How Young?

Good grief, put her at your machine and let her go. Show her how to keep fingers out of the way. When my DGS was 3, we realized he was not upstairs with the rest of us. Looked and the basement light was on. He was in the sewing room, standing in front of my new Designer 1 machine sewing away----on a pant leg for his pj's! He informed me that the machine didn't have a lever behind it to put the foot down like my other one did, so he stepped on the pedal and the foot went down, and he started in. The machine had been turned off. He figured out how to turn it on. Gen

I had my granddaughter making a quilted pot holder at age 4- on my Janome. She went thru my stash and found a fabric that would match their kitchen and did each step on her own. Her mother is, also, one who doesn't own a needle. She throws away clothing that needs a hem tacked up or a button sewn on. Granddaughter still talks about her sewing experience- she's about to turn 14!

I'd say go for it!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

When I turned 4 my Meemaw showed me how to thread a needle (the sharp kind) and then taught me to hem a handkerchief and to stitch my initials on it. I still have that very first handkerchief I ever made. Get 'em young and you'll have 'em forever.

Sunny

My son is 6, he has sewed with me on the machine, I have one that you can detach the foot pedal and start and stop it with a button instead. He wants to do more, but I used to do it with him sat on my knee and I'm not sure he's quite ready to go beyond that, but he's too heavy to sit on my knee much now. My daughter is 4 and she hasn't really expressed any interest, each child is different, I guess.

One thing my son liked to do was paper piecing a scrappy pattern as he could choose each piece and would make sure it was different from the previous one. He's actually got great colour and design sense, I remember arguing with him in JoAnns when he was almost 4 over what fabric to use for a border, ended up buying both, then using his choice! I've learnt to listen to him now!

Cheers Anne

My indulgent parents bought me my 1st sewing machine for Christmas when I was 4 -a toy hand-crank Necchi that produced a chain stitch and played a music box. I have it still, and it would still sew if it had a needle. I was able to do simple hand embroidery stitches by then. Mom let me use her electric SM at age 6.

It depends very much on the child, but I would think a motivated

5-year-old could easily use a hand-crank mach>We will be visited by our Arizona great-niece in October. This little

I was not quite 4 when I started designing clothes. Embroidery came next. Winters were long and about two weeks each year saw us snowed in without power. Handcrafts and reading novels were the answer to preventing cabin fever. Oh, I started reading at near age two, I don't remember learning to read.

What ever age a child, either gender child, shows interest, then start them. The more information and skills taught at a young age the more the child will be able to learn over the years. Yes, start with the more simple projects so the child will be able to learn and not become stressed with inability to complete.

I home schooled my children for the first few years, then thing happened that made public school the only choice. Well, they all became excellent students once they learned the language and unwritten rules of public school systems. I do hold a college degree in vocational education which helped.

LOL, my oldest constantly returns from some days at work laughing that of course the home schooling was worthless. Without those years of home schooling he would not know more on some topics than college grad, nor own the vocabulary to explain what ever to the college grad.

The oldest three of my grandsons has sewed with me, making a simple placemat. Two of them were fine with it, but very glad when it was finished and haven't expressed any further interest. The third one is anxious to make something else. :)

As for the handcrank, I had one and tried to have the boys use it. They were frustrated at trying to keep the fabric moving straight *and* crank the wheel at the same time. I finally found a finger guard that I can put onto almost any of the presser feet for my Bernina; the boys *much* preferred using that machine, and I could relax a little about my fear of sewn fingers.

I found my finger guard on ebay, but I think Bernina makes a foot with a permanently-attached foot these days. I think.

I would agree with this: having to crank and watch the fabric at the same time is probably going to be more of a problem with a five year old than using a powered machine.

Viking's Kids Can Sew program sets the lower age limit for kids in class at six---and that's random kids who don't know the person they're working with, in a multi-student class setting. So I'd surely think an interested five year old one on one should be able to do it.

I remember having my own fabric scraps, needle, thread and small handful of buttons to sew on fabric at three. I remember at six helping teach the little girl down the street who was three exactly the same thing.

And I remember at four getting in some trouble for taking Mom's Singer apart---although the pieces were all in a nice neat row. I was convinced I'd be able to put it back together again as long as I didn't lose the sequence of what order they came off in, but never got the chance to prove or disprove that. :) (It did go back together quite nicely, just not by my hand.)

--pig

My granddaughter made some potholders when she was 5. Of course, I was right there with her. Her brother was 7, and he actually enjoyed making potholders more than she did. He actually sewed rows together of a quilt I was making then. He did the seam allowance better than I did!

Sherry Starr

Howdy!

My second son was a random kid. Doesn't seem to have hurt him any...or us.

The first one took apart a golf cart when he was 3; his grandparents were out on the course & R got bored ( duh!) so he started exploring and poking and turning and ..well, they had to call the club house to send out another working cart & a tow-cart. Now R knows how to re-assemble things as well.

R/Sandy - both kids sewed early on, made their own quilts, then moved on to other things like drums and cars & pedicabs ...

Polly, I've been sewing on a machine by myself since I was 7 y/o. Granted it was my version of doll clothes but it was a start. I have had my two 3y/o grandsons sitting on my lap "helping" me sew for two years now. Granted I don't leave them alone with it. But if she's responsible with her toys and stuff, I think with a little backup from Grandma she could do ok.

Hugs, Kim

Aha! That ought to work. My SM will set to turtle speed. Now I don't really know but I don't think AZ folks have much use for mittens. OTOH we could use some fabrics stolen from those funny feeling dishtowels ( don't know their fiber name but they are great) - she can make dusting mitts. Polly

"Liz Megerle" I had my daughter and two of the neighborhood boys sewing at that age.

You can probably get a finger guard for the machine. You probably have time to order one up from someone to send to you before she gets there. Did you see the 7 yo driving a car on a tv chase the other day on the news? I bet your little gal will do fine sewing. I get to see my two grand -nieces and two grand nephews Saturday. They are all coming up for the annual pool party. I am so excited. What fun they all are! Taria

I was certainly hand stitching by that age, and made my first skirt (zip & all!) on Ma's electric FrankenSinger when I was seven... I remember steering fabric through Granny's treadle, with her help, and standing pumping it with one foot, when I was four. I can still sew standing up! ;)

My G'ma taught me how to use the treadle when I was 4 or 5 . She'd put in an old dull needle - no thread, draw a line on an old (think recycled) envelope, and help me to stitch (holes) along the line. I had to stand up to do it, also. When I could follow a straight line, she'd then add a curve to it. Then for Christmas one year, I got a tiny hand-turn machine and sewed small scraps together to make a doll blanket. Many fun memories! ME-Judy