5 TIPS TO TEACHING KIDS ABOUT SEWING

1. Start at the appropriate age

There is no guideline on the actual time that you should start training your child on sewing; some parents may succeed at an earlier age like 4 years of age, while others have better luck with their kids when they are older. The success depends on how much the child is interested in sewing and their desire to learn how to sew. Most parents, however, have explained that they have succeeded with kids of six years of age where the kids take on sewing with adult supervision, and by the time they hit 8 years, they are able to sew on their own without any supervision.

2. Encourage and guide them

Kids may get a strong interest in sewing but the precautions of using the sewing machine tune down that interest. As a parent, you should teach your child by showing them how to guide the fabric as they make the stitches. Show them how to move the fabric and use the machine while keeping their fingers safe from the needles. In due time, the child will have acquired the necessary courage to sew without fear of injury. In addition to safety, you should also be there for your child when they feel discouraged after botching the stitch work that they were working on. Work with them patiently until they know how to make accurate stitch work, and also guide them on how to undo the stitching whenever they have to repeat.

3. Be patient and don’t meddle

Once the child learns how to sew, they may favor speed over strategy, thus their final stitch work may be far from great. To avoid this, teach your child how to take their time while sewing so that they can make something worthwhile. On the other side of the scale, the child may be slow in sewing and you may be tempted to ask them to increase their pace. Do not do this, just be patient with them, and when they become gurus at sewing they will definitely increase their pace.

4. Make it accessible

Teaching your child about sewing may terrify you since you are worried that they may injure themselves when they are working on it, thus you decide to put away the sewing machine every time you complete the day’s lesson with your child. This, however, is counterproductive, since the child is more likely to develop their skills when they do it themselves. Leave the sewing machine where the child can easily access it, although you have to teach the child to take extreme caution when they are using the machine alone. Teach them to come to you for complete information about the operation of the machine before they get on to using it when you are absent.

5. Make the sessions fun

Children enjoy things that entertain them, and sewing should be no different. Get numerous materials, fabrics and threads in different colors that will captivate the child and this will encourage them to spend more time on their sewing machines. Let your child choose what they want to work on and encourage them to try different patterns, and in so doing the sewing sessions will be more entertaining for the child, encouraging them to get better at sewing.