Details on my Starter Sewing Camp:
All the
students were required to bring were:
*2 yards of a
cotton fabric print - good quality - that THEY
chose out with their parent ahead of class.
Washed and pressed.
*a Pair of old
jeans.
I provided all the
machines, and a basket of supplies for each
gal. In each basket - numbered, and every item
numbered, were the following: Large scissors,
small scissors, seam ripper, tape measure, seam
gauge, blue wash-out marking pen, some extra
wound bobbins of a color that will work with
their fabric, pin cushion with glass head pins,
and the strawberry cut off and separate with a
Number 8 Crewel needle for hand sewing. Then
everything is 'mine' - and if I use someone
elses' pins in anothers' project, I haven't
"stolen" them as they say. I've found that if
they bring their own stuff, it is a nightmare
keeping track of whose is whose - and when I'm
helping around, I just grab what I can find.
They are VERY proprietary about their own
'stuff' - even when it's mine, but I've found it
ll being 'mine' solves much.
Machines are all
mine as well - that way I know they work, and
have every right to warn them to take great
care. The machine has the same number as the
basket. So as to not show any favoritism, I
then have the numbers in a basket the first day
- and they draw out a number, which assigns them
to a spot to be their machine and basket. If
friends come together and want to sit together,
we then switch the stuff to accomplish
that. Machines I have include: a Brother 1250
(my absolute favorite little machine), Brother
2200, Pfaff 1472, 1471, 7550. So - a range from
$300 to $5000 new.
Day 1:
*Assign places.
*Learn about
fabric: 4 "God-made" natural fibers and where
they come from. (Cotton, linen, silk, and wool).
"Man-made:
polyester (made from oil), rayon (made from oil
and tree bark). Fabric can be made by weaving
it or knitting it. ID these on what they are
wearing, and from my fabrics. They really seem
to like this. Then - review a couple of times
during the day - and they are to 'test' their
parents on these interesting facts and report
the next day.
*Go over parts of
sewing machine. Most important parts are:
presser foot - that must be DOWN to sew,
(emphasize that over and over and over), feed
dogs, take up lever, handwheel, foot pedal,
reverse button, Slow button if their maachine
has it.. Practice threading the needle. teach
not to cut thread unless they have it pulled
out at least as far as the bed of the machine
is - then cut close to fabric (to eliminate
needle unthreading). Other than that, they see
me thread the machines for them over and over,
and get it by 'osmosis'. I don't get hung up on
this. Machine operation - threading - is not
real fun. 9maybe for boys). Oh - and how to
change stitches from straight to zz, etc.
*Sew without thread
on paper - following lines, pivoting, sewing in
a curve.
*Watch me come
around and thread each machine.
*Have two pieces of
fabric (I use fabric samples I save) and teach
how to sew a seam - right ([pretty) sides of
fabric together, - reversing at beginning and
end and pivoting at corners with a 5/8" seam -
using the brown painting tape as a guide on the
bed of the machine. I give them a dot to pivot
on at each corner. Clip corners and why - and
turn right side out = a 'pocket' - which thrills
them.
* Hair Scrunchies
from a 5" x 45" strip of fabric I have them have
the fun of tearing from their fabric.
Day 2
TeePee Bags - onto
which we sewed a 4 hole button later in the day
by hand.
Pocket Purse from
old jeans.
I measure them this
day to make patterns for Nighties for next day.
Day 3
Cut out nighties -
in pairs. So - learn cutting on a fold,
pinning, cutting around a pattern.
Stitch on nighties.
Day 4
Finish nighties.
Holiday Coasters
- I"ve cut their leftover fabric into 5"
squares, and they all used a combination of each
others' fabrics. Interesting - this first group
ALL had purple!
Day 5
Flip n Stitch
PotHolders.
Flip and Stitch 1
1/2" strips of fabric (which I purposely cut
short, so they'd have to piece them together
before doing the flip and stitch) on a 7"
stabilizer base. Do for both sides. Straight
on first potholder, diagonal on 2nd potholder
was my plan - none got to the 2nd potholder - in
2/5 hours!!! One piece of scrap batting 7"
square for each. They made a 'hanger' to stick
in a corner.
THEN - I had them
decorate with all their decorative stitches -
they Love this! And, - it takes time.:) By
the 5th day they are kind of crazy anyway...
I squared them up as
ready, and gave stitching lines and pivot
intersections - and leaving a 'hole' in one side
to turn. ZigZag around the edge, catching in
the opening.
I changed all
needles to a 90 Denim Sharp for the Jeans
Purse.
Class Motto
was "I Think I Can" which I repeated
over and over and had posted all over the
room. Easy answer whenever I heard "I
can't....."
They went home with
projects and directions each day.
I gave a Student
Evaluation form for them to fill out the last
day.
Gave a Self
Addressed Stamped Envelope to the parents with
an evaluation for them to fill out on the last
day and mail back. Also included info of other
camps, and my after-school curriculum.
I had 4 students per
class - stretched to 5 (which I thought might
happen). This is already the case for August as
well.
I charge $99 per
student. (Hey - I made right at $40/hour!)
Met 10 - 12:30 for
mornings. Afternoon was advanced (we met at a
fabric store earlier and selected their
projects). Met from 2 - 4:30. The time
inbetween was needed to clean up and recoop!
I had simple snacks
each day and (grapes, candy, etc. and baked
Brownies) for the last day. Keep drinks to one
place, away from projects and machines.
So - feel free to
take and make use of any of these ideas as you
care to - I just want to share the love of
sewing.
Londa
