I let a class of 30 7 and 8 year olds loose with my sewing machine, want to see what they made?

[overmydeadbody]

So, for DT I decided I'd let my class use a sewing machine, instead of hand stitching (which never gives good results when you're 7 years old!) to make their purses and wallets for the unit of work on 'Money Containers'.

Have blogged about how they did, have a look here at how brilliant all their purses and wallets turned out!

It was very inspiring!

They look fantastic! Well done children :)

Those are very, very cool :) well done them :)

(and you of course :))

I am very proud of them

They're great! I have done this unit of a work a few times over the years (though never brave enough to use a sewing machine!) and it's a really good one isn't it. I remember thinking how quiet they were when sewing - all that concentration , I can only imagine how excited yours were with the prospect of a sewing machine!
Those children will remember this for a long time. I hope they are very proud of their efforts.

What a fantastic project - well done - very inspiring what the children have achieved. You sound like you did a brilliant job :)

Thank you Loony and TimeforCake.

Yes TimeForCake, I like this unit a lot, and they were all so quiet when sewing, it was brilliant!

Brilliant, I've dine bits of sewing with brownies that age and never got results like that.

I'd never let them loose with my sewing machine.

Have this group sew much before?

what an amazing teacher you are!

how long did all the prep work at home take you?

[hopes all those miserable sods who criticise teachers on MN see this thread]

Oh what a brilliant result, they are amazing. I hope my dd gets teachers like you, fantastic.

They all look fantastic. You must be so proud of them. Well done.

Wow they have done a brilliant job.

Wonderful. I am so impressed with their creative ideas for their ages, as well as the finished results. I adooooore the red heart handbag, it's gorgeous!
Maybe you could read out some of the comments to them to further boost their confidence in their own talents? Think you have all done a fab job together.

WOW!

Wow OMDB you must be so proud of them. What a fantatic teacher you are

they're fab! Having helped y4 with their hand sewn money containers, I can tell you OP, that yours are vastly superior!

Fantastic!

I really love this quote on your blog... sums it all up
I think all too often we as adults make the mistake of under-estimating what children are capable of, and dumbing down the opportunities and activities we give then. Of course, there are some constraints in Primary schools that are beyond the teachers? control, time and resources often being the biggest factors. I do think it is important to foster children?s creativity though, creativity brings innovation and innovation keeps the world moving forward.

Fab kids, fab teacher.

Fantastic - I'm showing my DD that when she gets in - she got a sewing machine of her own for Xmas & so far it's barely been touched - I'm hoping this will inspire her to get her finger out - she is very creative when she gets going, but for some reasons its hard to motivate her at time

& I also love your quote - too true :)

Fantastic. This is just the kind of teacher I hope to be (one day, when I go back to work...)
Inspirational x

Sorry, shall I pick a word that hasn't already been used lots??!

Fabulous !

Thank you everyone!

All your lovely comments have brought a lump to my throat, I shall definitely be sharing these lovely comments with the class, nothing will boost their confidence more than these positive comments on their hard work!

I have done sewing with them before, but not with the machine, and they did a bit when they were in Year 2 (they are a mixed year 3/4 class now), but they are certainly a very creative lot! I think I inspire them too as they are always seeing what I make

Ponders the prep took my quite a while, probably about 7 hrs at home over three evenings! A lot of it was writing them individual instructions, which I now have copies of so next year when I do it again it hopefully shouldn't take as long!

Cor, they're ACE!

I would've loved that project at their age, though I doubt I would have got results like those. Well done!

wow, awesome stuff!!!

oh wow they are fabulous

my dd1 is that age, she hand sews but she's never had a go on my machine. time to let her I think :)