Is my 8 year old ready for sewing lessons?

The following information is published with the permission of Kelly Scharber of M5 Farmhouse as part of her Frequently Asked Questions page.

Q: AGE REQUIREMENTS/IS MY 8 YEAR OLD READY FOR SEWING LESSONS?

This is a BIG one! I get asked this one a lot. I’ll give a brief explanation here.

**Please do not intentionally misrepresent your child’s age when signing up for class. It has happened in the past and it is not only dangerous, it is extremely unfair to other students in class.

Many, many, factors went into choosing the minimum age requirements for classes. Taking all of these factors into consideration we have chosen 8 years old as the minimum. As I’ll explain below, 8 is NOT a magic number, but it does represent the minimum age at which we see the most success in sewing lessons. We do realize that there are some 7 year olds that are ready for sewing class, but there are also some 9 year olds who are not. Without the ability to evaluate each individual student, a minimum age needed to be established. To be fair to everyone we willnot make any exceptions to the rule.

If we break the rules for one person we have to break them for everyone, so thank you for helping me avoid that awkward conversation. Thanks for understanding.

Sooo…Why 8?

Is 8 the magic number? Of course not!

But by 8 most kids have developed the essential math, reading, and classroom etiquette skills that are a great foundation for sewing lessons. Aside from having fun, SAFETY is our biggest priority. Even though class sizes are very small (4-6 students) the instructor needs to be able to divide time evenly among students. Younger students naturally require more one-on-one attention and safety supervision than older students. We want EVERY student, including classmates, to have the best experience possible.

We want to make sure that your student is not only having fun but is also getting the most out of this amazing experience. Sewing can be a lifelong creative outlet but first impressions mean a lot. A student that is ready for sewing will have a much better experience and is more likely to pursue it than a student that finds the class material difficult to understand or the process stressful. This is especially important to consider if you are interested in the KIDS CAN SEW classes (weekly re-occurring lessons).

Other age factor considerations:

Environment: The studio is filled with many objects that could be dangerous if rules and caution are ignored. Irons, sewing machines, pins, and scissors are constantly in use. It is important that the students adhere to the safety instructions and use good judgment. Keep in mind, I have been teaching sewing for many years without a single student injury, but part of that can be attributed to the small class size and strict age requirements.

Patience: There will undoubtedly be times where students will need to wait their turn for the instructor’s attention. It is critical during these times that students can wait patiently without causing distractions or damage. (Roughhousing, button-pushing, playing with pins or tools, cutting other objects or materials, etc.)

Repetition: Sewing involves a lot of repetition and includes many steps. Younger students tend to lose interest or become frustrated when project steps become repetitive or are not progressing as quickly as they would like.

Hand-Eye Coordination: There is so much more to sewing class than using a sewing machine. A well-cut project is easier to pin. A well-pinned project is easier to sew. All of these little tasks lead to a better finished product and overall experience. Hand-eye coordination plays a very large part not only in sewing but in all the steps that lead up to using the machines.

Mistakes and Morals: Younger students do not recognize as easily, or stop when they are making large mistakes. These mistakes often lead to delays or starting over which can affect the student’s overall experience. This, in turn, affects the entire class.

KIDS CAN SEW NOTE:

We all know that kids develop at surprisingly different rates. For that reason, we ask that YOU help us evaluate whether or not your 8+ year old is ready for weekly sewing lessons. There is a big difference between being able to follow directions and actually learning a new skill. A student who is just going through the motions but isn’t absorbing the information might be better off waiting for a session or two. We leave it up to you to decide whether or not they are ready and will keep you updated as to their progress and make suggestions as needed.

The biggest indicators that kids are ready for weekly sewing lessons are:

• -Interested in learning the class material and just ‘going through the motions’
  
• -Able to follow multi-step directions without constant supervision
  
• -Are respectful of other students and the instructor
  
  -Can be patient/non-disruptive while others are receiving instruction
  
  -Understand that sewing projects are a process of steps that will take time and patience to complete (i.e. positive attitude, doesn’t rush, produces good work)