Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing
Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle
Storey Publishing; $18.95

We are all interested in seeing sewing expand with each generation, and we need to make it fun and accessible for young kids. I love what Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle have done with Sewing School 2. The authors, owners of The Sewing School in Memphis, share their own experiences teaching kids. The projects are fun, varied from simple to complex, and useful. The book starts with an intro section for parents about how to teach sewing and then instructs the kids on choosing and using a sewing machine, and more. Some of the projects include a simple pin cushion and a secret message pillow, a backpack and a quilt. The authors include some sidebars on how kids can make the projects more individual, plus a sewing playlist. Definitely designed to inspire kids to enjoy sewing successfully.

You can look for the book at your favorite quilt shop or book retailer. Here’s a link to Amazon if you would like to learn more about the book.

Tuesday evening my eight-year-old niece, Nicole, came to spend the night. After she helped cook dinner she wanted to sew, so we looked through The Best of Sewing Machine Fun for Kids by Nancy Smith and Linda Milligan with Possibilities. Nicole decided she would make scrunchies and a cloth lunch bag for school, which starts next week. She headed off to my fabric stash to select what I thought would be a couple of pieces for the scrunchies. Well, she came back with enough for ten. And that’s what she made. Here she is at the sewing machine.

Her skills have improved since she made her first skirt this spring. She’s more careful about the seam allowance and pays more attention to the project. And, while I cut the fabric, she followed the directions and worked without my guidance after the first few. She made two scrunchies that evening. The next morning shortly after breakfast she said, “I’m bored. Can we sew now?” Do you think she’s after my heart?! So she continued and made eight more. We took a break in the afternoon, went to the movies, out for ice cream and to visit the alpacas at the end of my street. After we got back, she wanted to make the lunch bag. She had picked out fabric for two bags, but we only had time for one. When her mom arrived about 6:15 to pick her up, she had just the top edge to turn and sew to finish the bag. She’s so excited that when people will ask about her bag or scrunchies, she can say, “I made it.” Here she is with the array of scrunchies.