Wanted to know who can remember their 1st project that they did and what age?

first sewing project-i was about 5, made a dress and such for my Barbie- first craft project-i was probably 3 and made a checker game out of a saltine cracker box, crayons and bottle caps. after those my mon said i was always trying something

Perhaps, I was all of three when my mother caught me sewing doll clothes on her electric Singer. She was afraid I would run the needle through my finger and I never did. I could sew before I learned to cut very well, because I had my neighbor friend who was two years older always cut out my paper dolls. I am afraid I don't have anything thing left. My mother was so creative with her sewing and was also an artist. My sister and daughter both inherited the art talent I became the sewer. I am so impressed with your school projects at early years. I do not remember sewing any projects in grade school. I did however major in Home Economics in high school and in college. I hated everything I made in sewing class as I was so sick of working on it so long. I think we made an apron and a skirt in 9th grade. Kay

Age 10. 4H projects. An apron and a laundry bag which I still use. But the most memorable from that class was the maxi (princess) dress I made and submitted in the county fair. I won a blue ribbon. It had inset sleeves and a zipper and the teacher said it would be too hard but I really wanted that dress. It turned out that the class play I was in used the same pattern for the ladies in waiting and I was actually able to use it for the costume.

1 comment

by katydid 09 Apr 2011

Proud of you!! Wish i could get my granddaughters stitching.

Do you mean the age of the project? H&*

Oh do I remember. My mom liked to crochet and was doing a 'dress' potholder. I wanted to learn and at the age of about 10, she gave me a crochet needle, some cotton 'embroidery thread' and started to show me. Every stitch she made, I copied, and continued to make myself a little 'dress' potholder too. I still have it and every time I see it, I can vividly see me and mom sitting and doing that piece. Memories of a mom who taught me so much in needlework, sewing, embroidery (by hand) and crochet. Taught me to make 'perfect' hand made button holes that no machine can duplicate. Before she died at age 93, she could still make those button holes with no problem. Mom had an old Singer 201 'knee' peddle sewing machine which I used for many years to learn how to sew lots of pieces for myself, how to hand mend holes, socks, and all those 'treasure' things we did with moms years ago. For a wedding present, my parents gave me a 201 singer sewing machine which I still have and one that still 'purrs' silently. I've had it for 53 yrs. Stitches perfectly and works better than all the fancy machines now made.

1 comment

by spendlove 09 Apr 2011

Great memories!

I can remember sewing on Mum's old treadle machine when I was around 4 or 5. Then I can remember being home from school, sick and sitting out in the sun, sewing a doll's dress and bootees from red fabric when I was around 6. I remember just cutting and sewing, no pattern, just running stitch.

It was war-time when I was in 7 and in Grade 3 and I learnt to sew hems, french seams, flat fell seams and other 'necessary skills', using crepe paper. We got into awful trouble if the crepe paper tore!!! Honestly, have you ever tried to hand-sew hems and seams on crepe paper??? Bad enough for experienced needle-workers; just so difficult for your beginning Fancy Stitchers.

When I was 8 and in Grade 4 we put our skills, learnt the year before, to work and I made a big blue Duster bag with 'Dusters' embroidered in pink chain stitch on the flap and I still have that. All hand-stitched it had proper seams and hems.

In Grade 5 when I was 9 I made myself a nightie, smocked on the bodice and with french seams, all by hand.

I did numerous Fancy Stitch items like doileys around the 8 or 9 year age but can't remember precisely what or when, but I do still have them.

AlmaG.

What a great topic, Devon! I have been remembering lots of little projects. I think my first embroidery project was this ironed on cloth that said, "A stitch in time saves nine." I spent the whole time not only learning how to embroider, but also trying to figure out what in the world that meant! He He I have no idea how old I was, I'm hoping it wasn't too old, because that wasn't that hard of a concept!

I was about 5 and I asked my mom for some materiel to make my doll's(a walking doll that I had saved and saved for - $6) a dress. She gave me an old dress of hers. When I finished it and showed her she felt bad that I didn't have new materiel to have used as she thought I'd done so good.
I made another one from the materiel she let me get and I still have this one on the doll and I have it hanging on the wall in my sewing room.

I don't remember exactly what or how old. but I started doing hand embroidery very young. Lord, back then we didn't have TV and needed something to keep me busy. My mother had a kitchen full of towels with days and things on them. Don't remember doing anything except towels and table clothes.

Here is my daughter's sampler that I mentioned earlier. She was actually nearly 4 years old when she stitched it.

1 images:[1]

4 comments

by hightechgrammy 08 Apr 2011

Sue, It is wonderful. She did a great job! Wow! Please tell her how nice it looks for us!

by spendlove 08 Apr 2011

I will!

by airyfairy 08 Apr 2011

Sue, that is amazing for a 4 year old.

by muflotex 08 Apr 2011

Talent in the family. Tell her - possibly she is still going on.

I was 6 and was in a primary school where we still used ink and pens. We had to cut squares of materials and embroider cdoss stitch on the top square. We then put all the squares on top of each other and put a button in the middle and connected them all. We used it to wipe our ink pens clean after using. It was called an ink lap.

At age 8 I embroidered what we called a "dresser scarf" with tiny pink roses and blue flowers. It was oval and the design was on the curve of each end, and had lace around it!

That was 62 years ago!

MJDG

1 comment

by devon 06 Apr 2011

I would love to see one now!

Nothing near as spectacular as the rest of you...
In 8th grade I embroidered a cross stitch baby quilt top and stitched it together. When my sister was married, I again cross stitched a quilt top and hand quilted it. Imagine my joy, when I discovered a machine to embroider so many lovely things.
One of my granddaughters started sewing at age 2. My daughter let her select her material and project and talked her though her first pillows for her babies and for her. Same granddaughter is now 3 with her own sewing machine... which she absolutely loves... and uses. Gave her my nearly used bobbins to transfer onto her bobbins.... it was as if I gave her precious jewels.
Now, I must learn on a curve just ahead of hers... maybe.

1 comment

by devon 06 Apr 2011

I use to do that now I am glad that I have a machine to do it.

at school in 3rd class made a pin cusion 2 round pieces of cardboard 5inch sewed 3 rows of stitches each side then sewed together blanket stitch and a needle case and a draw string bag to hold the threads and in 4th class made a skirt which was made by hand had 4 rows of stitching round the waist and had to use herringbone stitch for hem then left that school and sewed in High school 1st grade which made a petticaot which fitted my niece.

A dish towel.

My first project was an apron, when I was 12. I stitched it on my mother's old Singer treadle machine. I was hooked on sewing from then on. I kept the apron for many, many years, and when I decided my sentimental collection was becoming to be a bit too much, I decided to part with it. That little apron began a lifetime of "stitching"!
Angel

1 comment

by muflotex 08 Apr 2011

You raise memories, perhaps I can find mine tomorrow.

I was 7 and made a simple skirt.

I was in primary school, we were given this gingham, which we were taught to cross stitch on. Because at the time I was toward the end of the alphabet all that was left was green gingham, I so much wanted blue, anyway we made a supper cloth, the hem was folded and crosstitched in the squares and geometric crosstitch pattern of little girls holding hands around the edges. I think I was about 7 at the time. Ruth

The first real project was before the end of the war, so I must have been 5 or 6. I embroidered a tablecloth with printed pattern, with horrible 6-strand embroidery thread made of some artificial fibre, might have been an early rayon; my mother had started it but hated the stuff. I asked if I might have a go and after some hesitation (and nagging by me) she let me do it. Mum used it till it literally fell apart.

Later I did cross stitch at school, I loved the counted thread work, although it was only a small pincushion - knitting wool was used as everything needed was still on rationing coupons - and I still use it. Must be 65 years old or so.
Then I sewed and embroidered a bib on what was called 'school linen', an even-weave cotton. Unusable according to my mum because of the loose weave, so I still have that one in pristine condition. But as soon as mum saw what it she had me embroider small girl and boy figures from some magazine along the hem of a dress for my little sister. That was nice for the first 3, but repeating that along that endless hem ... so I decided not to do a complete row, but small groups. Luckily I had started front middle! Had forgotten all about that dress, but saw a picture of my sister wearing it at a wedding when I went through my father's things a couple of weeks ago.

Making do because of the rationing meant we knitted just a heel and a toe of a sock at school from recycled cotton things - I think from one of the teacher's old jumpers - crinkly yarn and rusty steel needles. A wonder I ever knitted something afterwards, but my gran was a great teacher.

4 comments

by pennifold 06 Apr 2011

Thank God for our Nanna's - love Chris

by noah 06 Apr 2011

i can relate to your story i also just knitt heels ,not long ago i knitt myself a pair of socks just to see if i could still do it ,they are very hard on your feet lol carolyn

by hightechgrammy 08 Apr 2011

My grandma taught me much more than my mother. She had a lot more patience with me and didn't care if I "wasted" materials making doll clothes. She just gave me her scraps and I made tons of stuff. I wonder if that is why I love making little things now.....

by muflotex 08 Apr 2011

I remember knitting a pullover, when I got to the neck and thougt I was finished, I asked Granny what now how do I finish of? I had no idea how to do a bind of. It was a red, white and blue strip Kimono pullover 4 rows to the colour and I wore it to the ground. First knitting but not first project - let this sink in and I'll be back.

I had dolls made out of old fashioned clothes pegs (am I giving my age away!!!???)and I made clothes for them. My daughter still has a doll of mine , still wearing the hand made clothes that I made - I must have been about 7/8 yrs. Lovely question. Sarah.

It was girl scouts, we handsewn a mat, for sitting on the ground. I remember it was made from a plastic like tarp material.

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 08 Apr 2011

Did you call it a "Situpon?"

Cross Stitch embroidery on bleached flour sack dish towels, probably around 5 yrs. old because it was before I started school at age of 6. Grandmother had ironed the design on the dish towel.

I was 5, and my mother sat me down with some scraps of fabric, needles and thread, scissors, pin cushion, a couple of empty cans and jars, and told me that if I was going to give Christmas presents I would have to learn to make them myself. With her guidance, I sewed hankies for my sisters, and took the jars and cans and covered them with fabric and made pencil holders for my brothers. She taught me how to take embroidery thread and sew their initials on each item. I felt so big making and giving my own gifts.

I was about 7- 9 and it was a needle case made with simple cross-stitch and straight whipping stitches. I still have it. It takes pride of place in my Horn sewing cabinet. So it's only 50 years old. I'm sure other Cuties have older things. Love Chris

2 images:[1]
[2]

1 comment

by devon 06 Apr 2011

They are soooo lovely very pretty colors.

I still have my first project. Got it when I was about 6 and it is still a UFO. It is a little Apron of two Scottie Dogs. My first married name was Scott. Was that an omen???. I must dig it out and finish it. Then I will put it in Projects ---- One Day! Lyn

I made a macrame pot hanger in Yr 4, plus some sort of handstitched wall hanging. I know in Grade 6 we cut out and stitched a wrap around skirt, and I also made little knitted booties for my former 2nd grade teacher. Before that, I am not sure when I started knitting - obviously a while if I could make decent booties!

Well in our country school with 4 grades in one room we took crocheting in grade 5 BUT my mother was sick with Cancer as i was young and i took over being mom real early.I remember putting a zipper in my Dads work coat at 8 .iI remember this because i was his suck,he would do extra for me as i worked hard doing my mothers work,but later i was happy i knew how to :wall paper ,make glue funny you got me thinking lol thanks carolyn

I joined 4-H in 4th grade and we made oven mitts as our first project. We traced about an inch bigger than our hands out of prequilted fabric and then sewed the 2 halves together. My mom had a Singer treadle machine. It was hard to keep the rhythm going while trying to learn to sew. I was glad that a few months later she bought an electric sewing machine. Now 46 years later I am sewing for my 16 year old daughter. A lot of thread has passed between my fingers in all those years. It is interesting reading how other people started sewing.

I was 6 or 7 when my Grandmother taught me how to embroidery by hand. I remember sitting in a huge chair (or a least I thought it was at that age) working my little heart out trying to get all the stitches just right. Thanks for helping us remember such sweet memories. Hugs, Judy

I was in High School, Home Ed. It was a beach bag, hand embroidered some fish and even a sea star, I remember it was blue at the botton and light brown the top.

1 comment

by devon 05 Apr 2011

I did a dress for my little cousin when she was about 6 or 7 months old. I will have to see if she still has a photo. Thanks for the memory.

I don't remember what it was - must have been something for my doll or a hem on a skirt for me, when I was in grade school.

1 comment

by devon 05 Apr 2011

I remember where I use to work the boss would bring his daughter and I would make things while I was working. That was fun.

High school age. It all started with an apron and then on to clothing for myself.

1 comment

by devon 05 Apr 2011

I remember making aprons. Have no clue where it is now!!

I made my first dolls clothes by hand when I was about 5 but didn't touch a machine until 10 or 11. My daughter embroidered a sampler when she was 3 because she wanted to do what Mummy was doing.

1 comment

by devon 05 Apr 2011

You have been busy!!

I needed a bonnet for my doll.. asked my mom, but she was busy with my dad as they were building a house.. so I found some fabric scraps and tried to figure it out by my self.. I was 10.. turned on the machine and went to work.. she came in for lunch and almost had a fit.. only because Mom worked in her fathers garment factory in New Jersey and had this massive power machine.. she could not believe I did this.. with out sewing my fingers up.. now at 68 I still have not done that( sewed fingers up).. she said I did a great job.. and that was my beginning .. made my school clothes and on and on .. still having the most fun now with these new embroidery machines... that machine of Mom's was retired about 5 years ago.. a Singer..

1 comment

by devon 05 Apr 2011

So far I have not got any fingers.

This is my 1st I was about 8 years old and I was hooked!!! I still have it, but had to put 2 backs on it.

1 images:[1]

5 comments

by noah 05 Apr 2011

Wow you sure got off to a great start!!carolyn

by shirlener88 05 Apr 2011

Lovely and wonderful - that you still have it.

by dilceia 05 Apr 2011

just beutiful1

by hightechgrammy 08 Apr 2011

Devon it is really beautiful. You did nice work even way back then :-)

by katydid 09 Apr 2011

Wow, wonderful!!!