Mid-week of camp, we were ready to put our sewing skills to the test and make some clothes. When sewing clothing, most kids' instincts are to wrap some fabric around them and sew themselves into the fabric or lay down on the fabric and trace around their body. I used to do that too, but the results were not something that I could wash and wear again or could wear to school. I wanted the kids to make real clothes that they could be proud of.
To begin, we asked the kids to look at the clothes they were wearing and to find the seam allowance. I also offered simple pattern pieces that could be altered to fit their needs. I loved how once the kids began creating and saw that their garments were fitting and made sense, they got very excited!
The older girls (rising third grade and up) made pajama shorts out of old sheets. This was a challenge project for many of them, but they did an awesome job! I'll show how I made these with the kids in a future post.
Lots of kids chose to make "My Very Own Skirt" from Sewing School. This skirt is so simple and fun.
Dresses and skirt and shirt separates were made using the vest pattern and skirt pattern together.
The vest pattern I designed worked like a charm! You can make a vest, top, or extend it for a dress. So versatile. Plus, the kids got it. This little 6-year old sewer handstitched the vest all by herself. She wore it all day long.
I'm excited about creating new kid clothing patterns and getting a sense of what works and what doesn't. What's next? Hats? Pants? Slippers?
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