Afternoon handcrafting
January 8, 2013 | Category: kid crafty, Uncategorized
I have really neglected getting any of the girls started on any form of hand-stitching. For awhile it didn’t seem like Maddy was ready for it, or I was too busy with other things and having baby after baby, and it just didn’t seem like something that was important (I am not a huge sew-er, hand or machine). And then, before I knew it, here we were and I still hadn’t begun. The more I look into the Waldorf method again lately (something I have always longed to “do”, but never was able to through thinking it was out of reach for our family for several different reasons) the more I’m convinced this should become an important part of our days. I guess we already do a lot of Waldorf-esque things, but there is certainly so very much more I am inspired by and hoping I can somehow work into our days. Waldorf-light, maybe? If that is even a thing.
Armed with their own embroidery hoops, needles and thread, I had the girls working on some very simple embroidery this afternoon using hessian for the background fabric. I picked up that idea at several places around the web. Such a great idea. The squares in the hessian are nice and big and easy to work with for little hands, and good for establishing the basics for the big girl minus the frustration of fine weave fabric.
Zoe was really excited to be able to join in what she thought was going to be a craft for the big girls and set to working with enthusiasm. She got the hang of poking the needle in and out of the hessian fabric immediately and being able to see an almost instant colourful result kept her motivated. Zoe even went backwards, undoing her stitches a few times so she could re-do it while she was waiting for me to give her another colour. She did end up losing interest long before Lilly and Maddy, but she just played around and watched while they kept working awhile longer.
Lilly’s stitches were pretty tiny and neat for her first go I thought. Threading the needle when she accidentally pulled it too far out was probably the most time-consuming part for Lilly. By the end of this afternoon’s work she almost had the hang of getting the needle threaded again on her own and remembering not to keep on pulling the needle out too far. Lilly was the most excited to see how her stitches were forming and her little smile as she worked away was so beautiful to see.
Maddy is also at the stage of just practicing keeping stitches neat and getting the basics firmly established. She knows this basic stitch already (Nanna taught her) and was able to get her needle threaded up and started off on her own, but I need to teach her some other basic stitches pretty soon I think.
I really wish I’d started doing this with them earlier! Why did I wait?! I thought it was going to be so much harder than it was. Hopefully I will be able to incorporate it into most days, although I suppose their regular school work and activities might make things a little harder once school goes back. Still, I am going to try to make it a priority.
All of their cute little works-in-progress. They were each so pleased.
xox Amanda
Tags: first embroidery project for kids, kids craft, kids sewing, waldorf handwork
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love this post
those last three portraits are especially wonderful! I love the girl's handiwork… and really I think its so important for little girls (and boys) to learn to stitch and sew, so you can feel confident in mending a button that falls off your coat, and well, just the lessons in patience, concentration, tactility, fibres! Just lovely xx
Oh lovely idea – I might try with Anya… I'm sure I have some Aida cloth around somewhere… where they proper needles?
Zoe was using a yarn needle (similar to a tapestry needle I think? thick and blunt) and the older girls were using clover bent tip embroidery needles. They weren't fine (you can probably see the size in their hand?). I'm still learning myself so I just grabbed what looked good haha.
Thank you! They were so happy with themselves in the last three photos at the end of our crafting time. There is definitely something good about knowing you have the skills to mend and make.
THanks
Lilly is looking sooo much like you Amanda! gorgeus girls!
Lilly looks really concentrated in her knitting! What a fun idea to do with your girls. I bet it was a great bonding time : )
I am going to have to start doing hand work with Amelia. She would love to learn to knit but she just doesnt have the strength in her wrists just yet.
How old is she Kylie? I don't start my kids knitting until they're 7. It's something I read about years and years ago and just stuck I guess. Finger knitting is really easy for littlies though, you might let her give that a go