How to Make Simple Practice Sewing Cards for Children
Simple practice sewing cards are a good way to begin teaching sewing skills to very young children. The cards teach the repetitive moves so they can get used to the basic techniques needed to run simple stitches. These cards are a good way to improve fine motor hand and finger skills used in writing and drawing. Not only can these be handmade very simply, they can also be played with over and over if a sturdy cardboard is used. Make them from old boxes and recycle cardboard in a useful way. Follow these steps to complete this project.
Things You'll Need
- Cardboard pieces 6” to 8” square
- Pencil
- Scissors or cutting blade
- Paper hole punch
- Yarn
- Big plastic or metal blunt tipped sewing needles with a large eye
Instructions
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1
Pick pieces of cardboard from old boxes, note book or notepad backings or any other source of recycled cardboard. The cardboard or pressed board does need to be thick enough to stay stiff when it is being played with while the children practice sewing. Cardboard that is too flimsy will fall apart quickly and not hold up to the repeated sewing game.
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2
Use the pencil and draw an outline of a basic shape on a 6” to 8“piece of cardboard. Make a doll body, a bear, a bell, a car, a star a ball, a house, or whatever shapes will appeal to small children and be easily recognizable to them. Make a variety to make the lesson or game more interesting.
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3
Cut the shapes out of the cardboard with the scissors or cutting blades. Make sure the cuts are clean and pull any loose pieces off of the edges of the cut out designs. Then use the hole punch and begin to punch holes along the edge of the cardboard shape. Space them apart from each other so small hands can manipulate the needle in the holes more easily. Try to make them as uniform as possible. Make sure the holes are far enough from the edge so that they won’t rip when the children are sewing. Go all the way around the design. Do the same thing with each cardboard shape.
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4
Cut pieces of yarn long enough to go all the way around each design. Make sure you allow for the amount it will take to go in and out of each hole. Then thread the safer blunt nosed needles and let the children start sewing.
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5
Teach them a couple different stitches like a simple running stitch or a whip stitch.
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Tips & Warnings
To make the project more colorful or interesting, have the children color or decorate the shapes before they do the practice sewing.
- Photo Credit Laurie Darroch-Meekis
