Maia has become extra crafty recently, she literally heads for the craft table as soon as she gets up in the mornings and starts drawing, gluing, and cutting, only stopping briefly to get dressed and eat a little breakfast. She continues with whatever ‘project’ she is working on until I manage to drag her to the car and off to school… as soon as she gets home its much the same again (only the battle to get into the bath and off to bed is much more difficult!)
Recently she decided she wanted to make something extra special for both her Nanas for mothers day, so after much deliberation (yes really) we decided on a sewing project… the sewing machine has been getting a lot of use of late, so I guess that was part of the attraction. Agreeing on a project proved a little more difficult. I wanted some thing that was going to be useful (for nana) and at the same time would be achievable for a five year old with no sewing experience… I suggested a few options and we decided on a place mat which they could put on their dressing table.
A check through my fabric stash yielded no suitable results (really Mum, THAT is not cool), so we went to the fabric store specially to buy something ‘just right’ and Maia picked out a lovely print with babushkas on it, which we paired with a plain blue drill cotton.
Together we measured and cut out the pieces. I pinned them for her and drew a line around to guide her sewing (just follow the line and try to keep your needle on it).
I was super impressed at how well Maia managed. I have a sewing machine with a variable speed setting which made it easier – I set the speed at super slow, so any deviations from the line could be corrected without too much damage 🙂 There were still a few nervous moments when her fingers got too close to the needle (and one where her foot accidentally shot off the machine – while my fingers were under the needles sorting out a tangle!!!)
Once the seams were complete we turned the placemats right side out and she spray starched and ironed them, and then sewed the entire way around the right side with a zig zag stitch to finish. There was a little unpicking, but it wasn’t noticeable when they were finished.
They turned out beautifully and she was so proud to give them to her Nanas – who of course loved them!
She’s now bugging me to make something else… but my machine is getting a lot of action (from me) as it is, so Im thinking about resurrecting my old machine and getting it serviced so she can use that 🙂
Tell Maia Very Well Done! I’m a nana and I know I would have loved such a thoughtful gift. My grand daughters and I made picture frames for their other grandmas. I did the spray painting and they hot glued the jewels and inserted special photos of themselves. It’s nice when they develop a love of crafting early in life. My first sewing project was an apron many years ago.
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That is so awesome! Well done Maia 🙂 Just the sort of thing a Nana would cherish.
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I love it. This is the coolest post I have read today. Maia did a wonderful job. I love it when our babies want to craft like their Mommies.
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aww I remember sewing for my nana’s about that age with my mum. such a great memory made right there. And such a cute project! I’m so glad someone else likes my chairs hehe
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Well done, Maia! How well I remember my daughters wanting to learn…
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Wauw your little one behind the sewing machine. How great is that. It’ s looking so great her behind IT. And what a beautifull gifts she made really wonderfull. Hope she is going to make more. Can’t wait till my little ones wanne sew ir something like that
Have fun
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Well done Maia! Great work! My daughter was always crafty and is now an art teacher! hugs, Jill x
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wow she did such an amazing job! what perfect fabric choice too! Well Done Maia!
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Well done Maia – you are already ahead of me on machine sewing!! Perhaps you could some and help me learn. Lily. xxx
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My girls are all grown now but there was a time when the 3 of them showed interest in sewing and we a had 4 (honestly) sewing machines here!!! No I was not out of control nor rich – I started out with an old machine my mum and I had gotten when I was a kid… she had since acquired her Mum’s after Gran had passed…. then yrs later I bought myself a heavy duty professional machine (2)… in time my MIL offered me the one she had (3) and then of course when My Mum sold her home I acquired Gran’s!!! (4)
It was a nice feeling to not only pass along an interest in sewing to my girls but to have been able to give each of them a machine when they moved out was priceless!!!
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Lovely, She did a beautifuI job. I started sewing when I was 5; mostly just straight lines. When I was 7, Mom started me on doll clothes patterns. Sure taught me to make clothes.
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What a talented girl! Those mats are beautiful and I am sure they will be treasured forever. Sounds as if she might make good use of your old machine.
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Maia you are really good! I imagine your nana so proud of you!! Your mom is so good in helping you for your first sewing project!!
xxx Alessandra
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Bravo to Maia, she did a good job. How nice you teach her. You are such a beautiful mother. Thank you, Blessing and Happiness, with my love, nia
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