This delightful doll was stitched from a pre-printed Mikodesign DIY doll kit that I sell over at the Miss Maude Sewing Store.  My little person, has been dying to stitch one up for the past six months.   I have been delaying her, wondering if it might be too complicated for little hands.   It turns out, it is not - just a little patience and careful stitching required.  

This is not an easy project to start with - it is a little fiddly and has small seam allowances.  So not much wriggle room for making mistakes.  But it is a great project to reinforce the importance of being accurate and showing that sometimes taking things slowly is best.  

These little six year old hands were determined.   The concentration and focus was worth the effort.  This little doll now sits pride of place in my little one's bedroom and is a delightful daily reminder of a special Christmas weekend in Paris - just the two of us.  Special times.  

Yes, Paris, we love you.  Gros Bisous.

With the last day of school looming, the past couple of afternoons have been spent making these gorgeous Christmas hearts - little gifts for the ballet and school teacher.  This was a wonderful project for the six year old Little Person, who has had a bit of practice on the machine now.  Little three year old watched on in awe of her big sister.   

We used the tutorial found over at Miss Maude Sewing.  A simple and delightful project that spans generations.  

Techniques that were introduced included

• following curves with a small seam allowance - making sure to go slow 
• pivoting around corners and points - leaving the needle in the fabric while lifting the presser foot and turning the fabric
• clipping curves and points before turning in the right way - our secret weapon is a pair of pinking shears.  They reduce a lot of bulk quickly and easily.  
• using a point turner to get sharp corners/points
• sewing buttons

A few weekends back, we grabbed a couple of embroidery hoops, the button jar,  a few trims and of course a needle and thread.  The result is a couple of little ladies - christened Chloë and Poppy.  This is a project that is a great one for using up whatever may be lying around in the sewing stash - the embroidery hoop is the only significant investment (at only a few dollars..) and it is a project that is suitable for various ages.  My six year old Little Person completed the project completely independently, while I sat with my three year old to help her get through. 

​Check out the tutorial for details..

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A pretty yet practical project to sew for the little girls in your life.  Sizes 3-7yrs.   With detailed photo instructions, this would also be an achievable project for a confident Little Person who had a bit of experience on the sewing machine  to make for themselves.  Check it out here.  

Father's Day is coming this Sunday, so the two Little Ones have been busy making a little bag for Papa to keep all his cables safe when travelling.  It has been made to look suitably 'fatherly' on the outside, but is packed full of two and six year old goodness on the inside.   A little delight to help keep the homesickness at bay while travelling.  

The project is a good one to try, after your Little One has completed a few sewing machine projects already.  The bag is fully lined, so there is no need to worry about finishing seems, but there is the focus on pivoting corners, sewing straight and safely, lining up seams and sewing a casing.   

For full details take a look at the lined drawstring bag tutorial.  

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My Little One can't decide if she prefers drawing or sewing.   The top spot seems to change on a daily basis.    So working on our latest project was a clear winner - drawing AND sewing.   We used scraps for this project and turned them into something more than the sum of their parts.  For the front of the softie we used an old sheet, the back is scraps of cotton quilt batting and the stuffing was in our stash.   Take a look at the full tutorial.  

This was a lovely project to complete with both a two year old and a six year old.   It is simple enough for the six year old to complete mostly independently, while I was able to work with my toddler.    You can take a look at the post about Sewing Activities For Toddlers, to see how much fun there is to be had for them.  

Because there are not really any restrictions or rules to follow, your Little One can focus on basic skills without the pressure of 'getting it right'.   The basics include: pinning, cutting, sewing machine control and safety and hand sewing.   So, go on and give it a try - unleash those creative juices.  

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A quiet Sunday afternoon spent stitching outfits for favourite dolls, using old favourites from the wardrobe that were otherwise destined for the rubbish.    

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