When I was pregnant with AJ, we were very aware of involving Immy in many of the preparations for the new baby’s arrival. One of the ways we did this was inviting Immy to create special artworks to be framed and displayed in the baby’s bedroom, including this wonderful embroidered piece.
I wrote in detail about creating art with fabric in my book, Time to Create: Hands On Explorations in Process Art for Young Children, and I have shared quite a number of our previous sewing projects here on the blog.
On this occasion, I invited Immy to draw a picture using permanent marker (we used a Sharpies marker) onto a natural hessian/burlap. Hessian has a nice open weave which is helpful for beginning sewers. Immy and I talked about which parts of her drawing she would like to embellish with sequins or beads and she chose which embellishments she wanted to use. I then placed the fabric into an embroidery hoop to hold it steady.
Immy used a large, blunt nosed metal needle and embroidery thread. I tied the embroidery thread to the needle with a slip knot to help prevent it from slipping out of the needle. I talked Immy through the process of coming up through the back of the fabric with the needle, threading on her sequin (guiding it all the way down to the fabric) and then pushing the needle back down through the fabric alongside where the sequin sat. I really enjoy sitting alongside Immy as she works on these projects, watching her fingers (and mind) work through the process. Once I removed the completed artwork from the hoop, I gave it a press with a warm iron (avoiding the sequinned areas).
Framing a child’s completed art not only creates a fabulously unique artwork for your home, it is great for their self esteem too – helping them to see themselves as an artistic person capable of creating interesting and fabulous things.
If you have a child interested in sewing, you might like to check out these beginner sewing activity ideas…
and be sure to check out my award winning book, Time to Create, for even more information about sewing with kids.
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
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