Teaching children to sew by hand can help them express creativity, have pride in their skills, and can even help them with their dexterity. With simple projects to help them learn the fine art of hand sewing, you might be helping your child explore a lifelong and very handy hobby.
Learning to Hand Sew – Teaching The Basics
The basics of hand sewing are second nature to those who have been sewing a while. A child may be able to learn by watching you, but these following definitions can help you explain what you are doing in terms a child can better understand.
Threading a Needle – Threading a needle can be a bit tricky and might require some practice. Hold the needle with the eye upwards and pull the thread through. You might want to try licking and pinching the thread to help it stay slick when passing through the needle.
Tying a Knot – After you have threaded your needle, hold it in your dominant hand. Grab the other end of the thread with your other hand and wind it loosely around your finger twice. Pass the needle under the loops and slip the thread off your finger and pull tight.
Learning to Hand Sew – The Stitches
Running Stitch – Push the needle up through the fabric and pull until the knot reaches the fabric. Insert the needle through the top of the fabric, about ¼” from where you pulled it through, and pull down. Continue this process.
Back Stitch – Make one stitch and bring the needle up through the fabric as if doing a running stitch. Insert the needle into the fabric right next to the end of the last stitch. Bring the needle back up through the fabric creating a gap the same size as a stitch and insert the needle back into the end of the last stitch and continue.
Finishing Off – When it is time to finish off you will want to make sure your stitching stays put. Stitch over the last stitch twice ending with the thread on the wrong side of the fabric. Tie a small knot and cut your thread.
Learning to Hand Sew – The Project
Hand Sewn Hair Scrunchie
Now that your child has proudly mastered hand sewing, they are sure to be excited and ready to put their skills to work and create a usable item. A hair scrunchie is the perfect easy project to practice the basics and learn how things come together.
You Will Need
19″x4″ piece of cotton fabric
5″ of ¼” wide elastic
Two safety pins
Fold the fabric in half, wrong sides together, matching the short sides and pin. Starting 1.5″ from the bottom edge back stitch to the top of the short sides and finish off.
You will need to use the iron to press down the seam as well as ½” of the top and bottom edges.
Fold your tube in half lengthwise and pin pressed edges together being sure to leave the gap that you didn’t sew on the outside facing you. Sew close to the edge using a running stitch all the way around and finish off.
Place a safety pin each end of the elastic. Pin one end of the elastic to the top layer of the gap in your tube. Push the other safety pin through the tub until you pull it out the other side of the gap. Your child may need help removing the safety pins while still holding the ends of the elastic together. Reinsert a safety pin to hold the overlapped ends of the elastic together. Sew together.
You can decide if you want to leave the gap open or if you would like to use a whip stitch to close it up.
Wear your new hand sewn hair accessory with pride.