When learning to sew, my mother had me sew with an unthreaded machine and follow lined notebook paper. That way I learned to sew straight lines. At 10, I joined 4-H and made a skirt and simple vest. I sure was proud to wear it.

I don't have any information for you but I do want to wish you the best of luck with your clsses. What a great thing you are doing for these young girls.

how about a chicken pincushion?

Hi, What about working with projects from 4H or Girl Scouts. The leaders of these groups could always use project leaders. I have recently contacted 4H in my county, and will be a sewing/quilting project leader. They do have outlines what the kids need to complete, but they provide these. I love teaching young people to quilt, it will make sure our craft is passed to another generation.

I started with making an apron--very easy and gave it to my mom.

Learning to drive a sewing machine
 

If the girls are new to the machine some machine practice on following lines using paper and an old used needle would help. Use a marker to mark straight lines, then gentle curves, squiggles with and with out points and something with circles. I start with a fat marker for the first attempt and then go to a thinner one and then a still thinner one. Going from fat to thin gives them success all along the way. Just remember that if they are new to sewing machines and quilting there is more room for error. Master the machine anda then put it to the fabric. When you don't succeed you're mor likely to give up or say you don't like it without it ever having had an honest try.

I gave my grand daughters a piece of lined paper and had them practice on that No thread in the machine. Then I gave them a bag of scraps that we pressed their choices and sewed on to a sheet of computer paper start ing at one edge and filling it with their choices Made a simple back and stuffed it and they each went home proudly. with a pillowThis took about 3 sessions. THe next step went on to 9 patch and some paper piecing and as their interest grew the blocks became more difficult.

I had been involved with 4H for 14 years. The first year guilters made a wallhanging using half square triangles. Use the pencil lines stitching on either side along the center diagonal line. Then cut apart to make two blocks, repeat once = 4 blocks. The youngsters can then arrange and rearrange them to suit. Sew the blocks together, add a border, sandwich and then handquilt. Use a marker to show the quilting lines emphasing the importance of keeping the stitches even in size and as straight as possible. AND have them write on the back as in making a label.

Use the tape or a stack of post-it notes as a seam guide, and have an instructor along side guiding and slowing the machine with their hand on the handwheel.

Good luck. This is a rewarding endeavor and the kids will love it.

To get them comfortable with the machine draw straight lines, circles. Squares and anything else you would like. Then have them practice sewing (no thread) on the lines you drew. Check and see how close they are to the lines and once they master that move on to a simple apron or pillow case.

I am much older than that, but the thing I loved about my first sewing class (about 2 yrs. ago) was that I was able to take home a finished project!