Sew a Fluffy Cloud Softie

 

As part of the 2022 Sew a Softie Global Kids Sewing Party, I stitched up some Fluffy Clouds with a group of 4 and 5 year olds. Yep, preschoolers can sew too! It's all about having the right tools for little hands to use. 

Materials Needed: 2 layers of low-loft batting, markers, scissors, plastic needles and lacing strings. You can also make clouds using felt and regular sewing needles and thread. 

After learning about how clouds are formed and drawing several clouds on paper, draw your cloud shape right onto the double-layer of low-loft batting. Drawing on batting is a bit tricky, and you might need to combine clouds to get the right shape, but it is a fun, new experience. 

Next, cut out the cloud shapes. Be sure to cut through BOTH layers of batting and take your time! Save the batting scraps to use as stuffing. 

Now it's time to sew up the clouds! We used plastic needles and lacing strings, but you could also use regular needle and thread for this. The plastic needles slide through the batting easily. 

Be sure to leave a small hole (about the size of your hand) for stuffing! Use the batting scraps or polyfil to stuff the cloud until it's soft and squishy. Now, sew the hole closed and be sure to make a knot at the end of sewing.

You have a fluffy cloud! They make great pillows, are great for throwing up in the sky, and enjoy getting hugs too. 

What kind of cloud did you make? A cirrus, cumulus, or stratus cloud?

Sew a Softie is a world-wide initiative led by the amazing Trixi Symonds. Follow along on IG at @sewasoftie to see all the amazing tutorials and kid-friendly projects.  

Sewing School DIY Supply Kit

I've been asked to give a quick and easy list for all the necessary supplies to compliment the Sewing School books.  Giving a book plus some supplies is the best - immediate sewing!  Without the supplies, it's like getting a remote control car without the batteries.

It's a good idea to put together your own kit and don't purchase a pre-made adult-sized one that is filled with tiny needles and skinny thread that your child will have trouble with.  Trust me, I've been through that frustration!

If you have a copy of Sewing School, there is a wonderful supply list in the introduction, but if you're waiting for the book to come in, this list will get you started.

Sewing School must haves:
craft thread
chenille 22 needles
LoRan Needle Threader
straight pins with large, round heads
chalk
good pair of scissors just for sewing
ruler

Fabric and other supplies:
felt squares
fat quarters of cotton fabric
fiberfil
notions like buttons, ribbons, elastic, trim

*Pretty much all of these items may be found at your local fabric/craft supply store.  For ease, I linked to Amazon above so that you may get a visual.  For more information about the various supplies, please see the "In the Child's Sewing Basket" located in the sidebar.

As for storage space, be creative!  There are lots of cute containers out there on the market or you could use an old purse, fishing tackle box, or even a tool box.  The important thing is that the container is big enough to fit all of the supplies (not including fabric) that your child will need for sewing.  The more organized, the more successful their sewing experience will be.

If you live in the Memphis, TN area, I have some official Sewing School kits that I've put together available for sale at The Cotton Museum, The Trolley Stop Market, and Sew Memphis.  You can even get it online at the The Cotton Museum!

Mrs. Shannon's Sewing Center

 Mrs. Shannon, who has the kindergarten classroom across the hallway, has one-uped me with a sewing center.  A sweet little area devoted to sewing.  As you can imagine, her kids love it and have been busy creating ever since.

 I love the sign welcoming the kids to sew and create.

 After the holiday break, the unused home living center was transformed into a simple sewing center.  I like how the materials are stored separately and spaced around the area to help the kids keep it neat and tidy and prevent crowding.  There is also a bin filled with a variety of fabrics and one for stuffing.

 A finished project!  To inspire, photos of kid-made projects and fun ideas fill a little journal.

A kid-made "This is Sewing Club" banner says it all!  I can't wait to see what comes out of Mrs. Shannon's sewing center.

Yarn Bobbins

I used to give kids little balls of yarn, but they always get knotted up and end up rolling away.  So, the yarn bobbin is a perfect solution.  They are similar to the craft thread bobbin.

If you use yarn with kids, try making some.  You'll like it.

All you need is corrugated cardboard.  I used the flaps from a box.

 Cut the cardboard piece into a spool shape.

 Tape the end of yarn to the middle of the spool.  This way, the end won't get loose.

 Wind, wind, wind the yarn around the spool.  Cut a small slit in one end of the spool and slip the end of the yarn into the slit.

Yarn bobbins in action at the tapestry table.  The kids love them and they are easy to use.  Go make your kids some!

Sewing School Starter Kit + Giveaway

It's exciting to know that lots of kids are going to be getting a copy of Sewing School for Christmas! It's just the kind of book Andria and I would have wanted when we were girls.

Several people have asked me about putting together a little sewing starter kit to accompany the book. Having the right kid-sized tools to sew with is key for success in sewing as well as independence. 

I made kits to sell at the holiday sales we did last weekend, and I have one to share with you!

I call my kit "Go Sew!" and it's filled with everything a kid needs to start sewing:  1 pair of kid scissors, 2 size 22 chenille needles, a LoRan needle threader, 3 straight pens, 3 bobbins of craft thread, and a piece of chalk.  It also includes a nice assortment of buttons, notions, and fabric.  The plain white box is meant to be decorated to show off the individual style of the sewer.

A detailed description of these supplies can be found on the side bar under "In the Child's Sewing Basket" and in the Sewing School book.  All of these supplies can easily be collected at your local fabric or craft store. 

I would love to pass this little Go Sew kit onto a sewer - so leave a comment and make sure your email address is included so I can contact you.  A winner will be announced Friday morning around 8:30am CT.  This way, it should arrive to the lucky winner by Christmas.

A Sewing Nook

Phoebe set up a little sewing nook in her room. She used a toy ironing board for the table and the windowsill makes a perfect shelf.
Her I heart sewing box was brought in along with some fabric scraps and various ribbons, buttons, and trims.
I love seeing her little hands sewing. I think she's working on a hat, but I was asked to leave and stop taking pictures so that she could get some sewing done...

Birthdays

Today, I am 41. And Phoebe turned 5!

The mailman brought me a wonderful package from my mama. I wish I'd photographed it before I opened my presents, because everything was wrapped in sewing patterns and tied with little ribbons. She knew just what to surprise me with -- an elephant measuring tape, a mini Tide stain remover, a funny sewing kit, and this little plastic Italian doll, which, she says, is a vintage Mardi Gras throw!

A Box of Their Own

For young sewers, having a sewing box of their very own is very important - and exciting. The tools and thread are just right for little hands and favorite colors are included. I was thrilled to see that Playful Learning included Sewing School as a resource for children's sewing kits and supplies. See the "In the Child's Sewing Basket" link on the sidebar for my ideas.

Recently, Phoebe got her very own sewing kit. She loves getting it out and making gifts for friends. Her sewing kit is in a simple, blank cardboard pencil box that she decorated herself and calls her "Sewing I ♥" box. You can get one for your little sewer too at my Fussbudget Etsy store. I am working on adding new items - mostly supplies for little sewers and a few handmade goodies.

It's in the Bag

Sewing Club has started up again. Our first order of business was to make a sewing bag to hold projects from week to week (I was tired of using big zip locks).

I'll do a tutorial soon, but you can tell that the bag is just the size of a piece of paper with a little pocket sewn on that holds a needle book. I made a quick patch with Heat-n-Bond and muslin.

I couldn't resist showing you all the variations that were made. That's what makes it so much fun! The fabric is some weird Project Runway themed fabric that was on sale at Hancock's.

Project Bag

A bag full of fabric, notions, and sewing supplies is on it's way to Ticia for a 10 year old girl who likes blue and purple.
What's in there:
*a simple needle book made by folding over a rectangle of felt and then using Heat-n-Bond to add a mermaid patch. Inside are 2 size 22 sharp-pointed needles and 2 flower straight pins.
*needle threader.
*card with 3 colors of craft thread.
*small bag filled with various trims and buttons.
*various sizes and colors of fabric including a big square of fleece.
Hope it's new owner enjoys it!

Project Bag Giveaway

This summer, I have put together summer vacation sewing project bags for friends. Phoebe and I have had fun picking out the perfect fabric, thread, and notions to fill the bags.

I thought you might like one too. The project bag will be filled with a variety of fabrics in various sizes, a little envelope of notions, as well as tools you'll need like needles, thread, needle threader, chalk, and some pattern shapes. (Please note that the supplies are meant for beginning, children sewers.)

Only one bag will be given away. For your chance, just post a comment by Friday, July 24 at 12noon CST. I would love to hear how you've been sewing with kids this summer, although you don't have to have kids to enter. A winner will be chosen by random. The winner will be contacted to check for age, favorite colors, and other important questions so that Phoebe can help me pick out the perfect fabrics. (The items in the picture were for a middle-school aged girl.)

In the Child's Sewing Basket

I have been meaning to finish up the list of sewing supplies that I think kids need when sewing.

I have already talked at length about the needles, thread, and fabric that I recommend. There are just a few other things needed for the perfect sewing experience.
*scissors - I like Fiskars for Kids. Label them for sewing only so they will cut fabric easier.
*chalk and pencil- a variety of colors of chalk for tracing patterns and marking fabric.
*pin cushion and pins - choose pins that have a big head on them for little hands to grasp. You might want a few safety pins as well for threading ribbons through casings and holding things together better.
*ruler - while it doesn't fit in this cute little sewing box, it's handy to have around.

I think that's about it for basic sewing tools. There are lots of other materials needed such as stuffing (I use poly-fill), buttons, and ribbon and trims. Happy Sewing!

Fabric

When sewing with kids, it's best to have a large variety of fabrics for them to choose from. Often, they don't choose by look, but rather by feel. I also find that using fabrics that don't fray are perfect for first-time sewers.

*Felt - we use a lot of felt! For this reason, I typically buy the cheap felt by the yard or a variety of felt squares.

*Fleece - kids love fleece - it's so soft, great colors and prints. The main problem with fleece is that it can be too thick to sew for some kids.

*Flannel - I just started using flannel this year. It's been great to work with - good feel, doesn't ravel too bad, easy to sew, and comes in a variety of prints.

*Muslin - the blank slate provided by muslin is so great for kids. I love how they create their own fabric designs by using markers and crayons. We use muslin for all sorts of projects during the school year. I find that by backing it with felt, the edges don't unravel as much.

*Cotton - I tend to buy cheap fabrics for kids - it took me awhile to not freak out every time a kid makes a "dress" out of a new yard of fabric by wrapping it around herself and then stapling the corners. I also thrift and yard sale a lot of fabrics. Linens are great for this!

Please add your own fabric ideas to the comments section - often times it's the fabric that draws kids into sewing. This year, I bought a lot of camo and animal print fabrics to entice young sewers!

photo by Justin Fox Burks

Perfecting Thread

After years of sewing with kids, I finally discovered craft thread. Previously, I used embroidery thread, which while OK meant I had to separate the threads and they often got all tangled. With a line of kids waiting, it became frustrating.

I also learned that by taking a few minutes to wind the skeins of thread around cardboard bobbins, the kids had more success. They are able to unwind a length of thread without creating a huge knot.

I like to make my own cardboard bobbins out of empty food boxes. You can do this, too!
Cut your box down to a small rectangle - mine are about 2 x 1 ½ inches Cut a small slit on one end.
Tuck one end of your thread into the slit and start winding! Kids can also help to do this. For inspiration, check out The Small Object's fancy cardboard bobbins tutorial.

One last tip-when cutting thread, I always have an arm rule. Measure thread to the length of your arm. So many times, kids cut too short or too long. If you teach them the arm rule, they will always be OK.

Threading the Needle

Let's start at the very beginning...I thought I'd take you through a few of the learning/organizational process that Andria and I did to make our Sewing School Camp run smoother.
In the past, we threaded countless needles throughout the week. It seemed like that's all we did. This week, we decided that it was time that kids learned to become independent sewers. We taught how to use a LoRan Needle Threader. This is the best threader I have used with kids- it's durable and easy for small hands to manipulate.
We broke the camp into small groups and Ms. Andria taught how to thread needles, tie knots, and cut thread. After successfully threading a needle, the camper got to made a medal to put on the "Honor Roll." This silly little incentive made a big difference.
Our needles? We use chenille size 22, sharp point. They have large eyes, but are sharp enough to sew through fabrics easily.

Next up - thread!

Sewing Kits Go Mainstream

Oh, how I love to shop for sewing supplies when I have a little spare change in my pocket.

Today, I discovered this super-cute D-I-Y Sewing Kit online. It comes with needles, thread, pins, measuring tape, a thimble and more.

At the other end of the spectrum, Urban Outfitters also has a $300 Professional Singer sewing machine, a mechanically minded Sewing Helper, and more. How cute would it be to stash your sewing supplies in UO's Recycled Ruler Box? And Target has an adorable Li'l Tweet Stitch Kit available in the Red Hot Shop this month.

Visit From the Fabric Fairy

I love it when a bag full of crafty treats is waiting for me on my classroom door. I think I am beginning to get a reputation of taking anything crafty and sewing related. The hard part is saving it for the kids. I can think of so many uses for little plastic doll heads that was in the last batch!