Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Ahnalin's Turn To Learn


Yes, Ahnalin is now sewing!

Let me back up a bit here.  Ahnalin has been begging to
learn how to sew. She has been begging for her own "MaSewing Machine" for almost
a year. She had seen the blue Hello Kitty sewing machine online several
months ago and had been hounding me for it. But I could not find one to save my soul.

So, when my friend Dawn called me a few weeks ago and told me that
Target had Hello Kitty sewing machines by Janome in stock, I knew it was
a matter of time before one showed up at our house. Ahnalin received
Christmas money from Grandma Barbara and Grandpa John-John and
she insisted that she needed to spend it on her own sewing machine.

So, we ordered it!



So, while she pestered me for a solid week after Christmas, waiting for her
new machine to arrive, little did she know that another little machine was on the way.

Aunt Chelle, Uncle Christian, and Baby Cherish had sent a little
Singer Chain Stich machine to our Ahnalin!

She received it on Saturday and played with it all day.
Then on Sunday morning, at about 5:30 AM, while half of the household
was still asleep, we heard a strange rattle and hum. Yes! Ahnalin
was seated at her little table practicing sewing straight stitches!!!!
I think she just may be as obsessed as her mother is!

She continued to practice threading the little Singer, and sewing straight
stitches on Sunday and Monday.



Then today, the new Janome arrived on the doorstep!

Oh the bliss!!

We set the Janome up on her little table next to the kitchen table where
I often set up my machines.
Ahnalin said to me, "Mama, I have two "MaSewing Machines" now,
almost as many as you!


She quickly figured out how to plug in the machine and turn on the light.
Then she insisted that I teach her to thread it. She DID NOT want ME to thread
it. She wanted to thread it herself!


Then she threaded the needle! I tried to encourage her to hold the thread a
little closer to the end, but she wanted to try it herself.
And she did it by herself!

Her concentration was amazing!
She also practiced putting on the presser foot, lifting the presser foot,
setting the needle and lifting it, winding the bobbin and inserting it
in the bobbin casing. This was one determined girl!

With a marker, I drew straight lines and corners on a scrap piece of
felt, so that Ahnalin could practice her new skills.
She was very intent on sewing those straight lines.
She learned how to stop, drop the needle, and pivot.

Dare I say that she sewed this little sample over and over until
she was able to sew it perfectly. I think she may be even more perfectionistic
than I am with my sewing. Kind of scary.


She went digging in my scrap baskets and found this "Dick and Jane" fabric and
insisted that she needed to make pillows from it. She is obsessed with
Dick and Jane right now. I forgot to photograph her sewing this
little pillow, but she is stuffing it in this pic.

Yes! Her first finished sewing project, completely made by Ahnalin!

Ok, I did press it. I am nervous about her burning herself.
Um....I let her cut with scissors, sew with sharp needles controlled by a
really fast motor, and use sharp pins but am afraid of letting her use the iron??
Ok, she is 5 and I have to be a little protective.


Then she pulled out this long skinny scrap and I suggested she make a rice
bag for her Nana. We put in some dried lavender to make it smell pretty.
This little project required no cutting, but she did all the pinning and sewing.
And I did the pressing again. But then she turned it, put in the rice and lavender
and pinned it closed so she could stitch then end.


Then, she made another Dick and Jane pillow!

She is so proud!

Sewing Pretty With Hello Kitty

I finally had to force her to go to bed at nearly 9:00pm. She has been
struggling with her asthma and fluid in her lungs, so she
really does need her rest. But I understand too well, the desire
to forgo sleep so that more sewing may be done.

As I was tucking her into bed, after reading, singing, and prayers,
she asked me this question.

"Mama, when can I sew a dress for you?"

Um...let's give it a week or two....

12 comments:

LINDA BYLSMA said...

What a wonderful story, and a beautiful little girl. She is certainly determined. She will be designing in no time!!!

Mrs. Bianca said...

She is a sweetheart! My 8 year old niece received a a similar Singer, but it is in purple. She is LOVIN' it, just like your sweet Ahnalin! I hope to teach my niece to make clothes for her dolls.

Martha said...

OMG that is too sweet and she did such a wonderful job. She will always remember those first masewing machines. I hope she feels better soon.

julia said...

Way to go Ahnalin!!!

Anonymous said...

Awwwwww, that is sooo cute! Ahnalin is going to be a great little seamstress, I can tell!

Hey--an idea--there is this neat little pressing tool made from bamboo. It's called a bamboo point turner & seam creaser, and it's a tool I use so often! I hate being without it because it is really handy and saves me from having to get up from my machine to go iron small things. Perhaps Ahnalin can use that for her small pressing jobs? Here's a link:
http://www.createforless.com/Collins+Point+Turner+_and_+Seam+Creaser+Bamboo/pid7491.aspx

Congrats to Ahnalin, by the way! Your projects are SEW cute!

MamaOfTwo said...

Go Ahnalin!!!! Good for you!!!

Kathya said...

YAY!!!
Way to go Ahnalin!!!!
My mom was a professional seamstress and i was never interested in her sewing... now i LOVE sewing so much but i wish i was taught by my mother instead of myself. Keep practicing!!! and cherish the time you are spending with your mom.

i cant wait for my DD for be your age and want to sew with me as well. :D she has already shown some signs and it makes me happy. :D

Karin said...

it looks wonderful as the littel girl sewing on the maschine.
the joy I can to see here.
I hope that my marie on saturday just as happy if they get their.

greetings karin

April said...

I love it! What a doll... the picture of her with her mouth open in awe and wonderment - priceless!

Anonymous said...

uummm.....okay....not thrilled with this post as I'm 43 and can't sew!!!! how talented your household is. You are a wonderful family!!! I enjoy following your post!!

Liz
Bethany Board friend

Laura L. said...

What a fun post. I can't imagine how thrilled she must be with her new machines. That's really neat and you'll have to let us know about her progress. Tell her we are WAY impressed with her new skills.

Unknown said...

what a little doll.....she is going to be quite the little seamstress!