Need suggestions for sewing with Granddaughter (age 5)
 

My granddaughter is coming Labor Day weekend for a short visit, I would love to have a project for her to sew. In the past visits, she has set on my lap and helped with embroidery (changing thread, watching it stitch out) and has been super patient.

I am looking for something she can sew that will be a quick project.

Any ideas???? Thanks in advance.

My little g-d and I made a pillow form which she then stuffed and sewed the opening closed, in a size for her dolls. Then we made a pillowcase to go over the form, just like the sausage pillowcases or burrito. When we left the opening in it, she cried. :shock: I tried to explain you Have to have an Opening or you can't get the pillow in!-lol:D I later told her mom to show her how she changes the bed clothes.
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I had my grandkids sewing with me this year, ages 5,6,8 and 9, and they each made a pillowcase with the Magic Pillowcase ("sausage") pattern. It's simple enough they can make it with your help in the pinning and sewing a straight seam, and not too long a project that they lose interest. I had a few fabric combinations laid out for them to choose from. They loved it.

My DGS wanted to sew. He was seven. Loved going into my sewing room and looking at all the stuff. I pulled out my strip box and we practiced making a straight 1/4" seam. He loved it. He ended up making a bag for his toys out of leftover Star Wars fabrics I used in his quilt. I would listen to her and see what she wants to do. At 5 she may want a quilt for her doll. Simple squares.

Last summer when I was out with my 7 yr old g-d we made a tooth fairy pillow. She was getting ready to lose her 1st tooth. I will be going out on the 30th to visit and the sewing machine will be coming with me. My plan is to have her start her 1st sewed patch work. She has been practicing with each visit so now it is time to tackle a small quilt.

coasters, pillowcase, potholders. How abt a small doll blanket for her doll

My granddaughter was 4 when she started sewing. I set up a machine on her little Care Bear table so everything was * just her size* and I turned the speed control down to the lowest ( turtle speed) so no matter how hard she stepped on the foot pedal it didn’t get away from her. She made a special quilt for her daddy ( about to be deployed) she did everything except ironing. She cut her fabric with scissors. She laid out the fabrics she was using on the floor the way she wanted everything- did not want help- and I didn’t interfere. Some seams were 1 1/2” wide, some very narrow. It all worked for her. I even turned a tall dresser on its side in front of the longarm for her to walk on so she could quilt it too. She did it all herself. 14 years later that quilt has been all over the world and is still his prize possession.

I sew with my niece who is 9. We have made doll washcloths (4" squares) which was her request, something I never would have thought of. And a placemat, again her request and something I never would have thought of. My now grown daughter always loved getting a home made pillowcase for Christmas every year, it was always something she looked forward to when she was younger.

I agree with sewitalltogether, ask her and see what she wants to sew, as I learned from my niece, it might be something you never would have thought of.

You might let her practice "sewing" on paper to learn how to "steer" - if she has not done so yet - before sewing on actual fabric.

Thank you for sharing this story!

what a heartwarming story!

When my granddaughter wanted to sew I cut out a bunch of 4" squares and she sewed them together by hand. Turned out very nice and a blanket for her favorite stuffed animal (a bunny).

depends if she is using the machine or not. Either way something she can easily complete.

I love your story, thank you so much for sharing it. You are an awesome grandmother! Using the dresser as a platform for her to be able to reach was genius!

I have enjoyed hearing the stories you are sharing. I found a pattern for a tooth fairy pillow that looks just like something we can start with. https://payhip.com/b/kLle

I have great luck with little ones making pillows. Super simple ones they can take to preschool or sleepovers: pick out fabric, buy long quarter yard, fold over with the right side in, 2 long seams and most of the 3rd, turn right side out, stuff with polyfil, and sew shut. Even my 4 year old was able to do everything but the ironing and he was so proud! He made two pillows and used them until they got so flat they were like crackers :D. when the kids got older we started doing the inner pillow with my cheap muslin and then doing an outer case of the nicer fabric. you can also make a nice preschool sized pillow with two fat quarters and they get two different sides!! adds another seam though.

Easy Pillow Cover for child to sew
 

Sewing with your Granddaughter sounds wonderful. Go to the link below to find how to make a pillow cover pattern that is free to download. The pattern is written for children to sew. I hope this helps. Have fun!


http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/bags-p...set-sew-pillow

Baby Doll Sleeping Bag
 

Me again with one more idea for sewing with your grand daughter. This project would be more of a joint effort, but still lots of fun! I listed the link below for you to see how its done!

https://www.quiltingboard.com/tutori...-t285301.html?

I have enjoyed sewing a few times with my sister and her granddaughters. When they are very young, it helps if I use a ruler to draw a pencil line at the seam allowance for them to follow. We have made tiny pillow shapes, filled them with dried beans or rice or whatever was in the pantry, and sewed them closed for bean bags. Then the girls can invent games with them or have a gift for someone. Just be sure the project and your attitude allows them to be successful. My friend reported after sewing with her 5 yr old granddaughter that one day the friend “ had to rip out every stitch the child sewed”. I think perfection would interfere with the joy of the experience and might discourage any future sewing.

I introduced two of my grandaughters to sewing by letting them use my featherweight and let them sew on paper. I drew line on it and let them go. But as for projects, this is not exactly sewing but do you recall the old fashioned potholders made with stretchy loops? As a former kindergarten teacher, I can assure you this will be a fun, challenge for a 5 year old. It requires coordinating hand and eye movements, and persistence. Children love to put the loops on one way but the weaving, over/under, over/under is a skill that requires concentration, time and patience. But the end result is always beautiful. I used these in my classroom and the children were so proud. I had to do the final step of taking the potholder off the loom, but the results were charming.

Recently, my 10 year old granddaughter helped make dog beds for our local animal rescue organization. She as old enough to make the french seamed "pillow case" but stuffed the bed with my sewing scraps. Your 5 year old grand could certainly add the stuffing in you chose to make pet beds for donation. My Audrey was so proud to be helping make an animal comfortable while they waited for a new owner.

PS My first introduction to sewing was embroidery too. I helped to decorate bibs for my soon to be born brother. I was five but nearly 6. Wish I still had one of them. Alas, gone with the wind and time.

I started my Granddaughter on pot holders. Let her pick out fabric from stash. She quilted it with an X across it. Made a few that she gave as Christmas gifts. Put your patience cap on and enjoy the time together.

My #2 GD made a quilt at age 9 and donated it to the psych ward at our local hospital. They loved getting it.

So glad to hear that your granddaughter is interested in sewing. Since you seem to be leaning toward a tooth fairy pillow, here are a few free patterns that I found on the web. I like the ones that hang on the door knob or bed post so the "tooth fairy" doesn't have to reach under the pillow & wake up the sleeping child.

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/sew-...pillow-2978220
https://tipjunkie.com/cutest-diy-too...llows-to-make/
https://www.instructables.com/id/How...-Fairy-Pillow/
https://thecraftingchicks.com/tooth-...table-pattern/
https://blog.treasurie.com/tooth-fairy-pillow-pattern/
https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/2014...-pillow-2.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb6uBUrCb5Q

Oh, I just saw this thread & like what Batik does (post #12). She & her granddaughter makes them out of 5" charms. Actually, this whole thread has a lot of other good ideas that you might want to do with your DGD.

https://www.quiltingboard.com/tutori...w-t285301.html

You could make a rag quilt for her doll … they are very forgiving … you will probably need to help clip the edges. Pillowcase is a great idea too! Have fun!

I loved the segment on Sewing with Nancy Zieman with her granddaughters. There is also a Sew for Fun book that she wrote.

https://wpt4.org/wpt-video/sewing-na...or-fun-qomp0c/

http://www.nancyzieman.com/blog/sewi...i-sew-for-fun/

Listen to the Podcast with Sewing tips for Teaching Children to Sew
 

The link below takes you to a Quilting Podcast sponsored by American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine. The host is Pat Sloan, and 1 of the guests is a teacher with tips for teaching children to sew. Enjoy!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...=1000393268726

Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions. Today was the day. I purchased a special foot to protect her fingers from the sewing machine needle, used my Janome 3160 on medium speed, had the "kit" for a tooth fairy pillow cut out and ready to go with seam lines drawn on the fabric as suggested. We had a slow start because she just couldn't use the foot pedal even with it elevated on a stool. She moved over to using the start/stop button and had a fabulous success.

She sewed the entire tooth fairy pillow by herself!!! She loved it.[ATTACH=CONFIG]616882[/ATTACH]