Replies

1. 
   Gloriasews | Dec 05, 2008 08:17am | #1

   There are several books on learning to sew for children to learn.  Check out the sewing shops & Chapters or Amazon online.  At 6, she's not too young to learn, but someone will have to teach her how to sew very, & I mean very, simple things, as well as how to operate the machine & safety around machines.  She would have to be supervised at all times at the machine, as accidents can happen very quickly.  Her attention span may be short, so keep the lessons simple, short & understandable for her, so that it's fun, or she will lose interest if it's difficult & may not want to sew again for years.  The Learn to Sew children's books are a help for children who can read & comprehend what they're reading.  Has she shown in interest in learning to sew?  That's the important question.  Check out the library, too, in the children's section for sewing books.  It wil take a lot of patience, on your part, to teach her & keep it simple so she remains interested & not become frustrated.  Some sewing shops also have lessons for children, but usually the children are a bit older than yours.  Good luck!

   Gloria

1. 
   joyfulneedles | Dec 05, 2008 09:19am | #3

   I'm trying to  remember where I saw a tv program that  was showing sewing books for children and remember that they started them stitching in printed paper rectangles, circles, etc.   Advancing to simple beanbags or other rectangular objects. 

    

   I thing the object was to keep the lessons short and fun.

2. 
   Josefly | Dec 05, 2008 08:28am | #2

   What nice gifts to your wife and daughter! And it's thoughtful of you to realize that if your busy wife is teaching your daughter to sew, she can't also be using her own gift from you.

   Whether your 6-year-old daughter is old enough for the machine depends largely on how interested she is in it, but also in how dexterous she is - would you allow her to use one of your electric tools? Has she shown any interest in sewing by hand? Can she use scissors safely? Can she cut fabric? Has she shown interest by cutting paper and trying to fashion something from it?

   My experience with my grandson, who's fascinated by my machine, convinced me that a child that young needs one-on-one attention at a sewing machine. It does require constant and close supervision, to protect both child and machine! He's quite good at stitching, but is also very curious and confident - which could lead to accidents, though so far no injuries.

   I think your daughter will need a teacher who knows her and her capabilities well, to introduce her to the sewing machine. Maybe you could become familiar with the machine yourself? It's a wonderful thing to encourage a child to sew. Or perhaps to build something - if your skills are in that area. Carpentry and sewing have a lot in common, and I as a girl was more interested in my father's tools than my mother's.

   
   

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   Edited 12/5/2008 12:35 am ET by Josefly

3. 
   Pattiann42 | Dec 09, 2008 11:36pm | #4

   Not too sure about your personal quote (dark humor?).  Otherwise, you are a super guy for buying sewing machines for your wife and daughter.

   You might buy the book(s) so you know how to approach this craft and learn along with your daughter.

   Six is very young and the attention span may or may not be where she will stay interested - people are like snowflakes; each one is different.

   I thought this was interesting http://www.onehourcraft.com/?p=400  but you have to guess how the project ended - bummer!

   Sewing involves pressing and that usually means an iron.  However, quilters use these so they do not have to get up from the sewing machine to go to the iron so often - http://www.keepsakequilting.com/productdetail/8619.htm  You can find this or a similar one where quilting notions are sold.

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   Edited 12/9/2008 3:57 pm ET by spicegirl1

1. 
   KaiserRoo | Dec 10, 2008 06:04pm | #5

   Thanks for the input. My line is a quote from a Talking Heads album. It's form the time during the cold war when each side had enough n.arms to destroy the world hundreds of times over. Additionally, it's a little somthing just to make you think.

   KaiserRoo

1. 
   Tottie | Dec 11, 2008 08:54pm | #6

   KaiserRoo,

   By all means, give your daughter that sewing machine for Christmas.  And like the other responders suggested, she will need one-on-one instructions and constant supervision.  I gave my granddaughter a little sewing machine at 6 years old, along with a plastic box filled with sewing essentials, squares I had left over from quilts that I'd made, instruction book that I picked up at Hancocks, note book for her to write notes to herself, and a journal for keeping track of what she'd sewed.  She loved it and came often to my house to "sew with Granny".  I started her off with bean bags, then simple tote bags, she sewed squares together to make a quilt for her dolls.  She will be going on 11 in February and is still interested in sewing.  Last Christmas I cut out and she sewed up note book covers for her teachers.  She now uses my old Pfaff 1471 and is very responsible with it.  She has sewed up a quilt top and its all together now ready to quilt, but she is so busy at school she hasn't touched it.  Hopefully she'll be able to work on it during the coming summer.  Hope your daughter will get interested and stay interested in sewing, but it takes time and she needs to know that when she get bogged down or sews something crooked or wrong that that is just "a learning experience, not a mistake."  And of course, when she gets tired, she must quit for a while.

   Sorry, this is so long, but sewing is my passion and when it comes to children sewing, I think thats a great thing.

   Tottie

2. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 17, 2008 06:59pm | #8

   I get it, the quote is very thought provoking and unfortunately, too true!  Not meant to be humorous but simply insightful. 

1. 
   KaiserRoo | Dec 18, 2008 06:29am | #9

   Yes, I usually post on Breaktime and have seen some thought provocing quotes at the bottom of the post or on the profile. I like talking heads so that where it came from. The odd thing about it is that we may end up going back towards the cold war the way things are going in the world.

    

   KaiserRoo

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 18, 2008 07:35am | #10

   Bite your tongue!  Don't give any energy to those thoughts!  No No No!!!

4. 
   Josefly | Dec 16, 2008 10:45pm | #7

   I just got an e-newsletter from Pattern Review, advertising several levels of beginning sewing classes online, including one for "absolute beginners". If you haven't checked out patternreview.com, you can look there for sewing classes, and maybe there's something you could watch with your daughter that would be helpful.

5. 
   kreativelady | Dec 22, 2008 03:45am | #11

   Hi, Here is some helpful hints on techniques for new sewers.  My students are 8-up.  It would depend on a trial test run for 1 hour familiarizing the student wiith the machine. .

   Basics, and Safety always first. Info on machine threading, and  Making sure the foot peddle is used correctly. I call it my "egg techniqe, Not to press hard to peddle as to not break "egg" . .

   Practice on sheets of copy paper, circles, straight lines & etc. without thread in needle,  then set up machine with thread, use a  cotton swatch prepared for a few small stitches at the end of instructions course. We give them their "sewing Drivers License. kreativelady. There are classes out their,  many on yahoo.

   Have Fun,