I’m going to start in the middle of this sewing story. Partly because I have the photos for the middle, but not the start and the end hasn’t happened yet. So this is the middle and the start will just have to follow. Truly appropriate as it features my middle daughter’s sewing.
I’ve been busy sewing. With their new love of my sewing machine (patchwork cushion), my daughters have been hovering at my elbows, desperate to have a sewing project of their own. BL threw herself into making a second patchwork cushion to give to one of her best friends as a birthday present. She loved making it and giving it, and she really wanted to do more.
Both of my girls wanted to do something other than a cushion. They wanted to make something that they could wear. Always up for a challenge and keen to pass on some of my knowledge, I put my home-sewn thinking cap on and thought. One of the first things I made in my school needlework classes was a nightie, so that seemed a good place to start.
They loved selecting their fabric and trimmings. The choice of pattern was relatively painless too. I cut out the fabric and helped BL to pin it together. She is really comfortable using my sewing machine now, so the nightie took shape very quickly. She left the neatening to me. Mainly as this was a long project for my eight year old and I cannot bear unfinished seams.
I cannot begin to tell you how much she loves her nightie. She is wearing it for the first time tonight. She says that it is cosy and warm.
When I added up the cost of the materials used, I was amazed. It worked out at about £11.75, which I don’t think is bad. BL now has a lovely nightie and has started her journey into dressmaking.
Apparently, chickens needed to muscle into the photo shoot. Not sure why.
Details: pattern McCalls M6227
Fabric: brushed cotton
More sewing details to follow with AJ’s project.
Wow wow wow … fantastic sewing x
I can bet that will be the favourite nightshirt for a long time.
I was helping my daughters class sew handpuppets recently and took my sewing machine into school and chatting with a couple of parents recalled making things to wear in Home Economics class in Junior school – I remember making a jacket that I loved and word forever. I look forward to doing this with my daughter sometime in the future, such wonderful skills to learn, and she is being drawn to the sewing machine lately but enjoying embroidery at the moment.
Making and wearing/using something that you have made yourself, has to be experienced first hand to fully understand. The hand puppets sound like a brilliant introduction to sewing. I still have a red lion hand puppet that I made in primary school.
I hope my Islay will be able to do something along these lines in the next few years. Lovely. juliex
I’m sure Islay will love time with you and learning a great skill.
Clever girl. Always a handy skill to have.
I hope she will make a few more things. At her age, it works well as a joint project. She is learning tons!
She has made an excellent and very professional job ….Well done !!!!
We are seriously impressed.
Her seams are amazingly straight. She’s keen to make another, so I will encourage her to do more of the neatening.
oh how wonderful!! what an inspiration and what a lovely nightie!
She is so so so pleased with her nightie. I see more sewing projects on the horizon.