Sewing Skirts with Girls

This weekend I had a marvelous time stitching up the My Very Own Skirt from Sewing School with a lovely group of girls at Sew Memphis.

 We took over every inch of space at the store to trace the patterns.  I love all the fabrics the girls chose.  I quickly learned that the fabrics also reflected their personalities.  Funny how that happens...

 A few moms stayed to sew with their kids making it a fun mother-daughter event.  My own daughter, Phoebe, also sewed with us that day!

Patiently using the machine, working through challenges, creating something new.  In a day and age where girls are putting pressure on themselves to be perfect and there is an emphasis on testing and grades, it's so nice to promote creativity.  When mistakes occurred, I problem-solved with them to see if there was a way to make a quick fix instead of taking out all the stitches and beginning again.  I encourage them to keep sewing and said, "No one will notice that when you are wearing it!" at least a dozen times.  Sewing should be about the process and the product.  They go hand-in-hand.

While only a few of the girls knew each other at the beginning of class, by the end, they were all fast friends.  I love how sewing does that!  The conversations about fabric choices, good sewing, how to use a bodkin, and where to wear their skirts was so much fun to overhear.  The older girls mentored the younger ones and everyone oohed and ahhed over the day's accomplishments.

 A few of the 9 girls were under 7 and a mom stayed to help them out.  These sisters had so much fun!  The youngest is 5 and was so proud of her skirt!

Of course the day ended with a big fashion show and I do believe that everyone went home wearing her skirt!  Funny how they all seemed to match their tops.

I always love teaching this class!  Teaching the love and fun of sewing with these girls is amazing.