Sewing-Learning the Running Stitch

 

Sewing Cards

 Sewing Cards

Practicing the running stitch 

Introduction to Fibers

 

What is Sewing?

Create

1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

A. Play & Ideation

Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials

All over the world, you will find people sewing.

People sew to create useful objects like clothes, blankets and shoes.

People sew to create beautiful objects like rugs, quilts and toys.

Sewing can be useful AND beautiful.

Today we are going to explore sewing in three stations.

We can explore some fabric we use for sewing, called BURLAP

We can explore the string we use for sewing called YARN

We can try to tie a knot, a skill we will need to learn for sewing.

Video:

Pulling burlap apart

This fabric is called burlap. It is a good fabric to begin to learn how to sew on because it is easy to see the holes. Fabric is made from thread woven together in a pattern. Sometimes the fabric has a tight weave and it is hard to see the threads. Sometimes fabric has a loose weave and you can see the individual threads that make up the fabric. Burlap has a loose weave. Lets try to take apart the burlap so we can learn how the fabric is made, and it's fun!

Pull a piece of thread off the edge of the burlap. Pull another. Can you pull a thread from the middle of the fabric? As you pull the threads, place them in your basket.

Snipping yarn

Yarn is the thread we will use for sewing. Yarn can come in many exciting colors and textures. Sweaters and blankets are often made from yarn.

We are going to practice snipping yarn. We should learn to cut the yarn not too close to the hole where the yarn comes out, or the yarn will disappear. If that happens to you, you can open the jar and thread it back through the hole in the lid.

It is fun to snip yarn. 

As you snip yarn, collect the pieces in your basket.

Tying Knots

Knots are important to learn for many sewing projects. A knot stops your stitches from pulling out. Learning how to tie may also help you with other things like tying shoes.

Lay the rope out flat. 

Bring the two ends up and cross

Take the tip of the rope on top and bring it down through the hole. 

Pull tight.

Untie it and try it again. Make sure you leave it untied for the next person.

If you can tie a know using the rope, you may want to try tying many knots in a piece of yarn.