Sewing

My grandmother was a seamstress, but it is not a skill I have inherited. However, my daughter is desperate to sew and I realised that I was going to have to overcome my reluctance and fear. The turning point came when I was reminded of the word "textiles". Suddenly it wasn't just messy stitches and wonky fabric, but a real subject, something she could grow in, be passionate about and develop her skill and creativity through. I purchased a book on sewing for children, took my daughter to a haberdashery department and today we began.

(In case you can't tell, it's an owl.)

Between us, we are doing ok and have nearly sewn all the way round and will soon be ready to stuff. What she really wants to do is to make clothes for her doll, but, true to my nature, I want to start at the start and work our way through the book, otherwise we might miss something on the way. Dolls clothes are not until page 34.

I'm never going to be good at sewing and I can't imagine I shall ever enjoy it much, but I am proud of myself for hearing her desires and trying to meet them. And I hope that I am modelling a willingness to try new things and to not have to be good at them.