Happy Birthday Little Sister

Big Sister, Miss E, wanted to sew something special for her little sister for her 6th Birthday. This 2nd Grader has been learning to sew with her Grandma.  She's sewn fabric books, heart pillows, Christmas ornaments, scarecrow fabric heads, and just practice sewing on fabric scrapes to learn how to control the sewing machine. Now, she was ready for a "big thing."

So she selected some fabric to make her sister a dress for her birthday.

Her grandma helped her by marking the seams with a washable sewing marker.  You can see how she did on this picture.

Her Grandma smiled as she sewed.  This is what she heard Miss E saying as she sewed, " That's a nice speed.  Now, slow down near the end, stop, needle in, and 'ballerina twirl', now let's get going again."

So did this 2nd Grader really sew..... or Grandma? 

  Well, 75% of the sewing was done by Miss E.  Her Grandma marked the seams and did all the ironing, as she was still not ready to let Miss E use that BIG, hot, steaming iron.  Her Grandma is thinking about getting her a smaller travel iron to use for next time.

Her Papa made her sewing table from a recycled bedroom nightstand.

 Here is Miss E sewing the dress top, as she
s l o w l y   sewed around the armhole curves and the circle cut-out in the back.

Her Grandma sat next to her on the floor as she sewed that cut-out circle and encouraged her on... "You're doing great.... that's the perfect speed...move those hands...WOW."

Here she is sewing the gathering stitches.  Her Grandma taught her how to "walk the gathers down the fabric."  

She took a little break after gathering the fabric, and her Grandma pinned the skirt to the top as it was "really gathery and messy."

Are you ready to see the finished dress?

So... little sister.....   open the present !

 

Update:  Miss E is a finalist in the 

Project Run and Play Sewing Challenge.

Please vote for her here:

http://www.projectrunplay.com/2015/03/marchs-challenge-top-ten-vote-now.html