First Project ideas for an 8 year old

[Doug Frank]

Hello everyone,

I believe this is my first time posting in the children's section.  My daughter turned eight a few months ago and has expressed interest in sewing.  Together we worked on a small "pillow" for her new brother the last month or so, and my question now is what would be a good next sewing project that will help build her confidence and skills? 

Also, on a related topic, not being a lady I find myself asking the experts, what are some good reading materials for someone that age and gender to "plant the seed" of love of this time period and our interests?

Thanks to all who pick up the gauntlet!

Doug Frank

[Paula]

I think a basic petticoat or apron would be a good first project (lots of straight seams) especially on an 8 year old (who can wear short skirts)  If you use Elizabeth's free pattern she could learn to make it fit "me."  Which is always a great skill to learn.

[MrsPeebles]

When I was 8 years old, my Mother had me embroider tea towels and napkins.

forgot to add this....
When my daughter was 8/9 years old, she started sewing quilt squares together. She hid them in a bolt of cloth. That bolt was stored away, all the while holding the scraps that she had made. Just last year I found them, and made her new quilt. those scraps were only waiting to be discovered for 13 years!

Books--When my children were young, they enjoyed the Dear America Diary series of children's history storybooks, and I seem to recall another favorite was a paperback called "Ghost Cadet."

[rmassella]

Maggie, our six year old has also expressed the desire to learn to sew.  It is kind of crazy, two years ago she didn't want to even dress in period clothing (she disliked it very much); now she wants to sew and wear her new clothing.  Anyway, I was going to have her help me sew the clothes for her Penny Wooden Dolls that I purchased for her and her sister from Ragged Soldier Sutlery.  Do you think this would be to meticulous or a good way for her to show off what she has sewn?

Bob

[Stormi Souter]

I started sewing when I was about 7 and was started on embroidery. At age 10 I started making dolls and their clothing, but didn't make any human-sized garment until 12. I think starting off in embroidery was an excellent way to start- small enough for my hands to hold, pretty and entertaining, and I still have excellent stitches today. Mum would get me these cute kid embroidery sets, alas, I think they stopped making them in the 80s as I haven't been able to find them for the kids in my life now!

[Maggie Koenig]

Doll clothing is a great place for kids to start out.  They take small amounts of fabric so its not so hard for mom and dad to keep them supplied with materials.  The smaller pieces also mean its not so heartbreaking to start something over if it doesn't turn out.  It also gives the little ones a chance to create something that is entirely theirs that they can easily take to their friends and relatives to show off.  The little ones may find some of the small seams a bit hard to handle at first while they learn to use a needle but after some practice they will do much better with them.  After all they have smaller hands than we do.  

You may want to consider kitting out your girls with little sewing baskets of their own.  That way you can get them tools more suited to their small hands.  Smaller size scissors, quilters betweens instead of sharps (betweens are shorter and less clunky for little ones to use), their own tape measure, rulers with clear markings and, pins with colorful heads).  Make sure to add some good needle threaders, otherwise you will spend your life helping to thread needles.

When they are just starting you can make sewing cards from laminated paper or tagboard to give them something to practice the basic concepts on.  At the museum I work at I've taught kids as young as 6 to do some basic hand sewing and they really do get very very into it.  I've never seen a group of kids get so intent on a project as I did that day.  I just spend 3 hours threading needles......

[Marta Vincent]

I've been sewing since before I can remember, but started using my mother's sewing machine at about age 7.  I made doll clothes, and took a 2nd prize at the county fair on clothing I made for my Littlest Angel doll at age 9 or 10.  Doll clothes are a good start because long straight machine sewn seams are sometimes difficult for a novice, but short straight seams will teach sewing machine skills on something very manageable.  They also allow for some simple hand sewing with pretty much instant gratification results.

Embroidery is also an excellent idea, but I remember finding it to be boring, so it soured me on that kind of thing.  So try a few things and see what holds her interest.  After she dresses her dolls, and embroiders a coverlet for the doll bed, she  might be more than ready for a petticoat!

I think it important that the child do something simple enough so that it is done in a short time. Most kids won't stay interested in a project that takes too long to finish.  Or, have more than one project - short & longer, so that when she gets tired of or frustrated with one, she can stop, walk away & do something completely different.  That's the only thing that keeps me sane sewing every day!

[kellydorman]

Perhaps she would enjoy a simple quilting project, a nine patch sized either for a doll or herself, could be easily broken down into a series of "mini" projects - choosing the fabrics, cutting the blocks, piecing the nine patches, piecing the top and finally either tieing or quilting as the final step.

By breaking it down into components, she'll see progress and not feel overwhelmed. It's also a project that would teach a lot of basic sewing skills.

Regards,
Kelly

[Mother Dean]

Every child is different.
~ My 12 year old hates hand sewing and refuses to gather by hand. Other than that she makes all of the under clothes and aprons for hershelf and her little sister. Other than sewing, she does tatting and crochet.
~ My 7 year old loves hand sewing and is afraid of the sewing machine. She consentrates on embroidery and quilting. She started with plastic canvas.
~ My 5 year old has no interest in either but enjoys dressing for events. He has tried leather work but he's not strong enough yet.
We also host a sewing party every Thursday and of the 6-10 little girls that come with their mothers, each has a totally different skill or interest. I was really surprised when some of the older girls, aged 12 & 14, had way less skill than their little sister, age 8. The younger girl had a small quilt done by hand before her older sisters figured out how to sew in a straight line on the machine and they had even less skill by hand.

I will second or third the notion of giving your child a needle threader. I caught on to that in the first hour of my little one's  first project. Thankfully, I already had a stash of those on hand.

Beginner project suggestions:
draw string bags in a check material with a name cross stitched on the front
simple pin cushions in different shapes
pillows with names cross stitched to give as friendship gifts
simple cloth dolls with simple dresses
small cute stuffed animals, search for the free ones on-line, I printed off an entire folder of these several years ago
doll quilts made of fabric swatches, my daughter's friend, age 6, made one for my daughter's birthday gift, it's beautiful

As for books, my 12 year old absolutely loves the period books for little girls found on google books. she doesn't really like the sewing projects as much as reading about the games they played. She likes to see if they had the same type of toys and games that she and her friends enjoy now. For example, her favorite game is Blind Man's Hide Out and she found that Blind Man's Buff is very similar.

Your daughter may find that she likes any little project or she may want more challenging work. Good luck and share what she makes.

[Doug Frank]

Good afternoon,

Thank you for all of the wonderful comments so far.  I might offer her a few different ideas, and see which ones her face lights up for.  I had not even thought of doll clothes.  As a few of you have said, I do not want to push her too far, too soon, lest she just get burnt out and not want to partake at all!

Doug Frank

[GwendolynnPhillips]

My mother gave me my first sewing machine in kindergarten.  After showing me how to use it properly, it was stored in my room to use whenever I liked.  The needles, however, were stored in my mother's sewing room, and I had to ask before I used it.  I made doll blankets, then doll clothes, then, eventually people sized clothes.  Mom never pushed the skill on me.  My interest would wax and wane, like most early childhood endeavors.  When Mom worked on a project, she explained what she was doing.   I was allowed to make things out of the scraps, asking questions as I went along.   Around 12, my interest turned serious, and I haven't looked back since.

[CL Preston]

I cannot answer re: the sewing itself, but my seven year-old really enjoys the American Girl series of books. There are a few characters based in our time period: C?cile and Marie-Grace, a white girl and a free black girl in who are friends in 1853 New Orleans; and Addy, who escaped slavery and is living in 1864 Philadelphia.

In addition, there is Kirsten, a girl from a Swedish family living in 1854 Minnesota. Her character/doll was "retired", but you can still find her books around. And of course, there are lots of dolls from different time periods and different ethnicities, if she has an interest in other eras.

Yes, the dolls are pricey (though they really are good quality dolls), but you can get the books at the bookstore. My daughter was mildly interested in history until she read Addy's stories, and was shocked by Addy's life. Now she devours them, and her birthday present this year is to go to a reenactment fair (and to American Girl Place, of course). The stories really made the history real to her in a way nothing else had.

[Hannah G.]

A note re: reading material- Just remember that both Dear America and the American Girls are fiction.  I read several Dear America novels when I was younger, can't remember if they were accurate or not!  I didn't care at that time.  I think I do remember a few misleading generalizations.  I never did read American Girls, so I can't comment on that:) 

[Heidi Hollister]

Yes, Dear America and American Girls are just fiction and generalized fiction at that, but they are useful for one great purpose; to spark the light of enthusiasm for exploring an era not our own.  I got a lot of my ideas for living history from the American Girl's series and the research in the back of the books got me excited and spurned me on to learn more.  Yes, I learned that some of the stuff in the books wasn't QUITE the way they said, but the point is it got me started and excited.

As for sewing, period children were often given simple quilts to make.  When I'm teaching children to sew I have them start with a cloth doll.  It gives them something to be truly proud of when they are finished and does not take nearly as long as a full quilt.  Besides that they get to make clothes for the doll when they are done.  Liz Clark's doll pattern would be great for this, as would the patterns from "Girls Own Book"  Or draft your own if you're feeling brave enough... It's just a doll after all.

[Hannah G.]

True, Heidi!  Anything that sparks a child's interest in history can be a great tool.

Hannah

[rrbeers]

It can also teach a child that just because they read it doesn't mean it happened that way.  It could start an interest to research the truth!

[Miss_Virginia]

May I pop in here to add a glowing endorsement to American Girl's historical books?  I started reading them at age seven or eight and I can honestly say they started my interest in all things historical, fashionable, and historically fashionable.  Very age-appropriate too.