Sewing With Nieces

If anyone thinks kids would have absolutely no interest in sewing, then let me introduce you to Anna Rose and Mary Jean, my soon-to-be 10-year-old nieces. They have appeared here on the blog in a few earlier posts, but it's been awhile. (See them at age 2. Or at age 5. Or at age 7.) On Sunday, we met at my mother's house (Grandma Jeannie, to the grandkids). She set up two card tables in her sunroom, I brought both my machines, some fabric and supplies, and we had a day of sewing. What fun!

About a week ago, I received a text message from them asking to sew with Aunt Jayne. We set a date for the Sunday of Labor Day weekend to meet at Grandma Jeannie's for an afternoon of sewing. That gave me time to shop for colorful, kid-appealing fat quarters at JoAnn Fabrics, which had a great sale going on. I'd determined that we would be making headbands, so I also picked up some elastic.

Anna Rose cutting her fabric.

Mary Jean tried cutting with snipper scissors.

She found that she could cut faster with big shears.

Anna Rose with her blue-green headband.

Mary Jean with her purple polka dot headband.

My cutie-pies look adorable in their new headbands!

Their cousin Emma (my younger daughter) stopped by to help.

I was grateful for Emma's assistance! And the girls adore her!

 After the headbands were completed, they wanted to play in the fabric (I know the feeling!), so I just let them cut and create. Neither girl grew tired or bored, which I half expected as the afternoon wore on; I figured their attention span would at some point be ready for something else, but they remained engaged all afternoon and were actually sad when the time came to put all our stuff away. I am fairly certain we are going to make sewing together a regular activity.

Mary Jean is putting stuffing into a little doll pillow.

She made two pillows. 

Anna Rose wanted to cut shapes and put them on the fabric. I told her this was a real quilty thing called applique. Don't you think she did great?

By late in the afternoon, I wasn't needed to hover over them; they were capable and comfortable using the machines, and were completely engaged in creating little bags or pillows or applique panels. I made 4 more headbands while they created. These can be shared between them or given to friends.

As we headed home after a very long day - we'd gone to an 8am service at Chapel in the Woods, and finished off the day with a cookout at long-time friends, Jim and Shirley's - I remarked to DH that I hoped the day was one the girls would remember long into their old age. Some days from my childhood are seared into my memory; I'd like to think we accomplished that with these dear sweet nieces.

Happy Quilting, Friends!