my youngest granddaughter was 4 when she made her first quilt.
i was unhappy with the aggravation with a little kids' singer- so i purchased an inexpensive brother machine with speed control...
that is the one feature i feel is important on a childs machine.
she already had her own fabric stash--
she laid her quilt out on the floor, picked up 2 pieces at a time, sewed them together- layed back out- continued until she had the quilt top she wanted- some of her seams were 2" wide, some were 1/8" wide-
it was her project- i did not criticize or make her re-do anything...
the only thing i did for her was iron a couple pieces of wrinkled fabric she felt needed to be ironed-
she used little scissors to cut her own fabrics when needed.
when she had it pieced i took her shopping for a back= then we tipped a dresser on it's side for her to stand on and she quilted it with the (big-machine)
it was very important that she make that quilt- her daddy was being deployed and she did not want him forgetting her.
now, 6 1/2 years later- he is again getting ready for deployment==and the quilt is all ready to go...it is still holding up great- and we all look at it as if it is the greatest quilt that's ever been made.
she has (on her own) continued to sew- and her seams are getting better all the time- she is learning- every thing she makes is PERFECT! her 2 older sisters sew too- they like making purses more than quilts, only the littlest one seems to have the (quilting gene :-D )
so , long & short--- girl or boy---any child who shows an interest should be given the opportunity -
i have a nephew who learned to knit in second grade....his class made their own knitting needles, then all knitted scarfs...the boys in that class spent the rest of their school days walking the halls with knitting needles click, click, clicking away :thumbup:
standing on a dresser to quilt
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