Over the summer holidays Jasmine spend quite a few days with us in the shop. Luckily a woman from the shop next door has 7 and 10 years old boys and they were able to spend some fun times together. When Jasmine went to France to spend some time with her Grandma, the boys were there and I asked them if they’d like to make a cushion, the younger one was very keen and one day when I had class called Did you know your machine can do this? he was wondering in the shop, listening what are we talking about in the workshop and one lady told him to come and join us. Believe it or not he sat all morning, listening about the machines, when we started to actually “play” with he machines he was very keen and interested, so after lunch I  started him on plain fabric and straight stitches. Once the class finished I cut the fabrics for his cushion, he wanted to use Olaf from Frozen. And then I let him construct the whole cushion on his own!! I told him what to join together and helped him with pins, but all the sewing was done by him ….

I love teaching for that happy face and feeling of satisfaction coming from my students but this boy was so overjoyed he brought the happy smile onto my face for the rest of my day!!

The next day his brother came asking if he could also make one for himself. So we found some football fabrics and while I was cutting them, he was practicing the straight stitch. The three years difference between them was quite visible on the skills so we were able to move quite quickly onto constructing the cushion.

The cushion was very simple, square with border for the front and enveloped back – simply sewn together all around. But the fact they have used a sewing machine for the first time and actually made something on it, something they can take home and look at it everyday going to bed that is priceless for them and hopefully encouraging to be creative and not afraid to try new things.

I really enjoyed teaching these two boys and if there weren’t so many health and safety regulations, and paperwork and who knows what else, I’d love to bring the joy of sewing to more youngsters …. hopefully one day I’ll find the way!

Thank you for reading

Vendulka