Teaching the next generation

Granddaughter G spent most of today making doll clothes from clothing destined for donation to the local thrift store.  She understood why the felt was not the best medium once she tried to remove the felt clothing from the dolls.

During the construction of the first outfit, we discussed threading the machine, bobbins, how to know if there is an issue with the machine, and how to use a starter piece under the presser foot when sewing knits.

We explored copying an existing garment, fashioning a new piece without a pattern, and how to adjust a garment once sewn.

The pink dress was made from mom's discarded cami and the trim on the dress was taken from another garment.  The scarf was made from a scrap of minkie.

These outfits were made from mom's blouse...  it had a wide elastic waist and buttons down the front. 

G cut just above the elastic, sewed the button placket closed, and seamed it to fit the doll.  G made a long and a short version and added a scarf to the long version.






Then we moved on to more difficult garments....  with little or no help from Gramma.  I was there only to answer questions or help when the bobbin ran out.

G made two pairs of pink panties from the inner part of the pink cami. The dress and leggings were from mom's tshirt.

The bedroom slippers were made of a base from a cereal box and felt and were hot glued together.  She made the slippers after I had gone to bed last night.





The babies needed new clothes too....  so from the long sleeves of the striped tshirt, she made cocoons for each baby.  She also made two onsies from, again, tshirts mom castoffs.

Little M was trying the clothes on one and then the other doll while G was sewing.   By this point, G was learning that backstitching WAS important...  and not a step to be skipped over.




She wasn't ready to stop so she sewed some minkie scraps together for a blanket for the babies.

After the blanket, we forced G to take a break and do some reading, etc.

Eighty pages later, G has the sewing machine back out and is busy working up some denim pants.  We talked about how jeans differ from her leggings pattern and she is off and running.




TADA!!!


Blue jeans....   we learned how to sew elastic in to shrink the waistband.....  and without any prompting from gramma, G even added faux pockets!







As an added bonus to the day, grandson K, called me into his bedroom....   He wanted me to see that the cat had made herself at home....





























on top of K's king snake's cage - aptly name King.   (snake on left...  snake skin on right)

This somehow seems a slap in Mother Nature's face.... everyone seems happy with the situation so who am I to complain?