Getting Started - Additional Items to Buy
#11
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,417
As far as additional supplies - what does she (her Mom) have available?
When my granddaughters were very young, they actually handled "real" equipment quite well - including a rotary cutter. (But looking back, I think we were just lucky - no one got hurt!)
When my granddaughters were very young, they actually handled "real" equipment quite well - including a rotary cutter. (But looking back, I think we were just lucky - no one got hurt!)
#12
How wonderful and how exciting! I must admit that in my life, I can only equate your situation with teaching my DD to cook (she absolutely hates anything to do with sewing and refuses to do anything more than 'maybe' sewing on a button) A lot of her childhood friends had Easy Bake ovens. DD learned by using real utensils, real recipes and a real oven. And not to blow my own horn, but she is an amazing cook and surpassed her Mum many years ago.
I also agree that your DGD is a little too young for a real rotary cutter. I would start with simple kits (even ones you make up for her instead of investing in precuts) like a pillowcase, squares to make a dolly blanket, precut sleep pants, etc.
Oh you are going to have so much fun!!
I also agree that your DGD is a little too young for a real rotary cutter. I would start with simple kits (even ones you make up for her instead of investing in precuts) like a pillowcase, squares to make a dolly blanket, precut sleep pants, etc.
Oh you are going to have so much fun!!
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 680
Maybe a sewing basket/box/container to store her notions along with some basics like seam ripper, pins, thread, scissors/snips, pincushion, measuring tape, ruler, marking pen, and a charm pack in her favorite colors to get started. Most likely she will want to sew something immediately. It is easy to sew charm squares together and get a small quilt really quickly plus she will learn about seam allowances, how to sew them, and she will get practice for those other projects. Let her guide you into what she wants to sew, if she is like my 9 year old DGD, she knows exactly what she likes and doesn't like!
#15
Super Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 4,422
Another suggestions for a sewing box to hold the tools. They will all be together in one place and easy to transport for sewing days with Grandma!
This one has double layers and I like to take it sewing class. Fun to decorate and personalize too.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/plano-3950-satchel-box
This one has double layers and I like to take it sewing class. Fun to decorate and personalize too.
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/plano-3950-satchel-box
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,806
Being a frugal quilter, I'd suggest fabrics from WalMart or JoAnn's with "kid" themes. Maybe even investigate the remnant bin or thrift shop bins. Depending on how experienced she is with a machine, the suggestion of pillowcases is fantastic or a small quilt that she can use for herself. Simple blocks such as 4 patch or 9 patch give some experience with matching seams. Are there already sewing accessories in the home? She'll need a package of pins and a ruler--and a seam ripper! If you are concerned about a rotary cutter, there are those that have the cutter as part of the ruler and much safer than the individual pieces. So then she will also need a cutting mat. Of course, there is the way our ancestry cut--templates and scissors!
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Delaware
Posts: 948
I taught my 12 yo GD to sew last year. I had her sew on the lines of paper first to learn how to control the machine. Then we made a pillowcase in fabrics she had chosen. As was stated earlier, it is a great way to make something useable and quickly finished. The next day we made a small quilt for her bed. She chose the fabrics on a shopping trip we made earlier. I chose the pattern of bricks so ther would be no seams to match (keeping it simple). She was so excited she did not even want to stop for lunch! The quilt top was finished that day and the next day we layered and machine quilted and bound it. She was very proud and still uses her quilt and case several years later. The only part she did not do was use the rotary cutter. She has a vision issue and I thought it best for me to do the cutting. I told her the RULE in my studio was: no bleeding on the fabric! She still quotes this to me! LOL I hope you are able to instill the love of sewing and quilting in your grand daughter. But have fun and enjoy your time together regardless of whether she learns to like sewing or not.
#19
My first thought was a pillow case. Maybe you could shop with her for the fabric & then you could cut the pieces out for her to sew together. I like Lena's idea of sewing on paper first to get the feel of the sewing machine & practice on sewing straight lines. A 1/4" pressure foot will come in handy for her to get the seams the right size (or a piece of painter's tape taped down on the machine bed).
I always dreamed of having a granddaughter that I could teach to sew along beside me. As it turned out I only have grand-fur babies!
I always dreamed of having a granddaughter that I could teach to sew along beside me. As it turned out I only have grand-fur babies!
#20
oh yes! sooooo many happy memories ahead! my oldest made her first quilt at age 7. doll quilt. i helped her finish it. she finished the machine quilting and my husband and her dad were so proud ..you couldn't see where my sewing stopped and her finish started. she sewed for several years, doll dresses from youtube videos and simple patterns i taught her to draw. then she went back to her knitting ..then found the freedom of design afforded by freestyle crochet. she crocheted the most delightful socks for her sister last christmas and recently brought her latest project, mittens, to show me when we got together dor a family wedding event in sept. i hope she takes up sewing again, she particularly loved the freedom od expression she found with quilting
...and, hopefully, she'll some day want to learn how to read & follow patterns
...and, hopefully, she'll some day want to learn how to read & follow patterns
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
craftybear
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
12
10-09-2011 06:17 AM