on teaching...

I'm going to be honest here. While I do a bit of sewing and crafting on my own, I'm not super good at involving my kids in the process. Part of it is I like the end result to be as perfect as possible, and part of it is that I have the patience of a three-year-old. Not even kidding.

I didn't learn to sew until I was an adult. My mother was (is) an excellent seamstress, but I didn't want to overtly be identified with anything too girly or domestic. Also, I'm sure I was lazy. My mom could do any needed sewing, which left me free to eat Blue Bell ice cream by the gallon while watching MASH reruns.

When Sterling and I graduated from BYU and were establishing our first real homestead, I determined that our lack of funds (for decorating) necessitated some sewing. We were going to need some drapes and pillows and such to dress up our rather small and dark new digs. After searching the Greensheet (this was pre-Craigslist days) I found an old, metal Pfaff sewing maching in Magnolia. My mother and I drove out to the country and were delighted to find a great machine in its own vintage cabinet. I was set.

And so I taught myself to sew. Pattern by pattern, mistake by mistake. There was much sewing and ripping out and resewing. And there might have been a bit of cursing. Also tantrum-throwing and high dramatics. But I learned to sew. Trial and error baby...story of my life.

This is all to explain just WHY I don't feel any burning passion to make my young girls sewers (is that even a word?). I figure if they really want it...they'll make it happen. (AND I don't want to prescribe any gender-specific hobbies.)

Today Becca was preparing the supplies to make these with her church group. We had planned to sew one in advance so we knew what we were doing. Really, I planned on sewing it while Becca looked on and handed me stuff. But then, out of sheer politeness, I asked if she wanted to sew it. And she said "yes." And I gulped and moved away from the machine.

As Becca was sewing (and I was cutting out more pieces), Maddie was playing Jar of Hearts on the piano so loudly the china was shaking. And the dog was barking wildly at the pool guy in the backyard. And I thought my entire being was going to burst into a zillion pieces and float away into the air conditioning vent.

But you know what? That little Becca did just fine. And looky here what she made:

And I felt all competent and motherly. 

For about seven minutes.

The end.

Comments

[Big Momma]

That Rebecca is so sweet--she has always wanted to sew!