5 Beginner Tips to Teach Your Children How To Sew

Sewing is a unique fun and creative endeavor every parent can take on with their kids. Regardless of the age of your children, you can help them learn some form of sewing which can help them open a new life skill that they can use and even rely on for the rest of their lives. When it comes to teaching a child how to sew, it is important to understand that patience is key. Several mistakes may be encountered along the way, however, you must always ensure to teach them the proper techniques.

Here are some helpful tips that you can follow to teach your children how to sew:

1. Start When They Start Asking to Sew

Many parents often ask what age is appropriate for a child to start learning how to sew. It all depends on the kid involved and the level of experience they have acquired with their hands. Although the act of sewing can be learned at any age, it is important to understand that children are different. A great time to start is between ages 6 and 9, as this is when they are still keen to master new skills.

2. Start with Hand Sewing

One effective way to introduce the basic concepts of sewing such as making and undoing mistakes, seaming, right sides together, securing thread etc. is by learning hand sewing. Unlike using the machine, this method presents them with better practical opportunities. After the child has fully understood the basics of sewing then he or she can begin to learn how to work on a sewing machine which is entirely a separate mastery. You can get them a beginner sewing machine for this purpose.

3. Avoid too Many Rules

There appears to be a lot of sewing rules especially in most manuals on sewing. The task of sewing can become very daunting and boring when there are too many rules to follow. Rules should only be brought up when necessary. A rule worth mentioning is sewing right sides of the fabric together and not the type of needle and thread to use.

4. Make Some Doll Clothes

Another great way to start teaching your children how to sew is to make some doll clothes. Children always want to have something they want after every project. Your child can learn the basics of garment construction through doll clothes. However, this may require a number of sewing skills. As a result, it is recommended that you begin with a simple dress that may just require basic hemming and seaming then you build from there. Through this, your children can naturally learn how to start sewing clothes for people.

5. Teach them Basic Sewing Terms

The 3 main sewing terms to teach your children are:

Wrong side: this is the part of a sewn dress that is not always visible.

Right side: when worn, this is the visible aspect of the fabric. It is the opposite of the “wrong side.”

Seam: the visible line where stitches hold parts together.