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Becky Parker
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| Posted: June 05 2008 at 6:56am | IP Logged
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My daughter and I would like to sew something easy! She is 9 and received a new sewing machine not to long ago. I am 43 and totally clueless. Well, not totally, I did take sewing in home-ec back in highschool. I'm wondering which patterns would be the most simple to start with. I know we could probably sew a skirt with an elastic waist without any pattern, but I would like her to learn how to use a pattern. Our Joann's has so many to choose from I don't know where to begin. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
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Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
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Patty
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| Posted: June 05 2008 at 10:38am | IP Logged
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Hi Becky,
I started sewing over 20 years ago for my oldest daughter who was then one year old. I began with simple little sundresses.
Starting with a skirt with elastic in the waist is a great idea! You might want to get a basic sewing book...from the library maybe? Another easy thing to begin with is pants with elastic in the waist. My 16yo daughter learned to sew a few years ago by making pj pants. You do need to sew around the curve in the crotch but you could help her.
A couple easy non-clothing projects would be a throw pillow or simple curtain, all straight stitching.
Be sure to have her practice on scraps of material so she can get used to how the machine feels.
Happy sewing!
Patty
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time4tea
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| Posted: June 10 2008 at 10:14am | IP Logged
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Patty,
Would you recommend the book, Sewing with St. Anne? I have a dd, just turned 8 yesterday, and another who is 5-1/2, and both have been wanting to sew. We do own a sewing machine, but I am intimidated by it  I thought starting with some handsewing like in Sewing with St. Anne might be a nice intro?
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Patty
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| Posted: June 10 2008 at 12:31pm | IP Logged
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Tea,
I have not seen the book Sewing with St. Anne so I can't say one way or the other. I'm sure you could do simple projects without that book...pillows, bean bags, drawstring bags or totes, book covers, and as I mentioned, skirts or pants with elastic in the waist.
Most pattern companies have some kind of learning-to-sew line that is very simple and basic.
One of the main things you want to do is get comfortable with your machine...how to thread it, wind the bobbin and put it in, how to sew forward and reverse, what all the knobs and levers are for, etc. Practice on scraps till you feel comfortable enough to take on a simple project. Oh yes, make sure you have a nice sharp stitch ripper and don't be discouraged if you make a mistake and have to rip something out. We all do that! When I was making my oldest a Christmas dress with a peter pan collar edged with lace, I ended up with the lace sewn backward...it would have been on the INSIDE of the collar when it was sewn together! 
Also, there are TONS of web sites with free patterns, project ideas, etc.
Patty
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JodieLyn
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I did get the book Sewing with St. Ann and while we haven't used it yet.. it's very nicely put together.. and gives specific direction on different hand stitches.. something I wouldn't be able to do on my own. And it has some neat little snippets of info throughout. Some of the projects wouldn't necessarily be things we'd do. But it helps to see what they suggest for finding an alternative.
wow.. I noticed Patty's saying how long she's been sewing for and just did the math for myself.. I didn't know I was that old I know I was sewing myself things when I was 12.. so 26 years at least.
I would have suggested the same sorts of things Patty did. Maybe even finding a skirt with elastic waist pattern.. so that you can get the practise with a pattern with something you feel confident making. That will make using the pattern for the next project easier.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: June 10 2008 at 1:24pm | IP Logged
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A-line pull over jumpers might be fairly easy as well
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 10 2008 at 9:05pm | IP Logged
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Tea,
We have Sewing with St. Anne and love it. I highly recommend it.
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Jen Mackintosh
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Easy patterns
