sewing classes

This summer a friend of mine and I taught four weeks of sewing camp to beginner seamstresses. Most fell within the 7-13 year old range, and all were adorable. They learned sewing machine basics (how to thread the machine, make a bobbin), how to sew stitches and the different ways to manipulate the stitches. They made a heart pillow, a pillowcase, a tote bag, a skirt, an owl pillow, and we even got into quilting in a couple of the classes that worked at a faster pace.

We were so scared the first week, but by the second or third day, we felt pretty comfortable with what we were doing. By this week, our last, we were old hands at it. Today was the last day of the last camp. What fun. I have also taught a few students on an individual basis because they were unable to make any of the camps, and that was neat, too, teaching one-on-one.

I realized in the process that my daughters wanted to learn to sew, too. Number 3 actually went to the first week of camp and did quite well. Number 1 (the patient, loving, helpful, mature-all-of-a-sudden firstborn, whom shall be referred to in this sentence as Cinderella because she babysat and cooked for me while I was teaching - but making a ton of cash for it, by the way, so it wasn't all THAT grueling!) mentioned in passing that she would love to know how to sew. I kept looking for an opportunity to sit down with her, but the summer has just flown by. Today, though, all of our patience paid off. Today was that day.

We had planned to go school shopping. (In two weeks she will be a freshman in high school!) But the wee ones had not napped and I was not about to do that to myself (take two cranky kids to Target, are you kidding me?!?!) Rather, I put a movie on for #4 and 5 and sat down at the dining room table with her in front of the sewing machine. She was a quick study and in no time she not only had the machine and the stitches down, but had made a cute drawstring backpack that she will be able to use for gym class (which she has FIRST period - bless her heart, she is gonna have to be sweaty the very first class of the day).

She has blossomed into an even more wonderful person this summer and I have sooo enjoyed her company. eeek! How will either of us survive her going to high school I wonder?!?! Whenever I get that cold, clammy feeling about it all, I remember the glimpses I have seen this summer of what she will be like as an adult and I relax.... it's a very good thing.

But, still if it's possible, could someone please clip the wings of time?