Today we completed a spring sewing camp. Children come to learn to sew by hand and by machine and to make fun products to take home and learn new skills.
They make a few large products during the week. They specifically come to sew for hours on a machine. They also get to iron a lot and work independently without having someone peering over their shoulder all the time.
On the first day of the sewing camp we do introductions and I explain the rules to them. I treat them as responsible people and explain that after getting the rudimentary directions I expect them to work independently. The only time that I am strict at all is when I discuss safety rules with them. No working barefeet and when one is ironing the others have to keep their distance from the ironing board.
They go home with products and I mark off a V on skills that I have taught them.
Yoyos and buttons - hand sewing skills
Cutting fabric for stuffing - teamwork and reuse of fabric scraps
Zippered pouch - sewing zippers
Creating patchwork fabric - Many hours of practice on the machine
This week they created little owl dolls
book marks
zippered pouches
and backpacks
. And I created new sewists.