yonnikka

Flannel will be easier to push a needle through, than felt, which is nowadays made of sturdy polyester, too tightly compacted.

Use a yarn needle, which has a blunt point, and yarn, which is cheap, fits the needle, and easily obtainable.

Work in squares, for straight lines.

If your 4-year-old can successfully cut with scissors, his hands may be ready (tiny bones fused together) to manipulate sewing materials. Notice how a child's sewing kit has stiff boards? You may need to hold his fabrics taut so that he can sew, at least until he gets the hang of it.

It's wonderful, and consider it a successful beginning, whether or not the child completes the work.

OmaForFour

You are a very smart and wonderful mother! This is the way to do it! Next step with your daughter (I am assuming she is about 4 yo) is to sit her in front of you and let her guide the fabric through the machine and teach her how to be safe around the needle. KEEP GOING! You are doing it right!

Lavada

these are our future quilters my GD loves to sew she is 6 years old and does it by hand

miriam

we did the plastic canvas too - start with pipe cleaners & plastic canvas -

sassey

I used to spend a lot of time with my nephew when he was 4 I gave him holiday themed material , he would cut out things he liked all by hisself sometimes the cutting was very rough. Then I would give him a large piece of fabric and he would hand sew his patches thaat he made onto his flag. We must have 30 or more flags he made and displayyed proudly. He was so proud when he learned to needle the thread {thread the needle}

ncredbird

When I was young my great aunt taught me to sew and embroider. I think I was in kindergarten or the first grade. There used to be some large cards that you could buy with holes punched in them to teach children how to embroider. When I finished them she had me sew them together. I remember we must have used an upholstery needle because it was quite blunt on the end. I have continued to sew from that time on. Was making my own clothes by the time I was 10. Ann in TN

okiepastor

I started by then---with needle and thread and made doll clothes....

miriam

I had my own old hand crank sewing machine when I was 5. Ran a needle through my finger. After that mom let me piece old rags together on her FW to make rag rugs for my Great Aunt Goldie to weave. The Lady's Aid made quilts and I hung out with them. By the time I was six I helped make the dress I wore to school the first day of first grade. That was before I learned to write my own name. I would start with hand sewing a piece of plastic mesh and a pipe cleaner or take greeting cards and punch holes and sew them together with a big blunt needle. If they can write their name and do mazes with a pencil and do dot to dot accurately, then I would let them practice sewing on paper with no thread. 4H had the right idea of giving them an operator's license - had to follow the lines on paper, know all the machine parts, etc. I think learning to sew at a young age is great but not too young. Developmental people say they need to learn to use their large muscles first, then the fine skills will follow. Some recommend teaching a kid to use large muscles for the left arm and fine for the right if they are right handed - reverse it for lefties. I'd say maybe 7 is a good age to use a sewing machine for girls - older for boys. Let them be kids a while - on the other hand they do need to learn some time or it will all be forgotten.

Gabrielle's Mimi

I would think that playing with charm packs or other precuts would be a lot of fun...lots of potential for rearranging. How about a flannel-backed table cloth as a design wall, and teach her to use a camera to snap photos of her arrangements. I think using the machine would depend entirely on her level of maturity and her ability to listen and follow simple directions. Sewing those 5 inch charms would be a great way to start.

Lornalee

I read once that you can use the styrofaom trays and punch holes in them to make a design. Then use yarn and a plastic needle.