Sewing with Grandkids

Bombeere has always enjoyed sewing and most recently has had fun sewing non-clothing items, stuff like quilts, table runners, pillows, and other things that are not clothes.  When I first met her she sewed mostly clothes. In fact, I still have the first shirt she ever sewed for me. But, over the years, she has branched out into other stuff. When there's time, much of her Christmas giving consists of things she's sewn. 

In recent years, as grandkids have seen her sewing, or received things she has sewn for them as gifts, some of them have expressed an interest in learning to sew, much to the delight of their grandmother.  She has only too happy to spend time with them helping them sew something of their choice.  So she's helped one sew doll clothes.  Another time she helped one of the other girls make a toy she then gave to her brother, a "Blobby".  There have been other sewing lessons, each time she lets the student pick the project and colors.  She helps them pick the fabric for whatever project they select.  Sometimes it means a trip to the store to pick the fabric, other times the fabric comes from her own stash or their mother's stash.  In any case, it's always fun to spend the time sewing and learning.  It also provides time to talk, which in my own opinion, is one of the better benefits of the projects.

One wanted to do a small blanket.

A little later she wanted to make a matching zipper pouch.  Those both turned out well.

Another time, with one of the other kids, there was a pillow.

The pillow turned out quite well, she entered it in the county fair and got a ribbon for it.  It was fun.

The creator of the blob did a different project another time.   

This time she made a snake.  This one likes to think outside the box.  The snake was her own design.  Like the blob, she described what she wanted to her grandmother and then the two of them made it happen.  She was quite pleased with the results.

This one saw his sister having so much fun and wanted to get in on it.  He also did a pouch.

His design was a little different from his sisters' but it turned out quite well.  He has since done a number of other sewing projects with his mother.

Even a younger granddaughter wanted to get in on it.  She needed a little more help than the older girls but she was still very pleased with the blankie she made for her doll.

I was surprised that this one wanted to sew.  This kid is so active and lively, he's usually moving.  I was surprised that he wanted to do something that required sitting still long enough to put something together.  Like the others, Grandma let him pick his colors and design.  He made his choice from Grandma's stash; his basic design was Pokémon. He showed amazing concentration as he sewed the pillow top together.  It was a big enough project that it took two sessions of sewing.

But he stuck with it and ended up with a very nice pillow.  He was quite pleased with it.

Each time, the grandchild ends up with a nice something of their own choosing, something that they designed and made with their grandmothers, and some one-on-one time with their grandmothers.  I personally see a lot of value in that; both the grandchild and the grandmother enjoy it. Some happy memories.  That's worth a lot.