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Simple Kids Sewing: Sewing Rainbows

Immy and I enjoyed working together to make this simple stitched rainbow to hang in her room. It is a great introduction to learning to embroider for kindergarteners (with guidance) or school aged children.

You will need:

  • Hessian
  • Textas/felt tipped markers
  • Embroidery thread
  • Large, blunt nosed needle
  • Embroidery hoop (optional)

To make:

kids-sewing-drawing

Have your child draw a rainbow (or other simple shape) directly onto the hessian with the markers.

kids-sewing-drawing2

Make small marks periodically along the lines to be stitched. These will form a guide for your child’s needle as they are forming the running stitch. Optional ~ place the hessian onto an embroidery hoop to hold it taut. This can make sewing much easier for children, especially those who are not familiar with sewing activities.

childrens sewing activity 1

Show your child how to form each stitch by coming up through the hessian on one mark and back down through the hessian on the next.

Show them how important it is to pull the needle and thread through until it is taut. It can be helpful to tie the thread to the needle so that it is not accidentally pulled off. Alternatively, show your child how to hold the needle so that the thread is tight between their thumb and forefinger to reduce the likelihood of it being pulled off.

childrens sewing activity 2

The most difficult part of the process is bringing the needle up from the back in the correct position to form the next stitch. It takes patience, practice and, most likely, guidance from an adult to hit the mark each time.

childrens sewing activity 4

A work in progress.

All done!

Ready to hang.

Immy is now four and a half and is very familiar with sewing activities. Even so, this was created over a number of sewing sessions according to her interest each time. There are also ‘mistakes’ where she missed some of the stitch marks but I believe this just illustrates part of the process of learning, offering a teachable moment to learn from for next time. If you are unsure if this type of craft is suitable for your child you might find this post helpful, Is this Kids Craft Idea Right for my Child?

More Cool Explorations with Colour!

Kaleidoscope:Hands On Explorations in Colour (and Color!) for Kids. A fabulous new resource for kids aged 5 to 55. Awesome intergrated learning activities incorporating, STEM, literacy, art, science, cooking and more

This is STEM, art and literacy like you’ve never seen it before – dressed up in all the colours of the rainbow! Kaleidoscope: Hands-On Explorations in Colour (and Color!) includes 25 awe-inspiring projects that integrate learning across a range of subject areas, including the STEM topics of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as art, literacy and cooking. This is a great resource for teachers, parents, camp organisers, youth and community group leaders, homeschoolers, out of school care educators and more. Pop over to find out more.

For other simple kids sewing activities, check out our Toddler Sewing Basket, Sewing Buttons, Sewing Flowers and Sewing Outlines.

childrens sewing activities

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.

Filed Under: Art, Bigger Kids Play, Physical, Preschool Play Tagged With: easy sewing projects for kids, kids art

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Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. Two Chicks and a Hen says

    July 20, 2012 at 9:58 PM

    What I really love about this is that you had her draw her own picture first and then embroider it. Great idea--I will try that with my kids.
  2. DebbieH says

    July 21, 2012 at 10:05 PM

    That is so lovely! What a great idea :)
  3. Lauren says

    July 22, 2012 at 11:05 AM

    wow ! that is so beautiful and effective !
  4. Tamsyn says

    July 24, 2012 at 7:48 AM

    I love this Christie! The perfect activity to do with my niece this weekend :)
  5. pauline@lessonslearntjournal.com says

    July 24, 2012 at 12:58 PM

    How inspiring. Pinning and keen to give it a go with the kiddos. xoxo Pauline
  6. Kelly says

    July 24, 2012 at 4:43 PM

    Such wonderful handwork for little ones. And she did a great job of it, it is beautiful and lovely to have it displayed!
  7. Ali says

    July 24, 2012 at 5:42 PM

    If I showed this post to my daughter she would be jumping up and down wanting to try it right now. She loves sewing and LOVES rainbow. What a perfect combination. I will have to prepare...... :)
  8. Caz says

    July 24, 2012 at 5:58 PM

    This is wonderful, sewing is not something I have done much of with my girls and you have prompted me to add it to our regular activities now. Love the finished product, bet it looks great hanging on her wall!
  9. Suz says

    July 24, 2012 at 6:06 PM

    That is so (sew!) cute. My two are a little young for this at the moment but I will be storing the idea away for a few years time. I have a niece who is crazy about craft but hasn't done much sewing so I will give it a go with her. This sounds like something she would love. The end product looks great and I would be very happy having it hanging in my house - would brighten up any room and look fab in a kids bedroom.
  10. Debs- Learn with Play says

    July 25, 2012 at 7:02 PM

    The end product was just lovely! I wonder if the textas were inky enough to go through the hessian, if it would be easier for them to see where they'd have to come up? My daughter would love to do something like this but we'll have to start at the basics. Hmm, I see some basket weaving coming up :)
  11. Lauren @ Hobo Mama says

    August 5, 2012 at 4:02 PM

    Love this — what a fun project and a great final result! I like that you've reminded us to be patient and do it in stages as well. :)
  12. Helen says

    August 24, 2012 at 11:47 AM

    I love that you put the sewing in such a fancy frame! It looks beautiful. My girls love to sew and have been doing it for some time as well. http://curlybirds.typepad.com/curly-birds/sewing-projects-for-preschoolers/
  13. Sally says

    February 17, 2013 at 2:17 PM

    What an awesome idea thanks for sharing!
  14. Rebecca says

    May 19, 2013 at 1:22 PM

    So lovely and simple. I love this idea. I'm going to see if my daughter is into trying this out. She's just about to be 5. I love the idea of her making her own art to hang in her room to be proud of. BTY, we have the same counter tops! Love them :-)
  15. Helen says

    July 22, 2013 at 9:03 AM

    Great idea! I did a search and it looks like they're called "plastic canvas" sheets in the needlepoint section of a craft or art supply store.

Trackbacks

  1. Cool Sites For Homeschoolers | Home Educators Association of Virginia says:
    September 12, 2012 at 9:38 AM
    [...] https://childhood101.com/2012/07/simple-kids-sewing-sewing-rainbows [...]
  2. Playful Picks says:
    February 17, 2013 at 7:01 PM
    [...] Sewing Rainbows :: Childhood 101 [...]
  3. Simple sewing jars | Teach Preschool says:
    October 7, 2013 at 6:01 AM
    [...] Sewing Rainbows by Childhood 101 [...]
  4. Sewing Rainbows - Lil Moo Creations says:
    August 1, 2014 at 5:14 PM
    […] Sewing Rainbows […]
  5. Handwork – Waldorf and Homeschooling says:
    March 17, 2017 at 3:31 AM
    […] Sewing Rainbows: […]
  6. Sewing Kids Crafts and Activities - The Crafting Chicks says:
    July 14, 2017 at 7:10 PM
    […] Sewing Rainbows from Childhood 101 […]
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