The Next Coco or Vera?? I think so!

My newest sewing student is a 12 year old fashion designer...at least she wants to be. Monica already has a head for Fashion and sewing is a natural for her. She has a sketch book full of ideas and during our first two lessons, I listened as even more creative ideas came powering out of her. I could see her mind churning with even more and I knew she had a gift.

For her first project, instead of just making a simple tote bag like usual, we have taken a purse that she already owns and drafted a pattern off of it. Using brown paper bags, we made a pattern for a small messenger bag which is fully lined. Even adding an inside pocket.

Monica took to pattern drafting right away. Often, it is tough for me to explain to an adult how a sleeve fits into their garment or how replacing the zipper on their jeans would be difficult since that zipper was one of the first things sewn and not easily replaced. But Monica and I have connected seamstress to seamstress.

Here is a sample of one of her sketches for an outfit. She has a book full of them. Her next plan after this purse is to make a layered skirt from one of her old Halloween Costumes. I just have to teach her the building blocks to get to that point.

Making the purse is not a quick project since we have started literally from scratch. But her genius for picking up on the nuances of matching the pieces and taking each step of construction in order is really remarkable.

Its not all been easy for her. A decision to add a small 3" heart pocket on the outside proved frustrating. Sewing on the curve of the heart was too difficult at this point in lessons. Part of this is the older sewing machine model without a speed control. Even I find it hard to keep her machine sewing at an even pace as the foot just seems to not work until pushed to full throttle.

I often tell my students that sewing is kind of like driving a car. Learning to stick to your side of the road or fabric, following the lines and taking the curves a little slower. So the heart was set aside for now. She did some practicing on paper hearts and hopefully next week she will feel more comfortable or I will give in a bring my machine over so she can test drive it as the different speeds.

After this last lesson, the inside of the purse is done, including a contrasting pocket. Monica was happy with her work and quite frankly if her mom had not come back to take her to a school function...well we might have sewn much longer that day.

I told her when she becomes famous, I hope she will remember me as her first teacher. It is really so rewarding to see each of my students blossoming and pass on my craft to the next generation.

When I was a teenager, I used to go buy fabric on Saturday morning to make a new dress for my date that night. Sewing later for my children so they could be well dressed on a budget was just a natural thing to do. Now, Audrey and I are enjoying two successful Etsy Shops because of our love for sewing and crafts. Learning to do things for yourself like working on your car or baking your own cake and in Monica's case, making that fabulous layered skirt to wear to school knowing no one else can ever have one is...well AWESOME!