From the Strawberry Patch...: hand piecing

Lynnleigh is in the 1st grade; she has wanted, for the longest time, to learn to sew. She and her brother are staying here for a few days and last week's early dismissal days and snow day from school afforded the perfect amount of time to get her started. The lessons are intentionally short, I want her to continue to enjoy it. She's such an eager-beaver. I filled a tin (thank you, Barbara Anne!😉) with sewing goodies for her, including a light-up lady bug needle threader! Her first lesson was sewing a 4-patch, by hand. I want her to learn from a foundation of understanding the relationship between the seam line and the seam allowance. We drew the stitching line with a pencil and she placed the pieces right sides together and lined them up-- perfectly! I taught her how to do a running stitch and she was on her way! She's quite particular about every aspect of construction, this is going to serve her well.

If she gets a knot in her thread she quietly and patiently gets it out and continues on. I am very proud of her focus and her determination.

Her 4-patch is perfect. But, this project doesn't end there-- she chose a backing fabric next and sewed all around the edges, leaving a small opening for turning. Again, she was precise and patient with the process; she is making herself a pincushion!

The next day her pincushion was complete, she is a proud little lady! She's learned how to do a running stitch, a whip stitch and has sewn on a button; plus, she had fun along the way! Win-win!

Her first project is functional; it will go into her sewing tin and be used for more projects going forward. Hopefully she will always remember the fun that she had, that we had together! She's on her way now; I feel good about the future of sewing and quilting with eager little learners like this one. She wants to make a quilt for her doll next, she told me that she really likes choosing fabric! 💗

Remember those all-too-early blooming daffodils?