Old sewing machines and great grandchildren
 

I just had to share this because I'm so encouraged. I've been feeling really 'down' because so many kids are so wrapped up in all the fancy technical stuff, my great-grand daughters as well. Sewing is becoming a lost art. My great grandchildren are 5 and 12 and last summer they came up to the cabin in the woods and all they wanted to do was swim and ride 4-wheelers. I have a FW at the cabin and the older one said she wanted to learn to sew while they were on vacation but then, she wasn't very interested in it.

Well, last week they were down at the winter house due to my mom's passing and they were so excited about sewing. The younger one LOVED my 1917 hand crank Singer 127 and the older one got really good on the 1952 Singer 15-91. They both made purses and pillows...... I had so much fun. I told them that I have a FW for each of them when they learn how to sew a little and can take care of the machines. So, I'm excited that my vintage machines have put a spark in them...... yeah, vintage!!

Since they live so far away from me, these sewing events come few and far apart. But since their dad loves these old machines as well, (he has a 1950s Singer 201) maybe I've ignited a spark!!

Looks like you planted the seed. Now let's keep it growing. Not sure how to nurture it though, distance can be a big hindrance.

Perhaps send them some vintage sewing instruction books that actually have patterns and instructions and let them study them.

Joe

Yaeeeee Nanna! A spark on the 4th of July! that's a good sign
karen

Thanks, Joe and wilburness. It makes me a happy, hopeful nanna.

This is a happy event which I hope will keep on burning in them! Even if it fades while you are apart, they will always have this time in their minds to be more easily rekindled in the future.

Of course they did!:D
If you got the 5 yr old to be interested at all you did well.

Distance makes it harder because you can't work on projects with them on a regular basis. Have you thought about giving the 12 yr old a machine of her own? It doesn't need to be a featherweight-just a good basic vintage machine she can learn on. You might be able to talk her parents into enrolling her in 4H group to learn to sew too since you can't be there to teach her yourself.
Rodney

In this case FaceTime and/or Skype are your friends. They are learning the sewing you enjoy and you will use the technology they enjoy. You can continue their lessons "virtually" and they should get a kick out of the delivery method. That way they don't lose ground from long periods of not seeing you and they can keep projects going at whatever pace they want.

Great story! Sometimes it's just the right machine, the right time or the right project to spark a child's interest. Learning to sew at a young age is the gift of a lifetime skill.

Sewing does teach a useable skill and more importantly the confidence to go with it.
Skype and Facetime are a great idea. Put together a kit for a project and mail it to them. I haven't met a kid yet that didn't love getting mail.
Rodney

Thanks, everyone. I love the idea of sending them a kit and teaching them with skype. We do skype every so often because they grow up so fast..... I can't keep up with them if I don't 'see' them. They do have their dad's 201 but he would have to watch them pretty closely... especially the little one.