Learn to sew - Lesson 1

I am so pleased to be bringing this to you.

A few weeks ago I started showing my daughter, whose not quite 6 yeas old, the basics in sewing. And she loved it. Yay! Its begun!

My mum taught me to sew with the sewing machine when I was young. Looking back I dont know how much I enjoyed it. But I was learning new skills. I remember making different projects during the school holidays using different techniques. Like patch work and applique. Hand sewing buttons, choosing fabric and just being creative. She also taught me to be confident on the sewing machine. I later did textiles at university and saw so many other people so not confident on a sewing machine. And I realised that the many times I had played on a sewing machine as a child, it really gave me the confidence in the sewing machine. Knowing how to correct my mistakes, threading the machine and feeling confident in MY foot as it controls it all. What a lesson to learn.

This is what I would love to pass on to my sweet daughter. Just as my mum did for me.

Seeing my daughter enjoy learning to sew, fills me with joy. Im passing it on.

Some of my friends picked up on the fact that I was teachng her, they suggested I put it on here, for you to read. So here I am.

Lesson 1 is below. These lessons are for my daughter. I am going slow with her. Ive already threaded the machine for her. But these lessons can be a guide for you helping your kids or if you yourself want to follow along and learn.

The biggest part, like most things, is PRACTICE. The first few lessons with my daughter is repeating lots of the same things and making the machine familiar to her.

Lesson 1 

Firstly get comfortable in front of the machine. The foot pedal should be within reach. I put it on a tub for my daughter to reach it. 

Next explain about the machine: the power button, the thread at the top, the foot, the bobbin, the needle. Where each thing is and what it does. 

Explain about the pedal. "You are in control of it."

Next explain about safety. Where your hands should go. On top of the fabric, keeping it secure and guiding it through. 

Then we are good to go. 

After choosing some fabric folded in half, with some thread that can be easily seen. 

I reminded my daughter a few times about starting with the needle in the fabric. So that means using the side wheel to bring the needle down into the fabric. 

With the fabric in place and the presser foot down, the needle down. 

You may begin. 

We practiced using a straight stitch. Around the fabric. Stopping and starting. 

I really want her to be confident in operating the sewing machine and knowing that she is in control. As I encouraged her with the pace of the stitches and good hand placement. She was doing really well. She was listening and putting into practice what I had been telling her. 

This has been a great first start at sewing. She really enjoyed it. 

Today we have practiced: 

knowing how the machine works,

 using the pressure foot, 

putting the needle down into the fabric,

positioning your hands guiding the fabric, 

A steady pace using your foot on the pedal. 

I hope this has been helpful. 

Check out lesson 2 here