sewing lessons for 5 yo!

[rainbowmoon]

My DS is wanting to learn how to sew. I have decide we will start doing some easy sewing lessons..any idea though for projects?

Thus far we are going to do/make;

simple hand sewing
sewing buttons
simple cat beds (he'll help me with cutting and stuffing I'll do the machine sewing and will let him help- we are making those tomorrow)
some small toys from a book we have (mostly out of felt)
maybe one of those flannel quilt kits you "tie" together?

looking for small tangible projects he would enjoy if anyone has more ideas! we are hoping to do our sewing lessons 2x a week, so I am trying to kind of plan way ahead..

[Thystle]

My son started with little pillows.


I know, not very exciting.

[rainbowmoon]

that's a good idea and also reminds me we should make some bean bags!

[Therese's Mommy]

My 5yo dd is getting a sewing machine for Christmas. I really want all of us to have those bags filled with oats to heat and put at our feet at night (our house is super cold and drafty). I was going to make them, but decided they will be a great first project for dd after Christmas

[rainbowmoon]

what kind of sewing machine are you getting? I have been looking at them but haven't decided yet..

[Therese's Mommy]

My mom got her this Hello Kitty one. She decided on that one because she liked the reviews. I am not sure your DS would dig a Hello Kitty sewing machine, though.

[rainbowmoon]

oh he'd actually probably love the hello kitty one!

I was looking for a more gender neutral one and found this..seems on the higher end of machines for kids. the reviews seem good though.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...7LYKN&v=glance

I learned to sew on a regular machine at age 6/7 so maybe I will just hold out and get a used machine cheap off CraigsList ,it would be like 50% cheaper than the one above even, if not free! I always see free machines..

well I better wait and see how he likes it first.
(he is fascinated with my machine though)


ETA-I just checked out the Hello Kitty one and it looks AWESOME! (and it's NOT pink! yay!) Even though it's double the price as the one I was looking at! Let me know how it works for her!

[Therese's Mommy]

I will! I am so very excited for her to get it. My mom was originally going to give it to her for her birthday (last month), but thought better of it, thankfully. I am so busy with my own crafting right now I don't have time to work with her, but after Christmas I will be able to dive right in with her

[rainbowmoon]

I am excited for her! hehe! But seriously I really rather like the looks of it because it looks so sturdy. Most of the kids machines are so cheap looking, yk?

I really think my DS is going to like sewing. From a young age he has been completely anamoured when I sew and he loves to create.

[LaughingHyena]

DD has been doing some simple hand sewing. We found that putting the fabric in an embroidery hoop has really helped her hold it.

We did a small wall hanging, she drew round some cookie cutters to make felt butterflies which she sewed onto a backing fabric. I them hemmed the fabric on the machine. We want to do a DD's room one next.

We also started some scented pillow things, This time we drew the shape on fabric and she is decorating it with buttons. Again I will probably end up sewing them together on the machine.

[LucyRev]

I like giving my daughters the materials and letting them figure out what to make. My 6 yr old sews on my regular machine, just unplugged with the hand wheel. (Actually it is my back up machine.) I gave her a couple yards of muslin to make whatever she wanted and she surprised me by making a big tunic shirt! It looks crazy, but fits her and she was so proud of it. She kept holding it up in the mirror and marking the seams to sew and places to cut. It was awesome! Her first projects when she was 4 or so were "cat toys". She would take a chunk of fabric, wad it up, and then sew it randomly all over. Now she knows we can design and make pretty much anything.