mjwaggoner040

My granddaughter is 5 and she loves to help gramma "quilt". so far she has sewn buttons on fabric and glued fabrics together. She really wants to sew like gramma but i say she is too young. How old do you think she should be before she uses a real machine?

Prism99

I could have been using a machine at age 5 - with supervision, of course. If she has good coordination, I would sit her on my lap to help feed fabric through. Might also get a safety attachment for the presser foot - helps keep fingers away from the needle. Try having her guide lined paper through at first.

mom-6

I sat on my mom's lap at around four and helped guide the fabric for hemming cup towels for my grandmother. Hand stitched doll clothes out of my mom's scraps for several years after that. Made my first garment all by myself at 13.
That being said if she is interested go for it!

ckcowl

My granddaughters started sewing at 4. I purchased an inexpensive Brother machine at Walmart ($89) the reason for that machine was because it had speed control ( important feature for kids) I set the machine up on their little round care bear table- table & chairs just their size.
I didn’t stress over seam width, or anything like that. They could cut fabric with scissors. I ironed for them. My youngest granddaughter wanted to make a quilt for her daddy when he was being deployed, didn’t want him to forget her ( she had just turned 4) I printed 2 pictures onto fabric for her, him holding her, her arms wrapped around his neck- big smiles. I let her rummage through fabrics on the shelves, she picked out what she wanted, laid everything out on the floor, sewed it all together with the picture block in the middle. Some seams were 1” wide, some were wavy, but she got it all together the way she wanted it. ( the second picture I used to make her a hot pack pillow, so she could warm it up & take it to bed with her— warm hugs from daddy)
after she finished her quilt top we turned a tall dresser on its side in front of the longarm & she quilted the quilt herself- walking back & forth on that dresser. Then she folded backing to front & stitched her ( binding) she really wanted it to be just from her. 13 years later it is still his favorite quilt- it has traveled around the world and she still has her pillow on her bed. All 3 granddaughters loved to sew and were adventurous, I just let them. Only rules, can’t just cut up Fabric and not use it and no ironing Or rotary cutter until they were much older (16-18)
they have become quite good seamstresses, they make purses, clothes, toys....only a quilt for special gifts they like making other stuff.

mjwaggoner040

that is an awesome idea--where can i find the safety attachment for the presser foot? googled it an nothing came up!!

Cari-in-Oly

Google needle guard.

Cari

Jingle

She will be okay as long as her finger doesn't go past the end of the presser foot.

Macybaby

At 5 I was already sewing on the old Singer 201. I had several older siblings that also sewed, so they taught me. It had a knee control, so it didn't matter that my feet did not touch the floor. I would hook my foot around the stool leg to get enough "traction" to be able to operate that knee lever.

bearisgray

i think it depends on the child.

i have " heard" about very goung children doing factory sewing. I do k ow if that is true oe not.

AStitchInTime

I too was taught at a very young age on a Singer 201 by my Grandmother. I don't specifically remember using scissors, but do remember pinning patterns and using a seam ripper. I'm grateful to Grandma for the early lessons and cherish those memories with her.

When I was about 13 she gave me that old Singer, and when I moved out on my own, the machine stayed with my Mother. Mom passed away a few years ago, and that old Singer now is the star in my sewing room. It has served three generations of women well, and someday I hope my granddaughter will want her grandma to teach her to sew too.