Back to Sewing 101

 

I recently was teaching my 14 year old neighbor to sew. This is just her second project!!!!

Here she is with her first project. I start with a very simple throw pillow cover. It gives the learner experience with the sewing machine, sewing a straight line, learning all the parts of the machine, how to pivot and make a simple hem.

She was so excited with her first project but the sewing machine she had was a cute little toy. It works but not for serious sewing.

I was telling some of the women who work at the quilt shop about her and how well she did and how she wanted to make a blouse next. I was planning on speaking to her parents about getting her a proper sewing machine when one of the women said she would like to gift her one!!!

WHAT!!!!

Yes indeed. Her mother had recently passed and she had her two sewing machines, so the next day I met her back at the quilt shop and she had a sewing basket full of tools and thread, a container full of new fabric and a Janome MemoryCraft 4900!!! Oh my goodness, I couldn't believe it.

So fast forward, my neighbor finished her blouse and has already worn it to school.

She still has much to learn but that is going to be tricky as she believes she is now an expert!!!

Wish me luck!!

Now her friend wants to learn to sew, so I am coming up with some more lessons. She will do the same pillow cover as above, then I will have the girls make a couple tote bags just to teach them more skills.

I am going to be using a couple patterns from "The Inspired Wren". She has two simple but cute tote patterns. I am working on one right now so I will have examples to show the girls.

After the totes, maybe a pillow case or a pair of simple shorts or even pj bottoms???

I will figure it out.

It is so nice to be back sewing again. I have been learning to navigate a chronic condition and being back to something I know and love is good.

Thanks for the visit. I will be updating this post soon hopefully

Martha 💗