you help your child get the hang of stitching.
If they have never sewn at all, they will need to get comfortable with the basic feeling of stitching--putting a needle up and down through fabric. I recommend using a size 1-5 darner needle (my sewing kits will come with one) or something similar like a smaller embroidery needle. These will be just large enough to make the stitching easier for small inexperienced hands. They also have a larger eye if you want to use perle cotton thread instead of basic sewing thread.
You can try to teach your child to knot the thread or you can knot it yourself and teach the knotting later. I LOVE the following knotting method. Easy way to knot thread.
I recommend going double stranded, meaning securing both ends of the thread in the knot. That way the needle won't slide off the thread while your child is sewing.
Now for a Few Tips on Practicing Hand-Stitching:
1. Have your child practice sewing two pieces of fabric together. Initially there will be inconsistently sized stitching and they will have trouble staying close to the edge without going off the edge (see arrows). Both of these things will create holes in seams when you are stitching doll clothing.
2. Have them practice getting smaller stitches of equal size.
3. Once they can do that, work on keeping the line straight.
4. Use the needle to do several stitch "bites" at once. This will help with straightness and can help with keeping the size consistent. It also takes the worry out of having the needle below where you cannot see it and have to feel for the right spot.
Once they can do this, they can start making something!
Next a better way for children to cut out patterns.
Egg is off to Wayland.
Toddler Egg looks at her box before climbing in for her journey to Wayland. Not such a big trip, but she is excited to meet the little girl who looks like her.
Toddler clothes
Of course the fun of making a toddler version of Egg was making toddler clothes...
Teaching a Child to Sew, The Launch of a Series
When I was a child I tried to teach my younger sister to sew. I have gone on to teach all three of my children, a few nieces, a few children of friends and a brownie troop to sew. There is almost as much of a learning curve to teaching sewing as there is to sewing.
This post is a first in a series about teaching children to sew. The very first post will be about what to think about when introducing sewing to your child--some thoughts before you begin (or end in frustration).
1. Start with hand sewing. Hand sewing is a better way to introduce the basic concepts of sewing, ie securing thread, right sides together, what is a seam, undoing mistakes, etc... than the machine. Understanding how to work a sewing machine is a whole separate mastery that should be learned after a child understands the basics of sewing.
2. Although a child can learn to sew at any age, and each child is different, ages 6-9 is often a great time. They are young enough to still be keen on mastering new skills, not old enough to think, I'll never be good at this. It is also an age when they still play with dolls and stuffed animals, which brings me to my next suggestion...
3. Doll clothes are a great way to start. When the project is done, the child has something they want. Unlike pillows, doll clothes require a number of sewing skills. You can start with a simple dress that just requires seaming and basic hemming and build from there. Through doll clothes your child will also learn the basics of garment construction, which will naturally lead into sewing clothes for people.
Next: The very first sewing skills to teach.
Egg grows, just a little
I have just finished my second custom Toddler Egg. Below is one of the two toddlers. She is a little taller, slightly less babyish than Baby Egg, but with the same sweet cuddliness a baby brings. Stand by for some toddler clothes, equally as fun.
Off to his new family
My first boy doll was only here for a few days. He is off now to enjoy his new family.
Boy Doll Clothes
I have always loved making doll clothes, but over the years have only made a handful of boy doll clothes. I forgot how fun boy doll clothes are. It's a cleaner leaner style of sewing and I love the change in palette and texture choices.
It's a boy!
I've been working on two custom boys. Here's a sneak peak of the first one.
Fancy Nancy is off to her new family
Good-bye Fancy Nancy! I know you will love your new home!
