Crafts for Kids: Sew Simple

A perfect project for a beginning sewer.

Amelia is operating heavy machinery.

No, she isn't driving yet – but as of last weekend, she's using a sewing machine. Voraciously. And I've been drafted into teaching her.

She sees me sewing a lot and she's been asking for a while, so I did a little research and learned that she really is old enough. So, we dove into the scrap basket and came up with some felt, and started with a very simple valentine project. This is not only an adorable little card-stuffer, it's also fast, foolproof, and only requires using a basic running stitch in a straight line. A perfect project for a beginner. A full tutorial for this project and a few related crafts can be found here, but here are the basics:

• Start with a rectangular strip of felt, and fold it in half the long way. Sew a seam about ¼" from the folded edge. For extra durability, sew a second seam on top of the first.
• Unfold the rectangle and fold each side back to make a tube with the seam you just sewed on the inside. Sew the long open edge together, again using a double seam for extra durability.
• You will now have a long heart-shaped tube. Use scissors to snip off small sections of the tube into a big pile of valentines.

String the hearts to make necklaces, garlands, or just tuck them into cards or lunchboxes. And just like that, we're off and sewing!

Happy Hearts Day!

Want more Mess? Drop by Melanie's personal blog, or visit her Etsy store, Made by Mommy.