sewing with kids

My mom likes to tell the story of how she had two pincushions when I was about a year old and I would sit on the floor while she sewed and carefully move all the pins from one cushion to the other, then back again. I wouldn’t recommend this method of entertaining children, but I did eventually learn to sew and as far as I know, I’ve never swallowed any pins.
My kids are old enough now to either stay out of my things or tattle on a younger sibling who is getting into mischief. I didn’t sew very much when they were tiny. I was too tired to stay up past their bedtime, and it is too difficult to sew when very young ones are underfoot. They always wanted to be up on my lap/nursing, and there is no way to safely sew while nursing.

My two-yr-old son is fantastically obedient and listens and communicates well, so my situation may be an exception. However, my sewing space is the kitchen table and floor, which is right next to his play area. He loves to sit near my cutting mat to wait for some fabric scraps that he takes into his play area to use in his own creative ways. I also don’t leave any dangerous tools or heavy things laying unattended. He gets to push the floor pedal to wind the bobbin. Everything gets put into bins and boxes and covered as soon as I am finished. These may seem like crazy practices to some, but I think you really have to gauge by your own child’s development and maturity, and educate (!) constantly about the dangerous things not to touch or do. But my biggest tip: *Spend at least 30min of focused time with your kid playing w them how they want before sewing!* This keeps my son from begging for my attention the whole time I’m sewing.

I manage to find a fair bit of time sewing whilst still caring for my nearly 3y.o son, but it does need to be on days when I feel patient. My sewing room also has a portacot set up in there, due to frequent naps for small visiting friends. I leave it set up because my little boy loves to get a bunch of toys or books, and we make a cubby in the cot by putting fabric or sheets over the top once he is inside. He can read or play with cars or teddy bears etc (and regularly throw various things out!) and tell me all about what he is doing while I sew. He asks me lots of questions about what I am doing and is often interested in what I am making (he also thinks I can make anything – so not true!). We also have a quite old hand operated kids toy sewing machine that I got from my grandmother (no needle in there currently!), and my son knows how to push fabric through from watching me. He often uses my box of scraps to sew himself a car or a building site and many other hilarious objects. Jigsaws and drawing are other great activities while I sew, but I often have to stop a task to play with him when he is demanding attention.

With little ones, I sew when they are asleep. I like to do some sewing when the older ones are awake so they can be in that creative environment. Emily, almost 12, loves to sew; and we sew together. I keep my serger packed away and pull it out when I need it. I keep my sewing machine out at all times with a cover over it and in the main room where I can keep an eye on it and the children. I unplug the cables from the machine and put them away in a drawer up high when not in use. My sewing box with needles, scissors and such is kept up high on top a cabinet. Fabric, of course, is accessible.