But Kara turned seven at Thanksgiving and is suddenly growing up before my eyes. So I let her go through my fabric, and she got out the measuring tape. Charlotte was loving the attention and stood still and turned when told to so she could be "measured". Then Kara began making her own pattern from paper and cut out the bright green seersucker with purple butterflies all over it.
It was all I could do not to make a little suggestion here and there. But I bit my tongue and just went about what I was doing and answering questions whenever Kara asked. Finally it was time to thread the machine, which I did, and Kara sat down to sew. You know, for what she did, it didn't come out half bad! "Kara Couture" to be sure, and not something Charlotte will be wearing to church anytime soon! But Kara couldn't be prouder of what she had made...all by herself! And Charlotte was a happy three old with a new dress to wear!
Kara with her youngest sister, Mary, three and half months.
But something else happened. The next thing I know, Kara is bouncing her twenty month old sister, Clare, on her hip, changing her diaper, feeding her, etc. Sweeping the floor, cleaning the bathroom, reading to her sisters, helping to make dinner, and bossing her older brothers around just a bit more! This is a part of growing up. It comes when little girls are allowed to do womanly things....like housekeeping and taking care of younger children. Growing up isn't about being able to watch certain movies, wearing make up, or staying up later. It's learning to do adult things, under a loving parent's care and supervision, where real world responsibility can be learned. Then the privileges of being a responsible teenager or adult will come...things like staying up later, etc. That's the reward! The reverse is a privileged child/adult with no sense of responsibility.
Well, my newly accomplished Kara wanted to do some more sewing this weekend. A skirt sounded like something she could do, and we could finish in an afternoon.
We traced the pattern so she could use it again when she's the bigger size.
She cut out the pattern.
Charlotte "read" to Clare while Kara and I worked!
Kara pinned her pattern to the fabric she selected.
This part wasn't so easy....cutting in a straight line! I had to help with that!
Pinning the right sides together.
Sewing the seam on her machine.
Checking the instructions in her book "Sewing School". It had the pattern for this cute A-line skirt!
Trying to get that elastic through the waistband! She needed a little help with that, too!
Finishing up with the hem. Need to practice sewing straight lines, too!
Ready to wear to church on Sunday! Kara is already begging to make more skirts and some for her sisters! Kara is blooming and this Mama couldn't be happier!
LOVED reading about your daughter's first sewing attempt! And what a lovely job she did on her skirt! Well done, Kara!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I've been waiting for this day to be able to sew with her. Gives me great joy as a mother to see Kara enjoy sewing as much as I do!
DeleteI love it that Kara is sewing. I took a sewing course while here in Indonesia, and can make various designs to measure. My seven year old daughter is showing interest in learning to sew, but I haven't been sure about starting her on it. She isn't ready to make patterns the way I learned to do it. (too much math involved) But with simpler patterns, she probably could. We have an old treadle sewing machine as well as my new electric one. She has learned how to keep the treadle going. I'll have to let her give a simple pattern a try. What do you suggest? Maybe start with me drawing the pattern and let her sew it? I noticed Kara made her pattern for her sister's dress. How does a seven year old do that?
ReplyDeleteJulie that's great! Little girls do like to be like their mommy! After having gone through this with Kara, I would definitely recommend the a-line skirt as a first project. It was something we could do in one sitting, and she was able to wear it to church the next day. The pattern we used was from a book, but it was basically a trapezoid...two identical pieces...sew the two pieces together and those are your side seams. You could easily draw it out. Simple casing with elastic for the waist and a machine sewn hem. Worked great! I have heard wonderful things from people who use treadle machines. I have yet to try one, but I think if you have the opportunity to teach her both treadle and electric she would benefit from that. As for the dress "pattern" that Kara made..I have no idea how she did that! It's definitely an interesting looking dress! But it was good to see the initiative on her part and was part of what made me see that she was ready to go to the next step of sewing...making a garment. Thanks for dropping by! God Bless you and your ministry! If your little girl would like a pen pal, let me know! :o)
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