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....