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Sarah M
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Not sure where to put this-- move it wherever, moderators. 
I'm hoping to purchase a nice sewing machine for my 8 year old daughter this Christmas. I don't really know where to start looking, so I thought I'd see if any of you had some recommendations.
(And no, I don't sew. But I am going to learn, I guess, because this child has been begging to learn for a couple of years now. I'm finally convinced that it's not a fleeting desire...)
While I'm at it, perhaps I ought to ask for your recommendations for learning-to-sew books? I bought See and Sew not too long ago and I'm a little disappointed-- I'm not sure that it explains the basics well enough, and I need those explained ... I'm curious about My First Sewing Machine Book- has anyone used it?
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St. Ann
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Do you know a nice oma from church or the neighborhood, who would have the time or find joy in sharing her sewing knowledge with an eager child? I can't recommend a book...I just don't know what's out there. JoAnn fabrics offers courses for kids at different times of the year, too.
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MaryMary
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Hi Sarah,
I myself do not sew (that well) but my two dd's have been learning to sew since they were 5 and 7 (they are now 7 and 9.) I asked a neighbour of my mother's who is a retired teacher and fabulous seamstress if she would be willing to work with them, because they were begging me for lessons as well. My girls have always just used a regular sized sewing machine. After two years they can now show me how to thread etc. etc. my machine at home! Maybe you can find a good used one? Or borrow one to begin with? Or as Stephanie said above, maybe there is someone you know who already has a machine and is willing to let your kids come to her place to use it under her supervision?
ETA sorry Sarah didn't really answer your question! At first i found simple patterns online...check there first...I also got some ideas from sewing books from the library. HTH!
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Paula in MN
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I don't sew well, but I have a machine! I'm teaching my dd10 with it. Definitely get an "adult" machine. They are sturdier and really not much more money. Call the local public school and see if anyone in Textile Arts might want to give lessons. I have See and Sew, and it's okay. I just bought Sewing with St. Anne, but haven't had a chance to look through it yet.
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 Paula
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crusermom
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You might look into getting an older machine that is in good shape. The old singer 3/4 size machines would be a good choice. You don't need all the bells and whistles. I was looking into getting a hand crank 3/4 size machine for my younger daughter but ended up getting an electric one. And they are so cute!
My girls learned to sew through 4-H. I would go along to the meetings and learn too. I don't know about the classes at Joanns - they are a little pricey when I had so many girls wanting to sew.
Finding an older woman to teach is a great idea. That is basically what 4-H was - we had senior citizens that volunteered there.
There is a web site - You Can Make This - that has easy patterns that really hold your hand through the whole process.
The Sewing with St. Anne book also has some great beginner projects.
Have fun!
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KC in TX
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I'll be teaching my 8 year old daughter as well. She's been begging me to teach her. I do know how to sew and have a machine but I will probably get her something smaller. Also, I don't want to compete with her for my machine.
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Matilda
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I agree with Paula. You probably want to consider an adult machine, not a child's machine They aren't very reliable or sturdy. What I would recommend is getting a simple adult sewing machine but make sure it has a governor or a variable speed control. That would be a switch or a dial that let's you control the speed of the machine. On the lowest setting, it will only move at a steady, slow pace even if your daughter is pressing all the way down on the foot pedal. Mine is a Janome Sew Precise and my girls (10 and 8) have been learning on it slowly.
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Mary G
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I would NOT buy one of the kiddy machines ... you'll end up disappointed! It might be best to go to a real sewing store and buy there ... they often include beginner lessons with a purchase and you'll end up saving money in the end. A standard, simple machine is $100 or so (and the kiddy ones are pushing that anyway).
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Kathryn
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They had an $80 sewing machine on one of the end caps at Walmart tonight. I didn't look at it but it's worth checking out for a first machine. We bought a child's machine for my oldest about 5 years ago and I agree it's not worth the $$.
I don't sew much either and about all I've taught by daughter is very basic stuff on my adult machine. Fortunately I have a neighbor that used to teach home ec and she's agreed to do real lessons for my big kids and they're all excited (including my 9 yr old son too!) The best part...they can just walk down the block as opposed to me driving them around town or worrying about the 2 year old. 
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Mary G
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There are lots of great books out there to teach sewing -- both hand and machine (as you'll really need both to make most projects). Here are some sewing books I've used successfully for teaching hand and machine sewing to my own daughters and others.
Alvarez, Beverley Kids Can Sew: Fun and Easy Projects for Your Small Stitcher Barrons Educational Series, Inc (Hauppage, NY). 2004. Barrons does a great job with producing craft books for kids that are attractive, well-laid-out and have fun, doable projects. This one focuses on using a sewing machine to make all kinds of fun things to wear and use. The directions are a bit minimal, so you do have to have a little experience with sewing to use this book.
Cantrell, Alice Sewing with St. Anne Little Way Press (Twain Harte, CA) 2002. I really like the clear, clean explanations of hand- and machine-sewing in this book. The projects are very cute and useful. Again, I think this one errs on the gender-specificity of its presentation. Boys should also learn to sew!
Cherry, Winky My First Doll Book: Hand-sewing Palmer/Pletsch Publishing (Portland, OR). 1994. This innocuous book will have a child sewing his/her own dolls in no time thanks to the simple, clear and direct instructions. Creativity is encouraged by describing different ways to do the face, clothes, hair, etc. Dont let its size fool you.
Cherry, Winky My First Embroidery Book: A Name Sampler Palmer/Pletsch Publishing (Portland, OR). 1994. A great first step with embroidery is stitching on gingham the squares make for easy positioning of stitches and regularity of stitch size. Another great, easy to follow stitching book that has tons of great advice and information.
Winky, Cherry -- My First Machine Sewing Book - Palmer/Pletsch Publishing (Portland, OR). Excellent and detailed discussion of working with a machine and some fun first projects.
Cobb, Mary A Sampler View of Colonial Life Millbrook Press (Brookfield, CT). 1999. This is the kind of cross-curriculum book I love to use in my home-educating adventures: this one combines American History and needlework by explaining the history of the colonial sampler and teaching the reader how to make the sampler (from making the cloth through the stitching and on to creating other stitching projects like a copy book).
Davis, Tina See and Sew: A Sewing Book for Children Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York) 2006. This is a fun, spiral-bound volume that starts with the basics and really teaches children (both boys and girls!) how to hand-sew. I particularly like the retro look of this book which gives the idea of hand-sewing as being a traditional, homey well-loved craft for children.
Fryer, Jane Eayre The Mary Frances Sewing Book LACIS Books (Berkley, CA) 1997. Reprint of a volume from the early 1900s that teaches how to sew through a story about a little girl and her imagination. Lovely, vintage feel with interesting projects, aimed at older girls or adults.
Gagnon, JoAnn & Corrie Gagnon Stitches & Pins: A Beginning Sewing Book for Girls Bunkhouse Books 2002. This is a great project book from a homeschooler and her daughter. The projects are useful and include great, clear instructions.
Kanamori, Miyako Happy Gloves: Charming Softy Friends Made from Colorful Gloves Penguin Group (New York). 2007. This is one of the cutest books Ive seen in a long time. All the projects in this book for making squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, dolls and even teapots are created from knitted gloves! And are they cute!
Karol, Amy Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The essential guide to a whole new way to sew Potter Craft (New York) 2007. Fun and funky projects that gently lead the reader not only toward sewing but also give the reader the confidence to go beyond the projects and create your own!
Llimos, Anna Easy Cloth Crafts in 5 Steps Enslow Publishers (Berkeley Heights, NJ). 2005. This is a great fabric craft book for pre-sewing fun the projects go from easy to hard (although none is too hard) and use glue, staples or tape to make the objects. This one is fun for the younger kids who are too little for real sewing. The projects are fun too!
McAllister, Buff Sewing with Felt: Learn Basic Stitches to Create More Than 60 Colorful Projects Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA). 2003. The wonderful thing about learning to sew with felt is that you dont have to worry about fraying edges and you can just worry about stitching the felt to the background. This book walks the reader through every step of the way encouraging the reader to go beyond the wonderful projects shown. This is beautifully illustrated and the directions are clean and clear.
Nicholas, Kristin Kids Embroidery: Projects for Kids of All Ages Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York). 2004. Nicholas was former creative editor for knitting yarn company Classic Elites Yarn and famous for her colorful designs. Here she brings her beautiful color-sense to a step-by-step book on embroidery, explaining all the basic stitches and suggesting amazingly fun projects. If you only get one book for your kids to learn embroidery, you should get this one!
Rothschild, Sharon Franco Sweater Renewal: Felting Knits into New Sweaters and Accessories Potter Craft (New York). 2008. So you have a pure wool sweater you accidentally shrank or you see a sweater in a thrift store that has beautiful colorwork but is the wrong size this book will help fix the situation. Rothschild has over two dozen projects that demand that you find wool sweaters to shrink. These projects get the creative juices flowing to go beyond her clear directions and start creating your own recyclables.
Ryan, Jenny Sew Darn Cute: 30 Sweet and Simple Projects to Sew and Embellish St. Martins Press (New York). 2009. For simple, but fun, sewing projects, this book is one of the best. The projects are practical (glass case, laptop bag and bibs to name just a few) while developing a sewing skill-base. This book includes patterns for making a crochet-hook case and a multi-pocket crafting apron. Very cool!
Sadler, Judy Ann Kids Can Do It: Embroidery Kids Can Press Ltd (Tonawanda, NY). 2004. This is a beautifully illustrated, step-by-step guide to embroidering. An added bonus: the projects are cool!
Sealey, Maricristin Kinder Dolls: A Waldorf Doll-Making Handbook Hawthorn Press (Gloucestershire, UK) 2001. A classic! This one leads the reader step-by-step through the process of creating the beautiful cloth dolls that are a traditional gift for all children in Germany. These dolls are gorgeous and come in all sizes. Beautiful!
Stapleton, Dorothy Kids Can Quilt: Fun and Easy Projects for Your Small Quilter Barrons Educational (Hauppauge, NY). 2004. This book might even get me quilting. The projects are fun and look doable with the great illustrations and directions. My 8-year-old daughter cant wait to start always a good sign!
Most of these will probably be at your library ... so you can peruse them and see if they're what you need.
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Sarah M
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Mary,  . THANK YOU for taking all that time to write up your post- it's enormously helpful!!!
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Mary G
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Sarah M wrote:
| Mary, . THANK YOU for taking all that time to write up your post- it's enormously helpful!!! |
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Can you tell I love books?  ... you are most welcome!
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MaryG
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4 lads mom
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I second it, Mary, what a list!!!! AWESOME!!!
I would also say go with an adult machine. If you aren't comfortable with a machine, it might be worth it to spend a little bit more, ($150-225), on a machine at a store, and then get free lessons. I know my local store, where I got my Janome 1 1/2 yrs ago, sold my machine to me for $225, but I got "forever" free lessons. You can pick one up on craigslist pretty cheap usually, and then maybe you could watch You-Tube videos for the basics. We found another starter Janome for $25!! (It would probably have retailed for $150!) The landlord didn't know anything about sewing machines, and didn't know it just needed a bobbin!! If you buy a better known brand used, like I did for this one, you can usually get a lot of info on their websites, many have videos etc.....I find Babylock, Viking, and Janome all have great websites. Those might also be a great stop for ideas, they all free patterns!
I just got my Viking Topaz last week, and am going to my store this Saturday for my first big lesson all of the bells and whistles. I keep wondering if it is going to fix breakfast, too!!
Let us know what you end up with!!! Thanks again, Mary for a great list of resources.
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Sarah M
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Oh, you ladies are all so helpful- thank you! So what do you think of this idea? DD turns 8 later this month. I thought I'd put together a hand-sewing basket for her birthday gift, and then give her a sewing machine for Christmas. I'm going to go ahead with an adult-size machine-- so now the quest for a good machine at a good price begins. 
So, another question (I hope I'm not testing your patience!): what would you put in a hand-sewing basket?
some small pieces of fabric
hand-sewing needles
pins
a pincushion
thread
shears
a thimble
a first sewing book (from Mary's awesome list above)...
anything else?
I'm pretty sure my Mother-in-Law will give her some basic lessons. We'll be living with my in-laws for February and March, so that's good timing. Then we'll be moving away, but hopefully Grandma will have taught her (and me!) enough basic skills to get us going on our first few projects...
Oh, I'm really excited about this! My daughter is going to be so excited!
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Mary G
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Sarah,
I think that is a great plan! I think doing the hand-sewing now and then the machine is a perfect idea. Here is what the "Sewing with St. Anne" suggests for a basket:
*good pair of dressmaker's shears (don't use for paper)
*safety scissors for cutting threads
*seam ripper
*cloth tape measure
*set of hand-sewing needles (sharps or a "household assortment" -- the fabric store will have a variety pack)
*pack of needle threaders to make it easier to thread the needles
*pack of straight pins (with the colored balls on top make it easier to find them)
*a few basic thread colors (white, navy, black, natural -- not chintzy, but a name brand as it holds up better)
* assortment of buttons (especially from favorite old outfits)
* pin cushion
* thimble
* chalk pencils (white and black) to mark fabric
* embroidery hoops in different sizes
That should do it!
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MaryG
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Sarah M
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Okay. My eyes are so blurry I can hardly see straight enough to type this  . I've just spent an inordinate amount of time looking up sewing machines and reading reviews, and decided to go with the Brother XL2600i Free Arm Sewing Machine. It seemed like a machine with lots of good reviews, and the Consumer Search website named it as their favorite for starter machines.I bought from Amazon because the machine was 40% off there.
Please don't tell me if this is an awful machine, because I already ordered it and it's too late. 
Anyhoo- tomorrow is my daughter's birthday (yes! on Thanksgiving!) and we are giving her the hand sewing basket. I'm so excited to give it to her!!!
Also, I decided to go with the Winky Cherry books (mentioned in Mary's post above). I figure once we get off to a good start, I'll get Alice Cantrell's Sewing with St. Anne book.
I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
I'm really excited! 
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4 lads mom
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Oh, Sarah, your dd is a lucky girl!!! I am so excited for both of you, I can't wait until Lily is big enough to do all of these fun things. Do keep us updated!!!
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ALmom
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Sarah:
Along with the sewing machine, put in a lot of scrap fabric that no one worries about messing up. People found out dd wanted to sew and just started cleaning out their fabric bins - but it was great for us at the time.
When my dd were little, I really didn't know what to do. I don't sew at all - (well I eventually did do a few things like costumes involving only straight seams). I was determined to learn how to at least do some quick mending on the machine (sadly I didn't do too well, myself) but the machine was sitting there and we had all this scrap fabric around - not sure where we got it, but it must have been one of the grandmother's crafting scraps.
Dd just began picking it up and experimenting - first by hand and then with the machine. I don't even think we had anything beyond the instruction manual that went with the sewing machine. The mentor who would come in and give a pointer when she got stuck was really perfect. It will be so wonderful to be around your mother for this beginning - and hopefully there will be someone else who comes along when she needs help with every increasingly difficult projects.
We would wander in the sewing sections at times, and dd would see some neat patterns she wanted to make. We'd generally purchase these - even when they were super difficult (mostly because I had no idea). She began making doll clothes and since the fabric was all scrap anyways, I just didn't worry or interfere. When she got stuck with something, I found someone to ask - eventually this became a lady who would come over for half a day ($25) and help her with any projects on an as needed basis. This was perfect - she was a professional seamstress but did a lot of volume stuff so while she was good and knew the basics to teach; she also was not a perfectionist and if dd put things together in the wrong order from the pattern, she'd generally know a quick way to do the same thing with minimal seam ripping. My dd gained a lot of confidence and got way more insight into how things are put together. She doesn't need a pattern to sew, now, though she uses them - just not all the time.
We eventually had a small class with this lady and her mother (she taught a group of homeschool girls for us)- but honestly, experimenting with the machine, never discouraging her from trying whatever she wanted to try (I was too ignorant to know how difficult some of the things she wanted to do were)and having someone come in quickly when she hit something she couldn't figure out was what did it.
By the time she was 11 - 12, she could make clothes for herself and sister. I think it hit me that she was fully capable when she made very elaborate dresses for Amberican girl dolls - including a first communion dress for the doll which she gave to another girl. The cost of anything American girl was a great motivator for her and she often just imitated what she saw in the pictures in the catelogue.
She made her and her sister's swimsuits for several years. She even made me a skirt and blouse. She is currently working on her formal, senior recital dress. I am amazed that she is not afraid of messing up the fabric. It is a good thing I didn't have much to do with her learning to sew as I probably would have ruined things with my perfectionism and passed on my frustration. I did try to sew a pair of shorts for the girls and it was a hoot. I think I ripped seams at least 5 times and eventually learned to never sew shorts until I'd pinned every single seam and turned things inside out. Once I got the shorts to look right pinned, I was too afraid to take the pins out for fear of never getting the right edges together again so I just sewed right over the pins (evidently not good for the machine ).
I do wish I'd known about how important it is to regularly maintain the machine. It is frustrating when tension and pulling are there and you cannot figure out why. Finding out that we just needed to have it cleaned cause we hadn't known about maintenance - or read the manual very well to know about maintenance would have saved money and frustration - but we did learn.
I do remember biting my tongue early on when they cut right out of the middle of the fabric - but, honestly, I don't think they did it more than once and I didn't say a word.
How exciting for your dd. You are really going to be amazed at what your dd will do with her motivation. Wish I could peek into your house over the months after Christmas. It is going to be fun for you guys.
Janet
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Paula in MN
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Sarah, I'm sure your dd will love her gift. I hope she has a great birthday!
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Sarah M
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I took pictures of the hand sewing basket I put together, and posted them at the end of this daybook entry.
Thank you for all your help! You ladies are the best!
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Child's Sewing Machine
