JanomeBabe

I am in need of a sewing curriculum for ages 10 -18. There are alot of paid books I could buy but does anyone have any projects for first timers that wont overwhelm them?

thank you

Tartan

I think the pillowcase with cute fabric they choose is a good one. It is all straight sewing and they have something they can use on their pillow right away.

maryb119

I used to teach the kids sewing class when I worked at the LQS. We made pillow cases, boxer shorts with matching hair scrunchies, Humbug bags installing a zipper, and added a zipper pocket to a beach towel so when they went to the pool, they had a place for what ever they needed to take with them. Each thing taught a little something different. A tote bag is also good. They were all short term projects to keep their interest in completing the project.

JanomeBabe

There is this program called KIDS CAN SEW. anyone familiar with it? Worth the money?

sewbizgirl

My kids enjoyed learning to control the machine by sewing without thread along the lines of coloring book pictures. Then they made beanbags!

travelinggramma

My 9yo GD made a tote bag with my stash of 2.5" squares. Small simple lines. Learned that she should alternate each row rather than trying to meet up the seam lines! She loved it. Wants me to teach her more this year.

lynnie

also a pillow with a French back seam. really quick.
I taught kids and had them do pillowcases also.
at that age, they may like scrunchies too as was suggested.
I was to teach a class at the clubhouse in my development. I wanted to have it written that if a kid stabbed herself with a pin or needle or got a cut with scissors, I wouldn't be held responsible. No one would sign one, so the class fell thru. I wasn't loosing my house coz some kid wasn't paying attention.
a stuffed animal, like the white ones for signatures for the end of school. It's just a shaped pillow. At 9 I taught my son to sew polar fleece sweatpants, and a pull over night shirt. She where they go from there.

My nephew came to LI from NJ for me to teach him how to sew. His teacher had him sewing on paper. He was very frustrated. I showed him how to sew a pillow case. he loved it. His comment was the sewing line didn't have to be perfect, and he made some thinkg he loved to do. When he left, he was so happy he learned to sew with aunt Lynn in a half hour.


Also, polar fleece is very forgiving.

carolynjo

Lynnie, some good ideas here. I would have never thought to have kids sign a waver for pin sticks or scissor cuts, but kids today don't know how to concentrate for very long, so I'd teach one-on-one if I really wanted to do it. I taught 4 grands to sew and had no trouble.

Halo

Pillow cases would be the best to start out with as I done this with a G-son & G-daughter. Then went to pot holders & simple lap quilts next. They had so much fun doing them & provided Christmas presents for their families. They were so proud that they made them their selves.

lynnie

My son made his first quilt at 7. the one he made at 9 I used alot. it was just 6" sqs. Every week, we'd sew for 10 minutes, a row. It taught him that no matter how big a problem is, to take it one step at a time, and soon you'll have it done. He backed it with flannel, and machine quilted it very loosely. I love that quilt and he learned a lot too. Mainly to look at things one step at a time. Have fun