lynn Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 DD loves designing dresses. For Christmas I want to get her a beginners sewing machine. What kind might that be? Also, what other things can I put together for a Christmas gift for her that tie into this hobby of hers. What are some of easiest materials to work with? I think her dream designs have lots of Tulle. I am going to try to find American Girl doll size patterns as well as a basic dress pattern for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 How much are you looking at spending? I have a basic Elna that never causes me frustration. :) I love her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Is this for the 6 year old? Do you know how to sew and operate a machine? Is there someone available to assist her? Will she need lessons? When my kids were 6 I sat right next to them at all times when they used the machine. I have an old Viking that I could put in "low gear" -- it would sew more slowly, so it was easier to guide the fabric correctly, which was very helpful for a child. (At age 16, dd complains if she has to use a "slow" machine -- she's a speed demon who wants hundreds of stitches per minute.) OTOH, that old Viking will also sew through EVERYTHING, including a child's hand (or several layers of denim). So, anyway, my point is that the recommendations for a machine -- or anything else, for that matter -- depend on the age of the user, and what assistance that person will have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Don't buy a toy. The new IKEA model has gotten good reviews, as has the Janome Hello Kitty machine. A vintage Singer from the 60's or 70's can be had for around $100; I'd buy that over something in the same price range new from Walmart in a heartbeat. Check out www.patternreview.com - they have forums and machine reviews that are very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I have a very standard model Singer that my Dh got me at Joann's for about $150. I use it a lot and it's 7 years old and still works very well. I get it tuned up every once and a while just to keep it nice. I'd suggest buying her a full size, "real" sewing machine. That way she'll learn from the start the proper use of it and you won't spend money on a cheapy one now just to get a real one later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Rittenhouse Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 At six She is too young for a machine. At six, she needs to learn some basic emboridery stitches and some hand sewing. As for designing dresses....teach her to make paper dolls. With all the scrappbooking stuff available this is the best way to let her hand eye cooridination keep up with her imagination. The scissor/drawing skills will serve her later. Make or buy a basic paper doll and then cut out a basic dress shape from tag board that she can use over and over again as pattern. Open up the construction paper, scrap booking supplies and other bits of paper, cloth and lace and let her go. At seven or eight she can help you design and sew clothes for her, if you sew. Again start with her cutting, pinning and pressing skills. Move on to the straight seams, but you do the majority of the difficult work. By thirteen, if she still has an interest a simple durable non-electronic machine makes a perfect gift for a girl entering high school. For christmas, at six...Caft packages to decorate jeans and make those keychains that the kids hang off their back packs. Knitting is great. How about knitting a phone cover? Crocheting pot holders. Fabric painting on canvas book/grocery bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) At six She is too young for a machine. At six, she needs to learn some basic emboridery stitches and some hand sewing. As for designing dresses....teach her to make paper dolls. With all the scrappbooking stuff available this is the best way to let her hand eye cooridination keep up with her imagination. The scissor/drawing skills will serve her later. Make or buy a basic paper doll and then cut out a basic dress shape from tag board that she can use over and over again as pattern. Open up the construction paper, scrap booking supplies and other bits of paper, cloth and lace and let her go. At seven or eight she can help you design and sew clothes for her, if you sew. Again start with her cutting, pinning and pressing skills. Move on to the straight seams, but you do the majority of the difficult work. By thirteen, if she still has an interest a simple durable non-electronic machine makes a perfect gift for a girl entering high school. For christmas, at six...Caft packages to decorate jeans and make those keychains that the kids hang off their back packs. Knitting is great. How about knitting a phone cover? Crocheting pot holders. Fabric painting on canvas book/grocery bags. Ann, these are great suggestions. You can find kits at Walmart, JoAnn, Michael's, Hobby Lobby (look for coupons in the paper for those 3), bookstores. American Girl sells various kits, as does Klutz and other companies. Businesses know that kids like to design, and many are capitalizing on the current DIY movement to package up all sorts of attractive sets. Or you can package up your own. Last year the kids found kits that were fashion design sets. Well, actually I think it was 3 kits, covering various types of clothing. They purchased a couple that came with all sorts of cool paper and stencils. There were several brands to choose from in the stores, as I recall. Even if you buy something pre-packaged, you can add other stuff to it, like tulle and glue-on crystals. (Note that my kids are much older, know how to sew, and still enjoy this sort of thing.) When I was about that age (6) I crocheted clothes for my dolls, making it up as I went along. As I got older I taught myself how to trace off the pictures in my mom's and sister's clothing patterns, resize to the appropriate size, and make those into clothing for my dolls, which I hand sewed using the fabric scraps we had around the house. I learned so much about how a sleeve can be shaped, how pattern pieces work, how to make a 2-dimensional object into a 3 dimensional object! My younger dd likes to use fabric scraps to drape clothing for her dolls. Part of our dress-up box has always been large scarves and large fabric remnants that can be draped and safety-pinned into new outfits for children or dolls or relatively patient pets. A digital camera helps make a permanent record of the temporary fashions. JoAnn, Hancock, and other fabric stores often have remnant bins you can visit to find interesting fabric to use for experimentation. ETA: Ann is also right that a huge part of learning to sew is learning to iron. Making clothing is really as much about planning, preparing, and pressing as it is about the actual sewing. Edited July 31, 2012 by GailV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 At six She is too young for a machine. At six, she needs to learn some basic emboridery stitches and some hand sewing. As for designing dresses....teach her to make paper dolls. With all the scrappbooking stuff available this is the best way to let her hand eye cooridination keep up with her imagination. The scissor/drawing skills will serve her later. Make or buy a basic paper doll and then cut out a basic dress shape from tag board that she can use over and over again as pattern. Open up the construction paper, scrap booking supplies and other bits of paper, cloth and lace and let her go. At seven or eight she can help you design and sew clothes for her, if you sew. Again start with her cutting, pinning and pressing skills. Move on to the straight seams, but you do the majority of the difficult work. By thirteen, if she still has an interest a simple durable non-electronic machine makes a perfect gift for a girl entering high school. For christmas, at six...Caft packages to decorate jeans and make those keychains that the kids hang off their back packs. Knitting is great. How about knitting a phone cover? Crocheting pot holders. Fabric painting on canvas book/grocery bags. :iagree: Teach her to handsew. Even seamstresses have to do a lot of things by hand. Learning embroidery is a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I didn't realize it was for a six year old. No, I wouldn't buy a machine for a six year old. Frankly my 16yo doesn't have her own machine. I *just* bought myself a GOOD machine this last year. I would NOT buy a Singer. They are not what they used to be. I would also not buy a Kenmore or a Janome. If you want a machine in the house buy yourself one and learn to sew now so you can help her later. Consider it a family investment. If you want something as a gift for a six year old you could get a nice basket, colors of embroidery thread, a hoop, needles, and this book: Doodle Stitching She won't be able to do it "right" but it will be a good deal of fun for her to realize she can just "doodle" on fabric. She's six. Save the good stuff for when she can really do it and enjoy it. A machine would handicap and frustrate her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I have found that a pile of felt, a pack of inexpensive brightly colored assorted embroidery thread, some sharp, big-eyed needles, and a sharp pair of scissors make for hours of fun with 6-year-olds of both genders. Be careful on the needles - tapestry needles are blunt, I think it's the chenille ones that I usually buy. Throw in a small assortment of buttons, and perhaps some large-hole beads or sequins. Open-ended projects like a stuffed felt "monster" or a hand puppet are easy for that age and they love the results. Copy a bunch of pictures from the internet and include them in your gift pack to serve as inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munchkins_mama Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We just bought my 10yo a machine for Christmas last year. Before that, ( actually, still!) I wouldn't let her touch my nice machine. She's way too impulsive. :tongue_smilie: I agree with the suggestions to get her some craft kits. And avoid the cheaper sewing machines if this is something you actually want her to succeed in. WE bought DD a Bernette for Bernina and it was on sale for $179. It has less functions than the $100 machines at Walmart, but the quality is such that it will last her through adulthood. It has more than enough functions for her uses and even for an adult, just not a ton of super fancy topstitches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I disagree that 6yo is too young for a machine. I bought my DD a brother with a "slow down button" when she was 6yo. Obviously she cannot sew without some supervision, but she does sew on her own. I have set us up a space where we can both sew together on our own machines. We are making nightgowns for this winter as the stores seem to stop making them in big girl sizes and that is what she likes to wear. I am sewing the more detailed parts, and she is doing the side seams and the hemming. She is 7.5yo right now. As far as easier fabric to sew. I would say thin woven fabric without stretch is the easiest. Things like flannel, cotton prints (like the kind used in quilting) etc. As far as having a good outcome with the look of it and prints: go with smaller prints that have no direction and stay away from stripes and plaids for a while. This will help with pattern cutting frustration and having the prints not lining up correctly. I do agree with learning hand sewing as well. I allow her to work on hand sewing independently and our machine time is more of a together time. As far as american girl doll clothes, there are lots of patterns but they are often more challenging than simple things like a simple elastic waist skirt, apron, pillowcase, or draw string bag. I would start with simple things first. There is a free site for AG clothing patterns http://www.agplaythings.com/AG%20Patterns/DollDressPatterns.html. I have made all of these outfits, and I wouldnt call them easy. Some of the nightgowns could be accomplished after she learned to do easier stuff if she has help. One of the things that makes doll clothes more difficult is the small size and tight corners. Hope that helps some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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