How to Teach Children to Sew

There are many things a child can sew. A child can make a sampler with cross stitching, sew a quilt by hand or machine, or a pair of pajamas using a sewing machine. The easiest way to sew is with the sewing machine because it requires less dexterity for little fingers. The following steps will help you teach your child how to sew.

Instructions

1. Pick out an easy sewing pattern. These can be found at a fabric store or Wal-Mart. Go to the pattern books and choose a pattern that has the words "EASY" on the package. The easy pattern should not involve making button holes or inserting zippers. Try a simple slip-on dress for girls or pajama pants with a draw string for boys.

2. Select the required material. This is where you want to be careful to follow the pattern details. On the back of the pattern there will be a section that calls for a certain amount of fabric in either 45 or 60 inches. This refers to the width of the fabric on the display rack. Choose a fabric you like and then look at the label on the top of the fabric bolt. The label will tell you the fabric width. Once you have the fabric measurement, look on the back of the pattern and match up the fabric width and the size you want to make.

3. Buy the required notions. Notions are the fasteners, Velcro, elastic and thread that the pattern calls for. This information is on the back of the pattern. If you are using elastic, buy extra for mistakes.

4. Set up the sewing machine on a table that allows the child's feet to reach the floor pedal. Run through the basics on operating the machine. Explain to the child how to thread the bobbin with the same color thread as the top thread. Show the child how to thread the needle and where to place their hands while sewing. Explain which stitch you will use and the tension. Keep it simple and write down the steps in an easy 1-2-3 manner for the child to look back at later.

5. Cut the pattern with the child, lay out the fabric and lay the pattern on top of it. Explain that the pattern is determined by the child's size and then cut the material accordingly. Allow the child to cut the material on her own once you have explained and started the cutting. Explain why the pattern and material are bigger than the clothes. Tell them that you need extra room to sew.

6. Iron the fabric flat. This will allow the child to work with the material more easily than if there were bumps and creases in the wrong place.

7. Pin the fabric. The fabric will need to be right sides together and then turned out later.

8. Sew one piece or section and then let the child take over. Don't worry about mistakes. Let the child work through the mistakes and learn on their own.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider using Velcro, ribbon ties, of snaps to fasten the clothes instead of difficult buttons and zippers.

• To find "Easy" patterns, look for the spinning display in the fabric store. Most of the name brands carry an easy pattern.

• Ask a store representative to cut you twice as much fabric as the pattern calls for. This will allow the child to make as many mistakes he needs to learn how to sew.

• If you do not have a table short enough for the child's feet to reach the floor pedal of the sewing machine, place the pedal on a stack of phone books.

• It's a good idea to sit besides your child while she is sewing her first project. This will allow you to answer questions quickly and help cut down on any frustrations she may encounter.