Young Crafter

If you read this blog then no doubt you'll have worked put that we're a practical family. 

Both side of the family are practical, On my side my father is a farmer and an agriculture engineer, my mother was a flower arranger but is also trained in soft furnishings and does many other crafts, my sister designs fabric and wallpaper for a living and my brother is a tree surgeon. 

On my wife's side her father is a mechanic, her mother and grandmother are both amazing knitters and her brother is a car sprayer. 

So it's no wonder that our children seem drawn to anything practical or craft based. 

Sewing is certainly one that has grabbed my eldest daughter attention. She is fascinated by it. She loves anyone spending time with her showing her how to make something and picks up the skills really quickly. If any clothes break or tear she is the first to say she'll fix it!



For Christmas my mum got her a book on sewing dolls clothes. I think this turned out to be the perfect present. She has studied it cover to cover and keeps talking about what she wants to make.

So today she made her first dolls outfit. She was so pleased with herself!

Looking good

She already has a huge box of fabric offcuts and will often spend her birthday or pocket money on buying more fabric (the one present she was most excited about at Christmas was a big bag of offcuts!).

Hands learning skills

The book is great though and breaks it down into small simple steps and is written in a way that she can read herself. she made the pattern, pinned it and cut it out, the only help she sometimes needs is to thread the needle (I mean I struggle with that!).

She was just beaming when she finished this outfit and she's already picked out what she wants to make next!

It very much reminds me of my sister when we were growing up. I remember her being about 12 and someone asking where she had got her clothes from that she was wearing and she just replied "I made them". I can see my girls going the same way, although they are both equally happy in the workshop and will help whenever I can let them, just yesterday she spent about an hour and half cleaning up  with my big extractor.

It was wonderful seeing the satisfaction she got from making something herself. Something which has never diminished for me or my wife, although I'm the first to admit that my skills do not lie anywhere near a needle and thread! I'm hoping now we have the old dinning room sorted out my wife can get her sewing machine out and do more of that as she used to love making things before we moved and had the space.

So a nostalgic question today - what was the first thing you can remember you made as a child that made you feel proud?