Hello World! Welcome Friends! Kids spend a lot of their time on digital devices nowadays. Just about everything they do is on social media. And, beyond school and sports, more traditional hobbies have taken a backseat to video games and chatting with friends online. So, we were noticeably surprised when sewing, of all things, became popular again for kids in the 2020s.
Kids, Sewing and Sewing Machines
Sewing machine review site sewbroidery.com noted that major brands including Brother, Singer and Janome all have models tailored to kids, both young and teens. Some have gone so far as to include create models that feature Disney and Star Wars characters. Some sewing machine models that also do embroidery include characters and items from movies and other pop culture references.
It’s easily been decades since sewing was a popular pastime for kids. Sewing machine manufacturers have created some great sewing machines for kids and beginners as they’ve tried to lure them back, but they’ve only experienced limited success until recently.
But, until recently, sewing was a hobby for kids that was declining each year.
Unavoidable Boredom Beaten by Sewing, Crocheting and Embroidery
As both kids and adults have found themselves stuck either indoors over the past year and change, it seems that technology, phones and apps only go so far. Whether parents drove new interest in arts and other creative pursuits, or if kids embraced them on their own is hard to determine. But, sewing, crocheting and embroidery are making a comeback.
A quick look on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook and you’ll see kids doing all sorts of creative sewing projects, both by and hand and with machines. There’s a big uptick in pictures of homemade quilts, handmade clothes and fun mini-projects like mending a tear or adding a patch to a pair of jeans.
An Inexpensive Hobby
As far as arts and crafts type hobbies are concerned, sewing is a fairly reasonable one. The biggest cost is a sewing or embroidery machine itself. If there isn’t a sewing machine in the house already, a good, basic mechanical model geared towards kids and young adults can be bought for less than one hundred dollars.
More advanced, computerized sewing machines do cost more, but can be found for a few hundred dollars. The same holds true for sewing machines geared toward embroidery or quilting. The more that they do, and the more they rely on computers or technology to do it, the more they cost.
Beyond the cost of the sewing machine, there’s fabric, thread and a few other low-cost items.
Creativity and Utility
Possibly one of the things that kids enjoy the most about sewing or mending their own clothes is that they can actually wear, or gift, the result. Creating something real, something tangible is just different than creating something virtual, sending a tweet, or sharing a photo or meme. And, who knows. Maybe this newfound interest in sewing will inspire the next generation of craftspeople and designers.
Probably the easiest way to open up the world of sewing to a child is to have sewing skills yourself that you can share. Using a sewing machine is trivial after you’ve gotten used to it, but if both the child and the adult have no experience with a sewing machine, it will definitely be an uphill battle. If you don’t have that experience, look to friends and family members who might be able to guide the experience along.
Tips for Introducing Kids to Sewing
Once you are ready to mentor a child with their sewing, or have found someone who is, keep these simple tips in mind to make it a rewarding experience.
- Be patient. While you may have been sewing for years, your child hasn’t. There’s a lot that can go wrong, even when simply threading a sewing machine for the first time. Take it slow and let the child’s skills come along at their pace.
- Set realistic goals. While your child might want to start by making a dress or other more complex design or garment, set them up for success. Start with a very simple project and slowly move up to more complex ones. Achievement breeds pride and will help them hone the basic sewing techniques they’ll use for a lifetime.
- Have fun! Learning can be fun, but often time it feels more like work than it does like a hobby. Keep the mood light, and have a good time. The more your child enjoys themselves, the more they’ll seek out sewing on their own.
Only time will tell if sewing is a kid’s hobby that is here to stay. In this world of high-tech distractions, we very much hope it does.
It’s Your Turn
Do you have an inspirational story about a child learning to sew, embroider or quilt? Have other tips that might help make a girl or boy take interest in sewing? Let us know in the comments below!
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
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Toodles,
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