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The Further Adventures of Our Toddler Sewing Basket

Five months on and Immy still enjoys regularly fossicking through her toddler sewing basket; stitching onto the drawer liner, playing and creating with fabric and ribbon, sorting buttons, and threading beads and cotton reels onto pipe cleaners or a shoe lace.

So this week I thought it was time to introduce a little more challenge.  I exchanged her drawer liner for cross-stitch cloth, her plastic needle for a large, blunt-nosed metal needle, the wool for embroidery thread, and…

… we started to sew on buttons.  Immy very quickly learnt to pull the thread all the way through the front of the cloth, to thread the needle through one hole in the button and then another, and then to push the needle back down through the fabric close to the button.

The process continued over a number of days.  Several short, peaceful sessions where we would sit side by side, me (usually with a cup of tea close at hand) guiding, reminding and assisting when asked.  Until it was declared finished.

I love it so much that we have hung it up on the wall.  And Immy enjoyed the process so much that we have started another.

If you have a young child interested in sewing, you might like to check out these beginner sewing activity ideas (links below)

children's sewing activity ideas

Toddler Sewing Basket | Sewing Buttons | Sewing Flowers

Sewing Outlines | Simple Christmas Sewing | Sewing Rainbows

Simple Embroidery | Sewing Lavender Softies

Be sure to check out Christie’s book, Time to Create, for even more information about sewing with kids.Time to Create by Christie Burnett

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.

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  4. Jennifer says

    Look at her go!!! I've had the supplies on hand to do this with my daughter, but just haven't pulled it out yet. I think I know what we're doing this weekend!

  7. Margaret Elvis says

    Well done Immy and her mum too for thinking of this. Hand /eye co-ordination is a must and she has done so well. Look forward to seeing the next masterpiece. I wonder if perhaps she might one day make one for her great-grandma to hang on her wall? Please (and I have buttons I could add to your stocks if you need them).

  9. Kimberly says

    question: what are you using for a needle~this is such and wonderful sm. motor builder! how old was your daughter when you started? i worked w/18 month olds and am having a hard time imagining them not hurting each other with a regular needle.....

    • Christie Burnett says

      Kimberly, my daughter is almost three. Prior to this she was using a blunt, round nosed plastic needle on drawer liner, the needle came from a kit for making finger puppets. For this activity she is using a big, chunky metal needle which is really very blunt (no point at all), it came in a large pack of needles which I bought at a fabric/haberdashery store. Plus I was supervising very closely as she was using it.

  11. Lola says

    Beautiful! I'm definitely going to try this with my little girl, she is almost Kimberly's age. I need to go shopping for a blunt needle!

  12. Lauren @ Hobo Mama says

    I would be proud if I had made that! What a fun way to get kids used to sewing. I'm going to adapt your basket idea with my three-year-old son. He loves to help me push the pedal when I machine sew already. :)

  16. Deb Chitwood @ Living Montessori Now says

    I LOVE what you've done with your toddler sewing basket! And your daughter is doing so well with her sewing skills! Well done to you both! I featured your sewing basket posts at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/LivingMontessoriNow.

  18. Salsa says

    Love this idea Christie! I think my 28mo would really enjoy this. Unfortunately I can't sew to save my life but both her grandmas do, so am off to ask them to make some donations from their sewing baskets. Do you remember where you got the draw liner from?

  19. pink and green mama says

    My almost 4 year old would love this!! I'll have to switch out her shelf liner for some "real" fabric and buttons!! Thank you for such an easy and fun idea!! Fondly, pink and green mama MaryLea

  21. Heather says

    What a great idea, this and the first post on the sewing basket. My daughter would love this as well, since she really enjoys helping me when I sew or knit. She is just 4, and if I giver her some yarn and knittng needles she loves to say that she is knitting too! :) For the project you did above, would I find the cross-stitch cloth at a fabric store?

  27. Sharon Vogel says

    I am going to show this to my daughter and step-daughter, who are both 25 years old, and would be hard put to actually sew on a button! I love your little one to absolute pieces and if I ever have granddaughters, Gramma is gonna make sure they get a hoop with fabric, buttons, yarn and a needle to sew with! I tried, I really, really tried to get my daughter interested in sewing but it was a lost cause. Thank you for being a great Mom!

  28. Deb says

    This is fabulous! You've really inspired me, I'm going to put together a little sewing basket for my little boy - he loves buttons and things. Thanks for a great idea! :)

  29. Billie says

    I was so pleased to see this. This is how my grandmother taught me to sew when I was about this age also. I later joined 4-H and made a 3-piece, lined, wool suit when I was 10. It stuck with me as I have sewn for many, many years now. Congratulations on keeping sewing alive!!!

  30. Mrs.T says

    This is a fantastic idea! My almost 4-year-old granddaughter loves needlework but has not done anything as structured as this. I plan to make her a sewing basket, with all the necessary equipment for her birthday this month. Thanks so much for sharing this idea!

  32. Amy says

    I found this thru pinterest. I love love love this idea of a sewing basket for my little one. What a great idea! And what a beautiful keepsake for you to treasure as you teach your daughter wonderful lessons.

  33. deny says

    Wow. This is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your wealth of creativity. I will be doing this with my young daughter. You are honestly amazing!

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