putting together a sewing basket for 6 yo - help please!

[jeangenie]

DD1 is turning 6 in 10 day stime (how the hell did that happen?!) and her recently displayed passion for vintage glass buttons (proud mum emoticon) led me to think of putting together a sewing basket for her

so I'm thinking:
cute little basket
pin cushion (which I am in process of making right now)
dinky pins
some needles & threads
little sewing scissors
some fabric/felt etc
vintage glass buttons (of course)
cath kidston button tin which is very cute

anything else you can think of, especially anything I can make to personalise it

also, any ideas where I can get a cute, not too girly/not to granny-y, sewing basket? she hates pink

oh yes, and a thimble

how about some binca & some embroidery cotton

mini embroidery hoop

one of your lovely felt needlecases

ric-rac, lace, ribbon, ribbon roses, appliques, tape measure, safety pins, french knitting doll, tailors chalk

ooohh - how about you cut out some cookie cutter dolls and dresses for her to sew up herself?

HTH

thanks VV, great suggestions

binca? off to google...

binca is stiff large holed cross stitch fabric for kids that you don't need a hoop for.
as suggested on chat thread - one of those mini suitcases - from urchin? - would be great or how about a vanity case? - you can get them in really funky colours/patterns - sewing boxes all seem to be really yucky with kittens on!!

i love the cath kidston house it is gorgeous

elastic
some of her own name tapes (you can't start too early )

Our sewing box was one of those cheesey baby nappychanging boxes but it might be a bit big.

Ooo my favourite aunt made me one when I was young and I thought it was the best present! She made me a lovely little cloth needle book from some lovely material. Some lovely beans and buttons and some graph paper in alovely notebook so I could make my own sewing designs. I can't wait til dd is old enough to make her one! Mine was a wooden expanding sewing box on legs so not incredibly portable but I loved it.

thanks folks

in the end I have ordered from letterbox some of those cardboard suitcases and just had a ball on habbyworld.co.uk putting together all sorts of stuff. Made the pin cushio ladst night (from bits of fabric that used to be in her baby clothes - so glad to have a use for them I've been horading them so long now!)Gotta make her needlebook now and I think I am sorted - just hope the stuff arrives in time now...

I got such cute stuff, pins with heart tops, tiny thimble, yellow stitch ripper, ribbons etc etc etc and a little giraffe cross stitch kit...am getting some vintage buttons hopefully from VV and them think am sorted

I think she will love it - she loves pottering around with my bits'n'pieces and I think she will be chuffed. better be anyway!

anyone know how fast habbycraft are to deliver (she says thinking such organisation in advance can only come before a fall!)

I saw a little sewing basket this morning when I was in town - it was cute and hexagonal in shape but it was mostly pink!!

How about something like these or these

Or a mini chest of drawers

or a little wicker basket

oooh, great links dizzyday thanks

I've ordered the suitcase already but any of those would have worked - lovethe hat boxes and I think I want one of the mini chest of drawers for myself - could look great all decoupaged up

pom pom maker?

thanks bundle - great idea

I got my polkodot suitcase yesterday, along with some pins with hearts on top, knitting needles, sewing needles, row counter, thimble, threader, cross titch tiny kit, threads etc. Will put it together soon with the gorgeous vintage buttons I got from VV and the needlebook and pincushion I made. Throw in some fabrics and felts...

ooh, must go to Cath Kidston at lunchtime and buy a button tin

only problem with the suitcase solution is it doesn't have that cute little tray that proper sewing boxes have...I wil have to be inventive or all her stuff will get all mixed up together (like mine )

thanks everyone...I hope she likes it now

i bet she's gonna love it!!!
hope you're gonna blog it?!
when's the big day?

yes, will certainly blog it

big day on saturday - will put it together friday night - just need some little sewing scissors now...

am so excited!!! (sad I know )

No suggestions, but what a beautiful idea this is

thanks QB - I hope she will like it. I am pretty confident given the level of interest she shows in my sewing bits and pieces but it does have to compete with a much sought after scalextrix set which is her other pressie on the day...

Have you got her a tape measure? My son loves the tape measure in my needlework box, always borrowing it!

yes - i got her a lovely purple one (but I like it so much I may need to keep it and give her my white one )

How did your dds birthday go?

I am keeping an eye on your profile to see photo as i am shamelessly planning to steal your idea for my dds Christmas pressie from us!

O it was just wonderful. She is so grown up now and great fun (though still a major pita in many ways!) SHe LOVED her sewing kit - I was almost in tears. SHe must have spent an hour going through all the bits and pieces in a state of total wonderment. SHe is so proud of it and made sure she put everything back in safely. I think she will take good care of it. The only potential drawback was that now she has a sewing kit like mummy she wants a craftroom like me too. I told her we can share grin. My dad phoned to wish her happy birthday and she was equally excited telling him about the scalextric mini-cooper set which was her other pressie and her sewing kit all in one breath so I know it was a hit!

I will put the photos up on my blog later in the week. Will let you know when I do

I have added pictures of the kit to my blog - will put one or two on my profile too

just been out to get my dd her little sewing kit - have squashed everything into the cath kidston button tin - will get bigger tin later

got her:
the lovely glass headed pins
some needles
scissors
speedy retractable tape measure
sequin stretchy stuff (like glittery headband stuff)
red polka dot ribbon - 2m
small cross stitch kit (pig picture inc frame)
press studs

just need buttons now! (saw lovely assorted pack in liberty's)

Jeangenie - Your blog is beautiful and has made me feel totally inadequate!

But I hope that by giving my dd a beautiful sewing kit she will skip the 'missing gene' and be able to at least sew on a button!!!

Thank you for some wonderful ideas (i got some pretty buttons today! - can never shop too early for Christmas)

awh TTTT thanks for the kind words about my blog - believe me, I am not someone who shoiuld make anyone feel inadequate...that made me laugh! if you could see the state of my house...

am glad you've been inspired to make one up for your DD...how old is she?

if you need any further advice (yeah, like I am now the expert but you know what I mean) just give me a shout...I had such fun sourcing this stuff, and seeing DD's face when she opened it, that I'd love to help someone else put one together

I'd really recommend the Cath Kidston button tin - is lovely. She also does a pretty little "pins" tin. I wouldn't buy her house sewing basket even if I wanted to spend £40. I looked at it in the shop and it isn't made to last, well the body of it may be but the details of the house are just glued on paper, not properly appliqued fabric which I think they should be for that price

also, if you want a personalised handmade pincushion or needlebook to put in I'd be happy to help!

have fun

Thank you jeangenie - can i take you up on your offer of help please?

My dd is 9 and as i so, so sadly can barely thread a needle I thought I should start her on her road to independance now!

I had intended on getting her the Cath Kidson house sewing basket so thanks for saving me the money (so will now be stealing yet another idea of yours and get a case) - I truely didn't want to spend £40 on it!!!

Your needlebook was so beautiful can I be cheeky and take you up on your offer of making one? Just let me know how much and I shall paypal you or send a cheque - cannot tell you how excited I am now

absolutely delighted to help - send me an email at overmilkwood at gmail DOTTIEDOT com and we can take it from there

I've just blogged some pincushions I made from my kids clothes...I think something like that would be nice to have in a personalised sewing basket