Button Sewing

This week one of my returning students asked when I was going to put out our sewing table.  I told her that it would definitely be out later this year.  In my mind I was thinking that it's too early in the year for most children to be ready for the sewing table.  I bought the table last spring with some fundraiser money and so it was only out for a few weeks before school ended.  It is a really cool addition to the classroom but was very teacher-intensive.  However, I didn't have any preliminary sewing activities out last year and that may have partially accounted for the high level of teacher assistance the children needed.  So my wheels started turning thinking about what I could put out now that would prepare the children to use the sewing table later this year.  This past summer I had picked up a bag of odd-sized plastic canvas scraps at my favorite thrift store (see photo below).  (You can also buy this in large sheets for not much money at most large craft stores.)  I knew that I wanted to use them somehow in the classroom and was planning to put them out with some plastic Rexlace as a weaving/sewing activity.  Then I had a brainstorm this week and decided to add plastic buttons to sew onto the plastic canvas to make the activity even more appealing.

I cut the scraps into small squares and rectangles and placed them into a basket on a tray along with a basket of buttons that I found in my cupboards at school and a bowl of Rexlace cut into small pieces and knotted on one end.

 

To do this work the child take the tray to a table and select one lace, one button and one piece of plastic canvas.  Then they return the tray to the shelf so other children can simultaneously do this work.
 

They begin by pulling the lace through until the knot is against the canvas as shown.
 

Then they poke the other end through one hole on the button.........

.........and pull the button flush to the canvas.

Then they will loop the other end through the button's other hole and through a hole in the canvas and pull it down tight.

 

To secure the button the extra length of lacing can be woven through the holes a few times as shown here. 

I plan to put this work out on the Practical Life shelves next week.  I haven't road tested it on any preschoolers yet so we'll see how well they can do it once they start trying it.  Another thing I may add to the tray is a bowl of pony beads which can be sewn onto the canvas.  Hopefully this will be a perfect first sewing activity which will lead to more advanced work and ultimately the sewing table.  If you have any great ideas for sewing activities with young children in a group setting, please leave a comment.  THANKS!

Comments

[Meghan]

I usually introduce sewing with the basics first, since I have young ones in my class. I like to put out the weaving/sewing cards. These are just pre bought cards that have holes in them that the children weave yarn thrhough. This is really basic, but it gives them the idea of what the motions are to begin sewing. You can make these too with cardstock, a hole punch, and if needed a laminator to keep them reusable.

[Rachel]

I would love for more feedback on what you find once you place the work in the classroom. I love all of your ideas and am always curious as to what you find the students love, have difficulty with or doesn't come out the way you planned.

[Laura's Journey]

I also have a button sewing activity in my classroom. It is the 3rd in a sequence of 3 sewing activities. The first involves sewing a paper "button" with two holes (actully made of a seasonal paper calendar piece). The children use a real needle (a yarn needle), a needle threader and a piece of yarn. They learn the motion of going in and out, in and out. The next lesson is a larger paper seasonal cutout (currently a pumpkin) that I have hole punched all the way around. Again, a real needle (large again), and yarn are used. Then, they progress (my older students) to button sewing on fabric. I have the same buttons you pictured, but in the basket are seasonal fabric circles I have cut (currently a cute pumpkin fabric), an embroidery hoop, needle threader and a real needle (smaller, and it is sharp, but not too sharp). They use embroidery floss for this activity. It is exciting because each month I change out the fabric, which the kids always look forward to. I have some students who do this work every day. Then, at the end of the year, I have started a tradition that the rising Kindergarteners (my school only has 3 and 4 year olds), make their own pillow. It was a big hit last year and this year's kids can't wait!

[Kathy]

Hi there!
Is it possible that this is my first time writing you when I check your blog nearly daily and have for quite a while? I, too have been chomping at the bit to put out sewing work. Not because the children have asked but because I just love it when they sew. The sewing work that I like to have out: burlap squares with yarn and plastic needles that they can sew a running stitch or sew a free form design, squares of a large gingham fabric with embroidery thread that the children sew x's on the darker squares(I got this idea from a Montessori Services catalog), sewing a button on felt strips to make bracelets, and my personal favorites... sachets that the children sew using squares of felt, cotton stuffing and lavender buds if I have them or essential oil drops and inspired by the "My First Sewing Book" (I think that is the title) from Montssori Services, I have a basket of outlines of animals traced on to felt, the children choose a front and a back piece, cut them out(cutting the felt can be challenging for some of them) sew them together using a whip stitch and stuff them(the eyes are buttons or beads sewn on first). I bought a tub full of large really cute buttons at a thrift store this summer so tomorrow I am off to buy some plastic canvas so that I may add your great idea.
Thank you for being a source of inspiration!
Peace,
Kathy

[Samantha]

Love it! I'm going to try this with my son at home! Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas! I just have to tell you that something you wrote on your blog a while back has really changed how I homeschool my boys. When I was a preschool teacher we were supposed to be talking with the kids all the time. It lead to a lot of "Oh are you putting the cow in the puzzle, what does a cow say, Blah Blah!" I never really liked it but after 3 years it got ingrained in me and I found myself doing it with my sons. My oldest didn't mind because he really liked the attention but my middle son would stop what he was doing and get frustrated and lose interest. It wasn't until I read what you wrote about not interupting their thought process that I decided to back off. Just the other day he got out a bead lacing activity(pipe cleaner with pony beads) and I wanted to go over and start naming all of the colors he was putting on but I didn't! Instead I just watched from afar and he spent a solid 10 minutes(He was only 21 months old) stringing the beads! I loved watching his foucus and his determination, something that I would have inturupted! So Thank you and Now a question. If my older son(3) is working on an activity and keeps saying "Mommy Look" what should I do? I want to be incuraging but I am also woried that I have set him up to constantly need my 2 cents? If this is cunfusing I'm sorry but I would love to hear your thoughts. packerfamily28@gmail.com

[twitter.com/C_Joy]

Thanks for the tip about Rexlace! I haven't heard of it before but it looks like just the thing to make plastic cavas sewing less labor-intensive for us adults :D My students LOVE sewing and I'm sure they will go nuts for this - especially with the supply of buttons I have!