The crafty and needlecrafty part of me is desperate to get Lara joining in with simple needlecrafts. While 'My First Sewing Book' from CICO Kids may be a touch advanced for her, it has certainly sparked an interested in fabric crafts that I am keen to encourage.
My First Sewing Book is part of a range of books from CICO kids to encourage hobbies that require quite a lot of concentration - crochet, knitting, art and even bicycle maintenance for kids. My First Sewing Book is ideal for children from age 7 upwards but I think that many of the 35 sewing projects are the type of activity that Lara and I could get started on together.
Every project has step-by-step instructions that I find easy to understand. Projects such as a simple felt bag in the shape of a cat, a sock monster or an egg cosy might be attemptable with a slightly younger child such as Lara - in fact, we intend to make a Christmas Stocking together in the run up to Christmas as well as some very simple felt tree decorations which she can help me to cut and can add her own embroidery to as a first foray into the world of needlework.
I picture Lara spending an entire school holiday at some point in the future working through lots of the projects in the book - for slightly more adventurous children there are instructions for making rag dolls and their clothes, a gardening bag or a lovely owl doorstop/cushion.
Lots of the projects involve recycling of fabric that you might already have around the house such as old t-shirts or fabric cut-offs. Most of the exercises use simple running stitches but some of the gifts and more decorative pieces involve more decorative stitches.
I think this is a great introduction to sewing, both for creating pieces but also for decorating them and I can't wait to get started with Lara.
My First Sewing Book is part of a range of books from CICO kids to encourage hobbies that require quite a lot of concentration - crochet, knitting, art and even bicycle maintenance for kids. My First Sewing Book is ideal for children from age 7 upwards but I think that many of the 35 sewing projects are the type of activity that Lara and I could get started on together.
Every project has step-by-step instructions that I find easy to understand. Projects such as a simple felt bag in the shape of a cat, a sock monster or an egg cosy might be attemptable with a slightly younger child such as Lara - in fact, we intend to make a Christmas Stocking together in the run up to Christmas as well as some very simple felt tree decorations which she can help me to cut and can add her own embroidery to as a first foray into the world of needlework.
I picture Lara spending an entire school holiday at some point in the future working through lots of the projects in the book - for slightly more adventurous children there are instructions for making rag dolls and their clothes, a gardening bag or a lovely owl doorstop/cushion.
Lots of the projects involve recycling of fabric that you might already have around the house such as old t-shirts or fabric cut-offs. Most of the exercises use simple running stitches but some of the gifts and more decorative pieces involve more decorative stitches.
I think this is a great introduction to sewing, both for creating pieces but also for decorating them and I can't wait to get started with Lara.
