Before I tell you about my stitching, I thought I’d tell you about the stitching my childcare kiddos are doing. My kids that are doing this range in age from 4 to 7.
They are stitching with burlap as the fabric, yarn as the thread, and plastic needles. You can find the plastic needles HERE on Amazon.
We cut the burlap a little bit bigger than the hoop. I pick up hoops at the thrift store.
Then we take a Sharpie marker and draw our design.
Away we go. The kids need help tying the knots but other than that, they can do this themselves now.
This one is was so cute.
She decided she wanted to make it into a pillow. She picked the butterfly fabric for a backing. (Thanks blog reader for sending the fabric) I decided it might be best to put fabric behind the burlap to stabilize it.
I got out my Featherweight and the girls sewed their pillowcases.
We learned all about what right sides together means. We learned to backstitch at the pillow opening.
We learned about turning things right side out and stuffing.
I sewed the opening shut for them. It was a little hard for them to hold everything together and stitch it shut.
She had me pose with her pillow and she took my picture. Here it is finished…
Carver wasn’t here the day we did that so he saw the girls’ pillows and wanted to make one. Here he’s working on his tractor. He’s enjoying stitching too. Thanks so much to the blog reader who sent the yarn scraps. They are so appreciated.
For now, all I’m really teaching them is technique and a running stitch. It’s technically embroidery and not cross stitch but this is a great place to start. The kids are learning not to wrap the needle around the hoop.
Sadly being babies are here, we’ll be sticking with the plastic needles in case the kids aren’t careful. They are loving it though. They have really impressed me with how independent they can be while doing this.
Now to my stitching. I’m still working on A Changed World by The Scarlett House. I did a little experiment with the border. Originally I thought the border to be kind of plain. It’s hard to see but there is a little white “flower” in the zigzag and in the center of the flower, it is supposed to be blue. I had it in my head that I thought I would like it better if the “flower” was red. Hmm. I tried it. You can see the red on the left side of my stitched piece and white at the top.
This is the stitch along I’ve been doing with Judy at Patchwork Times and Denise at Just Quiltin.
Here is a more close-up picture.
I ended up liking the original white so I’m going to pull out the red I experimented with. I am so glad I gave it a try. I would have regretted not trying it.
On Thursday I only had three here for childcare. The girls asked if I would stitch with them. I said sure. Who isn’t going to turn down an invitation to stitch?? So I pulled the red thread along the left out. Then I started to advance the white across the border. A few stitches in and I realized that I had made a mistake. Oh no!
I had to rip out quite a bit. I ripped from the sixth zigzag all the way across the top. I had started that corner flower on the upper right. Bummer.
I started stitching the zig-zag again and hopefully, I’ll get a little stitching time and be able to replace what I pulled out.
I also stitched on my Anniversaries of the Heart. This is the August block, #8. This one I am stitching for my parents and will have the initials of my siblings on it. I LOVE the sunflowers on this. I am hoping to get the house stitched by the time I show this to you again.
I had very little stitching time this week. One day I did ZERO stitching. Most of the other days I didn’t quit working at night until 9:30 pm. It’s garden season here and plus I had Kalissa and Craig kids for an overnight. That all equals little stitching time.
One night I did get a chance to watch Lori Holt’s floss tube.
She was working on the piece below, A Savior’s Praise by Shakespeare Peddler. Oh my. I loved it. I’ve been pretty good lately about not buying charts or linen or even much thread. I might treat myself and buy this one.
Needlework Expo is coming at the end of the month. All of the designers are releasing their latest charts. I told myself I could put in an order and get something…so if nothing else comes along that I like better, I think I’m going to purchase this.
It’s a danger of watching too much floss tube. I see all the stuff others are stitching and want to be stitching it too.
That’s where I am at with my stitching this week…slowly working through the projects I have and dreaming of stitching even more!
Lol me,too. So many charts and such that I’ll be holding needle and thread until the day I pass just like my great-aunt Elizabeth who passed away in 1982 still holding needle and thread while sewing a dress for herself. My grandmother finished it and my great-aunt was buried wearing it along with so spools of thread, needles, and fabric.
So awesome that you are teaching all the kids old enough to stitch!! Maybe they can enter their creations in the county fair – wouldn’t that be fun!!?? To have the skill to do a running stitch is great and the eye/hand coordination they are gaining from stitching is fabulous!
I love that you’re teaching the children to sew, you really are the best childcare person! The children are so lucky to have you :-)
Bless you for teaching your kiddos to stitch! They will never forget it!
How for the kiddos to learn to stitch from you. The pillow is so cute! Your stitching is so pretty too. You have patience!!
Back to school with Jo! Great activity to teach kids to embroider and sew. Their projects are wonderful!
Loved seeing the kids stitching! They looked so excited! That Savior’s Praise sampler has tempted me, too. That border is amazing!
Ah Jo, I love this post. It is so much about who you are. Sharing the things you love with young and old, near and far. You’re the best!
You are doing a great thing, Jo – these little girls will grow up loving needlework – I’m betting Carver will outgrow it. I admire stitchery so much but my arthritis in my fingers is just too bad to hold a needle. I admired some fabulous stitchery at the state fair this week.
Mary
E. My grand daughters dad still crochets he learned when he was little. He does it better than any one I know.
I love reading about the things you teach all of the kids in your life! We need to clone you Jo!
Oh the joy of passing our love for stitching along such fun to see children doing sewing of any kind. I’m teaching a neighbor girl and my granddaughters to sew. Watching them make things is so fulfilling. Passi g on the tradition of myancestors who enjoyed sewing.
Dear Joe,
I so love reading your blogs! Updates on your family, quilting, xstitching, recipes, etc., are something that I look forward to. Adorable Grandchildren…you are blessed!
Passing on that I tried your “Yard Sauce” recipe, and loved it over angel hair pasta.
Your quilts are so beautiful, and I’m in awe of how much you accomplish, along with childcare and family time.
I’m 75 and still learning as I tackle simple quilt patterns. I keep them down to 44 x 59 so I can machine quilt with my home machine. One of these days you may get some boxes from me as I have been a decades long fabric collector…lol. Until then, I’m trying to be productive. Most of my material comes from our local Reuzit shop. They sell very nice pieces of good fabric that gives me some variety.
I will continue to look forward to reading your daily adventures and updates.
Love the stitching on Burlap the kids are doing ..You could do some fall theme
Ones with pumpkins ,bats, scarecrows, leafs . Glad you finding time to keep stitching yourself . Relax enjoy.
Awesome stitching projects! My Grandmother taught me to cross stitch on gingham. I made a small apron and I still have it.
Well done those kiddos. And well done Jo. Never too young to lear to sew. A very useful life skill
You are wonderful, Jo! those kids are going to have such wonderful memories!!!!
Jo, I have the magazine and am wanting to make the Halloween quilt. Could you please tell me the name /manufacturer of the background fabric? Thank you
I hate the term “lurker”, but in my defense, our internet so slow, it takes some effort to comment.
BUT, i had to when i saw you were teaching kids to sew!
Whatever medium.
Marilyn
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I love seeing the children stitching. Thank you for doing that! I hope they always remember having done that with you.
Your A Changed World is so pretty. I love the red but I think you’re right – the white looks better but I would have been happy with the red too.
You’re making great progress.
A Savior’s Praise – that’s on my list to do too. It is so beautiful. Yes – those flosstubes are very bad for the budget but they are fun to watch.
Oh, my heart is so full! I cannot wait for the day to be able to teach my grandchildren to stitch. I wish I could find kids locally to teach. Would fill my days with joy!
The kids are doing fabulous work and one can tell from the photos they are loving it. SO nice you have introduced hand work to them. Your work is just stunning. I have an itch to start some too but with my quilting work I have little time for my own makes. In between I get some done, but then back to paid quilting. In the evenings I sit with my husband and watch tv. Most of what he chooses to watch I don’t care for but I can sit finally and look at blogs and such. But lately I have watched the quilted cow shop in your pjs live from Missouri and spent some money>. SO I too know about trying to restrain from buying what you love, but once in a while why not. Enjoy the new designs coming out and get what you love JO
Thanks for sharing