UPDATE ON THE SEWING WITH THE 10 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER
Well, Just back from Texas and I had a Janome mini sewing machine mailed down there. It was refurbished but I thought since it was Janome it would be good. The reviews on it were all good. Only 5 pounds. I ordered it form Best Buy.
Well, it was a day of frustration as Writerwoman and others of you had predicted. She sewed the lines on the sheet of paper with wonderful accuracy. She was very thrilled as she began to sew her pillow case. Unfortunately, the machine jammmed after sewing just a couple of inches. I worked with it for hours packing it away and then getting it out again and brushing it, tearing the bobbin apart, of course rethreading, searching for any loose threads etc.It would sew an inch and quit again. Jam up.
Finally, after calling all the sewing machine shops in the area and inquiring about their used machines (which were minimal), we went to Sears and bought a Singer Simple.
It was not the machine I wanted, but I didn't want to pay a fortune and I did want to make memories with her sewing.
Even though my wallet was hurting, my heart was singing as she sewed with concentration and felt successful.
(I took the Janome mini back to Best Buy and they easily refunded my money AND the shipping cost, the next evening)
She made two more pillow cases the following day. Went to the fabric store and she picked out material for pajama bottoms and insisted she could make the top too. We bought the material, which was a medium soft cotton knit.
I cut the material out for her,pinned it for her, even drew lines with disappearing ink until she became more competent.She was thrilled!!!!
She started on the pj top but soon became unhappy that she had to be careful and I finished that up for her.
I told her that many people have difficulty shirts and tops and that really was a project we could tackel as she practiced sewing.
She has decided she is making everyone a pillowcase for Christmas this year and I will be flying down to Texas in November to cheer her on.