"Bobbie Sews More" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
m...

"Brian" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:35:52 -0400, Bobbie Sews More wrote:

In the past few years I've taught a few people to sew and to quilt.
What fun!
Barbara in SC

I've always wondered if I could do that. I think that I am good enough
at sewing to do that, but I am just not sure about teaching it.

Brian Christiansen

The few people that I have taught have been adult ladies, taught
one-on-one. Before we begin I ask them why they want to learn to sew and
WHAT they want to learn-----Children's clothes, or clothes for their self,
and explain that we will start on the easy casual clothes-----pull up
shorts and pull over tops. They learn to read the pattern envelope and
the instructions and to take measurements. Then we measure the pattern.
We cut fabric on the 2nd lesson and mark with a washable fabric pen while
I explain the importance of the fabric being straight and cutting on
grain. I thread the SM. It's pretty simple after that. First and 2nd
lesson lasts more than an hour. We meet for a 3rd lesson if they think it
is necessary. I explain things as we go along and talk about thread and
needles. A few ladies have already had group lessons and still do not
understand what to do. I show them how to sew the things I already sew.
HTH Barbara

Gosh, I wish my pupil was that quick on the uptake. Sometimes I think she's
a bit daft, but then I think she might just be lazy and wanting me to do all
the work. On the other hand, she hasn't had much teaching, sewing wise, and
even less encouragement. I guess her self esteem is a bit low and so I try
to praise her for every little thing she does right. I had to criticise her
cutting out, though, a while ago; it looked like someone had chopped through
the fabric with a knife or an axe (she was allowed to use my Fiskars). Well,
she has a lot on her plate and so I try to be kind on her. After all, she's
learning Japanese (in writing!) and has two kids age 5 and 2 1/2 and a lot
of other stuff.

Anyway, I must say that I enjoy teaching her, just for the sake of passing
on what I know and perhaps making her life a little better. To me, being
able to sew is a means of keeping the feeling of helplessness against the
evils of life at bay. ;-) My DD is - at age 6 (almost) - not quite as easily
taught. She tries to sew but gets the stitches wrong a lot of times so that
I have to push the needle back so often. Yet, she likes to sew on her own,
and does quite well, and with an enormous amount of creativity. Maybe
someday she'll be my best pupil. I wish so much for that...

Have fun with teaching, anyway.

U.