march was sewing month

I have tried to devote the end of our days in March to making time after school to delve into hands on projects for all the kids. However, I devoted this blog to some of Damsel's fun.

I am encouraging her to keep working on her hand sewing skills before we tackle the machine, so she is chipping away at a flower that I drew on this fabric for her. Isn't she determined? A great way to get your youngster started is to get one of these embroidery hoops and just let her/him go to town. I am thinking of investing in a needle threader. Do any of you know if these work as good as they seem like they will?

Although she has been very interested in all things sewing, hand sewing will not satisfy her appetite for using the machine! We have been working on many different, fun projects and I have naturally taught her what every good sewing mother teaches her daughter; how to have 3-5 projects going at once, of coarse! You girls all know what I mean. But, that's ok, completely normal, part of the territory.

Have I told you how much I love having a daughter that loves all this girl stuff too?

Needless to say, sewing by hand did not last long before the drive for machine power overwhelmed her. :) I couldn't deny her. She is tall enough, agile enough and I discovered, talented to boot. First we started on paper copies from a book I bought years ago when Dylan was little. Before long, she was working with cloth. The paper puzzle gives lots of good practice for turning and maneuvering the machine. I made a little movie memory. She was so deep in concentration, it was hard to just get her to look up and smile before I shut it off.

Here's an actual finished product. She made this pillow for her dolls. I think they will like it very much, don't you? I can't wait to show what else we've been doing. We just finished the edge with an overcast stitch.

Look at this sewing basket I found at the thrift store for damsel; isn't it adorable? It seems to be very vintage and yet like new. Love it!!

In addition, I was looking for some perky, long spring skirts for my girly girl and found a great selection of wonderful stuff in not only the girls section, but also the women's department!! One quick adjustment or adding elastic and viola...thrifty bliss!! Isn't that fun? I also found some brand new Land's End spring dresses to boot! Here are few examples.

Happy sewing and thrifting to you all and I pray your spring will be bursting with blessings of goodness from the Lord above!!