5 Top Tips for Teaching your Child to Sew
If you would like your child to learn how to sew, Katie of K&B Sewing Machines has prepared some fantastic tips on how you get them started.
Sewing is an activity that is not only fun to learn but that is also an invaluable skill to have as you progress through your life. Being able to sew allows you to fix those most loved toys or clothes, sew all the badges on to uniforms and towels and even make clothes for yourself or others. It is a wonderful hobby that parents, grandparents and children can all enjoy together knowing that the benefits will last for years.
Katie Matthews from K&B Sewing Machines in Hampshire runs a community sewing workspace were she welcomes people of all ages and all abilities to sew together and here she shares her 5 top tips for teaching children to sew.
- It is never too early to get started
Sewing is a fantastic opportunity for your child to practice and develop both their fine motor skills and finger dexterity. Even with the youngest of children you can introduce the basic principles of sewing by using shoe laces and pieces of card with holes punched in it, showing them how to thread the shoelace through the holes to create different patterns. Remember to use bright colours to really capture their imagination too. You can start with thicker laces and larger holes and progress to thinner laces with smaller holes as they start to get more accurate and confident.
- Practice little and often
Make these sewing activities part of your weekly routine and set small tasks so they can see their progress early on. By practicing little and often children are less likely to get bored or see it as a chore and instead get excited about their sewing sessions, especially if you are joining in with them. Remember this is a fun activity and if breaks are needed when they get frustrated then allow for them, try not to jump in and take over but instead let them work through their struggles and rectify their own mistakes with plenty of praise.
- Use a good quality sewing machine
Once your child has advanced from shoe laces to sewing machines try and use a good quality machine like an old hand Singer as these are easier for children to use. You do not need to spend hundreds on a brand new machine, shop around and even look for second hand ones in charity shops, car boot sales, or online and then get it serviced by a professional.
- Set simple tasks
Now your child is using the sewing machine set them simple and achievable tasks such as drawing lines on pieces of material and asking them to sew as close to those lines as they can. Make it fun by using different coloured threads or using the lines to create funny patterns or even words.
- Make clothes for their toys
Once your child is confident on the sewing machine, start a project that you can work on together. Get them involved in every aspect of the project from deciding what to do and creating the design, to picking the materials and colours, all the way through to sewing that very last stitch.
A good starter project is to make small items of clothing for their teddies, dolls or other toys. The size will be more manageable for their small hands and the time taken to complete the first item will be short enough to see results quickly, giving them a sense of achievement and pride when they see their teddy in a skirt that they made themselves.
After a few successful mini outfits it won’t be long till they want to progress again and start making clothes for the whole family, a skill that will last them a life time and one they will be sure to thank you for when they get older.
For more advice on sewing, sewing machines, or to find out about classes and social sessions visit K&B Sewing Machines .
