Teaching kids how to sew.

Last time I wrote about how we  now run  sewing classes in Colchester, Essex and how that has helped both our customers and us. Teaching grown ups is one thing, but teaching kids teaches YOU even more.

When you start teaching children you will find they are a lot smarter than you may think and very engaging. Try to keep the feeling of the lessons light and bouncy and let them make mistakes. They will learn far more from a mistake than by doing things perfectly.

There are some practical considerations. The main issue is one of safety. Whilst we may all have had a needle or pin through our fingers at some point, day to day most regular dressmakers never worry about injuring themselves. Whilst no kids in our classes have ever decided to do something overtly stupid such as sticking pins in each other or waving scissors around their heads they do need some supervision. To help with supervision we only teach children when they have a parent or other responsible adult with them to help  out. The adult is made aware that THEY are responsible for the  safety of their child when our tutor has to give some individual attention to another child.

The main points we have found through our lessons are:-

Picking fabrics for a project:-

There can be many reasons why a fabric isn't suitable for a project. The fabric may have the wrong amount of stretch, it may be too thick for some delicate points. If a child wants to use a fabric that is technically suitable but will look a little strange  we suggest you let them. We are trying to teach them that sewing is about expressing yourself and being creative and  yet we often see people try to stifle that creativity at the very first step! One girl wanted to make a scarf of white velvet,with gold ribbons and day-glow yellow fringe trim. A few of the grown ups tried suggesting other fabrics but she stuck by her guns and the actual scarf looked REALLY cool, original, one of a kind and she was thrilled with it!


Pining pattern to fabric and cutting out :-

Make sure you actually explain and demonstrate how to put the pin through the paper and fabric. It's something grown ups take for granted but some of our kids have never used pins before!

On the subject of patterns. We tend to make our own projects (such as making a draw string pouch). At home I use brown paper but young fingers can REALLY struggle to punch a hole through that stuff. Try using thinner tracing paper of your not using a commercial pattern.

Have a selection of scissor sizes on hand. This may sound obvious but I actually forgot to get some when we first started teaching kids as well as grown ups. some of my younger students can't even lift my personal shears (giant man sized ones). And a sharper blade is much  safer than a blunt on which will slip and slide!

Don't be afraid to spend a few minutes letting the kids cut through some scrap fabric (under intense supervision) before cutting out the pattern pieces. Again when you cut out fabric you may actually be holding the blades at a certain angle, or holding the fabric in a certain way. Many times I've been told scissors are blunt and seen people just mash the fabric with the blade, but when I cut I tend to apply some sideways pressure between the blades and with the same scissors I can cut perfectly. These are the little quirks we all develop.

If working with a very young child use the big scissors BUT have your hand through the handles as well as theirs, so they get the feel of how we cut out the fabric without the risk of injury.

So there you have it, a few simple ideas for when you want to introduce  kids to the world of sewing.
The biggest most important things to remember is to let them have fun and experiment and let them know it is ultimately only fabric. They are allowed to make mistakes.
Take care :)

How to knit tinsel for Christmas.

When you think of making Christmas decorations you may recall struggling with glue paper and card.
However you can make fantastic decorations with sewing and knitting. We've shown you how to make an advent calendar, a Christmas bauble and how to use ribbon and cinnamon for a simple decoration. To knit  this tinsel we are going to knit a scarf almost, of 5 stitches in width. But with a little twist. I must stress I'm very new to knitting, and I suffer from "sausage fingers" and even I managed this project!

Now our wonderful COO has shown me how to make tinsel by knitting! you will need:
Can Can knitting yarn.
Double Knitting Pins. 4mm

Can Can yarn comes in a ball like other yarns, at first glance it looks like a thick cord.












However when you tease it open you find it's more of a ribbon of mesh.













Casting On
Casting on with Can Can is simple.
Just slide one needle through the yarn on one side.

 3 cm along the yarn slide the needle through the yarn again. DO this until you have the needle through the yarn five times. That's it, we've cast on, see, simple!

 The Knitting. 
Slide the second needle UNDER the first THROUGH the loop it's made in the yarn.

 Loop the yarn around the front of the first needle.
Slide the second needle through the yarn about 3cm along from the first loop in the first needle.

Slide the second needle around  to the right and poke the needle through the loop on the first needle again.

 Just like this. Slide this new loop off the first needle, it should now be on the second needle. Repeat this for all five stitches.

 Rotate the second needle and then wrap the yarn around the front. Then slide the first needle under under the second (which now has the stitches on) and knit as you did before.  And that's all there is to it.

 Keep up this process until you run out of yarn and you should have a beautiful length of tinsel, or indeed a scarf.

 These lengths of tinsel look beautiful in any colour, and make fantastic boa style scarves for the new year.










You can also knit up multiple lengths and twist them together for this beautiful candy cane effect.

Finally we have a video where I attempt to knit on film! As I've said before I'm VERY new to knitting but even I have managed this project!

Teach kids about life, teach them to sew, knit and crochet.

We are still seeing families come into Fabric8 for summer projects such as bunting.  In a week or two they'll be back for school project materials.  Over the last few years we've noticed a lot more boys come in for their school materials. Sometimes these are for courses that  are compulsory, other times they are using sewing in a technology project. Either way we think ALL children AND adults need to be able to sew or knit or crochet, or all three.

There is the obvious reasons for learning, such as being able to repair your own clothes. 

Then there is the other obvious advantage of being able to make your own clothes as well. But it doesn't have to end with just clothes, just look at the handy things you can make for around the home once you know how to sew such as Reusable Cable Ties, or Kindle or Tablet Covers.

But the reasons for teaching people to sew or knit runs deeper. Think about the skills you use when you sew, other than sewing.

To begin with you decide to make something, but what? You have to engage your brain power to work out what you want to make to begin with. Then you have to select a pattern and then you need to work out what fabrics are compatible with what you want to make. You may find you need a different pattern to make your selected garment out of a certain fabric. So you need to use decision making skills and critical thinking.

Then you need to cut out your pattern and lay out your fabric, so you have to learn to follow instructions as well as develop manual dexterity. When following your pattern you learn that things have to be done in a certain order, seams have to be done one at a time, at the right time. You may need to research a particular way of doing things, or learn how to do something new such as using interfacing. You always have to focus on what you're doing without losing sight of the over all picture, to make sure you do the right thing at the right time.

In other words teaching someone to sew teaches them a myriad of skills. So many of these skills are transferable to other projects, indeed sewing is the perfect model for project management. So even if you want your kids to grow up to work in fields other than the immediate creative ones you will be giving the a huge boost by teaching them to sew, knit or  crochet from a young age.

Thoughts on making toys

We have often given you tutorials on how to make things that are suitable gifts, such as the carrier bag holder or kindle cover. We have also uploaded tutorials for projects that kids can make their selves, like our non-sewing cushion cover. However there is not much information out there for making toys FOR children. It can be a thorny issue as everyone is concerned about child safety.  So we've put our heads together and come up with a few things to think about when making a toy.

What are "Child Proof Eyes"?

Non-Child safe nose with washer

Child proof nose with hole

Most teddies and dolls have plastic of glass eyes and noses. These rounded eyes have a stem on the back which pokes through the fabric. They are then held in place with a washer which grips the stem. It doesn't take too much effort to pull the eyes (or noses) out. This represents a very real choking hazard. To help prevent this child proof eyes have a small hole drilled through the stem. Once the eyes are in place and the washer griping the stem tightly you can sew through this hole, stitching the eye to the fabric. Thus if the washer is worked lose the eye will not come out.  However in toys for younger children you can be even safer by replacing plastic eyes with fabric eyes that you appliqué on. Ensure the fabric doesn't fray first (give it a lot of tugs along the edge) or hem the eyes (a roll hemming foot is fantastic for this). Then stitch the eyes in place. Don't rely JUST on glue, although gluing the eyes in place first makes the sewing a lot easier.

What fabrics are suitable for a soft toy?
When people think of soft toys their first thought tends to be fuzzy teddy bears. There is a wide selection of teddy bear fur available and most of it is suitable for soft toys. However there a few things to think about.

Make sure the fur does not pull away from the backing fabric easily.

For toys for younger kids it's best to avoid very long pile fur as this can become a chocking hazard.

Avoid fabrics that are overly flammable (if in doubt to a quick burn test on a small sample).

Of course you don't HAVE to use fun fur. Soft natural velvet makes  a very soft and cuddly teddy. I have also seen some very cute toys in cotton.

How  do I pick a design?

 If you decide to use a commercial pattern for your toy then the pattern will give you recommended age ranges. Again there are a few simple things to think about.

Chocking hazards. When children put things in their mouths they may not just be tasting them. It's how babies and young children feel different shapes and textures. So avoid making toys with long limbs as these will end up in the little ones mouths and present a choking hazard.

You don't have to make a teddy at all. One of our customers made her child a cuddly book! Each page was a different colour with an animal appliquéd on top it. The cover was padded and very cuddly.

As well as sewing patterns we do sell some sewing kits and crocheting kits for stuffed toys.

What can I stuff the toys with?
We recommend Hollow Fill stuffing. It conforms with safety regulations as well as being much easier to use than any alternative. Avoid using scraps  of fabric. If a seam bursts then the strips of fabric you use to stuff the toy become chocking hazards. Using scraps also gives  the toy a lump feel and makes it harder to wash and dry.

We hope this blog helps you with what has to be one of the most rewarding projects you can undertake. I know a few of the teddies I've made have been well loved and have been handed down through families which always give me a warm sense of satisfaction.

A thrifty and easy Christmas Bauble

We are now getting into November, from this point I start feeling very Christmasy. Last year I made up a Christmas Tree shaped table decoration following a pattern. I had intended to do the same for some fabric Christmas Baubles. However most commercial patterns required a polystyrene  ball of an exact size, and then limited your choice of fabrics to felts. They also required a lot of spray gluing  Spray glue and me  do not get on. As a result I sat down and created my own template and instructions for a Christmas Bauble.

 You will need:
Fabric (around 20cm by 40cm)
Needles
Pins
Scissors
Thread Snips
Small piece of ribbon
Toy Stuffing
Thread

Print out and cut out the template (click on the image to get a high quality image, and then save and print, MS paint or any other basic paint package can shrink or expand it to the size you want, this one is 15 cm long)

 Cut out 6 pattern pieces per bauble. You can make them all the same or use a mixture of fabrics. A seam allowance of half an inch (1.2cm) has been included
 Place one pattern piece on top of another, right sides together and pin and then sew along one length. Repeat this for the other sections so you have three different sections, each consisting of two of the panel pieces.

Right sides together sew one section to another, and then the final section leaving a gap to turn the bauble right side out. Clip all the seams. You should now have a ball shaped piece of fabric, turn it right side out and begin stuffing.

Close up the bauble with a ladder stitch. A ladder stitch is formed by first anchoring a stitch from within the bauble and popping the needle out at the seam allowance. Then put the needle directly into the fold of seam allowance on the opposite side of the gap. Then on the same side of the gap bring your needle OUT of the seam allowance fold a little further up and sew directly across the gap. Repeat until you are at the top of the bauble and pull the thread tight gently.

Stitch a little loop of ribbon at the top and you have a bauble.
These can be adorned with beading on the fabric or a trail of beads from the bottom, let your imagination go wild.  For me apart from being fun to make these have the advantage of letting you tailor your ornaments to your room decor and make your tree a little more personal.  The basic bauble can be made in 15 minutes or so, and then embellished at your leisure.

Hosting a Halloween party.

Rainbow Halloween Star

All kids love Halloween, all kids from age 0 to 110. Making costumes is fun, but you need to show them off. Some parents are concerned with  letting their kids go door to door though. It is a shame to miss out on dressing up and having fun, so there is a simple answer. A Halloween party! Hosting a party can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but here are some tips taken from my experiences working as a party magician.

1) Find a venue for hosting your party.
If you have a large space at home or not many people coming for the party then you should have no problem hosting at home. However hiring a venue may be a lot cheaper than you realize . Club together with other parents to hire a village hall or even the school hall. (one school hall I know costs £20 for 2 hours, between 10 parents that isn't much at all). Many village councils are even offering a reduced rate for Halloween parties to help keep kids safe and off the streets.

2)Decorating your party space.
There are packs available for decorating your party place but these can become expensive. Now would be a great time to start Halloween Bunting making. Black and Orange Poly Cotton makes great bunting. For a added touch  cut out the pendants with pinking shears to give your bunting a zig zag edge. This will also help the bunting last longer. Covering furniture with white cloth can help stop it getting mucky, but also give the room an eerie Haunted house feel, like a house where everyone moved away long ago. Check on line for creepy stencils to download to make cardboard cut outs as well.

3)Music and Games
All the big shops do  mix cd's of Halloween party music and princes start for £5 or so. As for games, if possible keep it non-elimination. Many people have started to complain about the lack of elimination games in schools as they can prepare kids for the little knocks in life. This may be true BUT if you have elimination games in your party you will have a bunch of kids sitting around twiddling their thumbs waiting for the game to end. This will not be fun for anyone. Here are some games to try.

Esrella Amis Stars

Pass the Parcel  Take a price, be it a toy Dinosaur or a sweet treat and wrap in one sheet of paper, then take another treat and place that on your parcel then wrap with paper again. Repeat until you have a layer for everyone. Play music and stop it at random points, a child unwraps and ill have one small treat, continue the music and stop again, if your quick you can make sure everyone gets a prize BUT no-one knows who will get the big one at the center.

A Monster's tail. You need a long scarf or decorate a strip of fabric about 3 metres  long to look like a dragon's tail (think glitter for scales, or bright colour stripes. get the kids in a line and pop the hands of the kids on the shoulders of the kid in front of them. Wrap the fabric around the waist of the last  kid leaving a tail of suitable length. Now the head of the dragon has to catch the tail . A great game with lots of space. when the head catch the tail they become the new tale, leaving a new kid upfront to be the head. if you have enough kids split them into teams with a prize for the first team team where every kid gets to be the head and tail.

Skull and Crossbones fabric

The Balloon pass Challenge. Get the kids into two teams, and  get them to stand in a row. Get a balloon for each team and make them pass the balloon from the  front of the row to the back. When the balloon gets to the back the kid at the back runs to the front and then repeats the process. The first team where every kid has been to the front wins.Make the game harder by mixing up whether the balloons  have to be passed over their heads or between their legs.

Apple Bobbing. The classic apple bob. Some schools have banned this fearing germs. According to the Health And Safety executive though there is nothing to fear. If you are screamish about the idea there is an alternative . Cut out apple shapes on pieces of paper, on one side write a challenge like "3 press ups" or "recite Mary had a little lamb backwards". Then pop a paperclip on each one and  place them writing side down in a bowl. Attach a magnet to a piece of string and tie the string to a pencil to make a rod. Now the kids can go fishing for challenges.


Other things to Think about. 

Red Spider Web 

If some kids are going to be at your party without their parents then make sure you have contact details for them. If you are partying in your own home  spend 10 minutes taking the breakable items out of the room first. You will be a lot more relaxed if  you're not panicking about your favourite vase. Chocolate is lovely but can be messy. If you avoid chocolaty treats you will be spending less time the next day trying to clean the carpet and sofa.

Being at parties is always fun, but hosting them can be amazing fun. So get together with friends and family now and start planning a little adventure for yourselves and those around you.