Please please help me decide on DDs xmas present, I have no ideas.

[missymoomoomee]

She only ever asks for something small and only when really pushed. This year she has asked for the Twister Dance game which I have bought but I usually spend around £100 on a main present and then about another £100 on some small bits and pieces.

She is 8 and fairly mature for her age. She loves writing, dancing and fashion. She has hundreds and hundreds of note pads full of her general musings about her every day life, and loads of fancy pens and pencils. She does a street class dance twice a week and she loves 'customising' her clothes (usually involving cutting bits off or sticking sparkles on).

I am at a total loss as to what to buy her. I did think about a dressing table/desk but thats a bit shit isn't it?

Any ideas would be very gratefully received.

Sewing machine?

Do they run sewing/ clothes customising/ at classes for kids in your area?.

Sewing machine - my 9yo dd likes hers. Or a desk - that was my dd's fav bday pressie!" And desk organiser stuff - nice pen pots, paper organiser etc. My dd loves her notebooks and pens too :)

some haberdashery accoutrements?

I was going to suggest a sewing machine too.....

A sewing machine is a bloody great idea, why didn't I think of that?

The only classes they do are for 16+yo at the local college which is a pain because I can't sew at all, not even a button.

I think she would love a desk but then I was doubting myself a bit because dh said getting furniture for xmas was a bit crap (this is the man who bought me a hoover one year)

Oooh I'm excited now. I can't believe I didn't think of it, its so flipping obvious. I'm going to get her a cheapish desk and a small sewing machine and some fabric and whatever other sewing bits I can find and some more writing stuff too so she has her own little workstation/writing desk.

Thank you all so much

Try to find a local sewing machine shop - they might be able to recommend some kid's classes or even run a couple of sessions themselves.

Also - ebay for cheap material for her to practise on!

What a brilliant gift - she is going to be thrilled!!!

Fantastic, she'll love it. My advice would be not to go for one of those mini sewing machines, they are rubbish and won't last. Go for a basic, full size model from a decent brand, and it'll last get years. You should be able to get a good one for under £100.

Great advice. I'll look online and see if there is a local sewing shop. I'm more of a - if I can't wonderweb it I'm chucking it away - sort of person, so goodness knows where she gets her creative streak from but I can't help her with it :(

I was just looking at mini sewing machines, they do look a bit flimsy tbh. will a full size machine be ok for an 8yo? They aren't horrendus to try and operate are they?

A full size one will be fine, they are reasonably straight forward once you know what you are doing. Most sewing machine shops will do Demos so I'm sure if you explain that you are buying for her and don't know how to use one, they'll let her come in for a demo after Christmas.

I have the John Lewis mini machine www.johnlewis.com/231616748/Product.aspx and managed quite a lot on it tbh. I am making pajamas on it this w/e and its fine as long as you don;t want to use many layers of fabric of thick fabric. It is v good if you don't have much storage (I don't) as it fits on a standard shelf.

However, if you think she may develop with this hobby then gettin gone iwth a greater variety of stitches and the option to change the presser foot would be a good idea. Especially if she does lots of stuff with clothes.

TBH the presser foot on the JL mini isn't really suitable for sewing stretchy fabrics like tshirts.

If you buy it from John Lewis I think they do classes or will help you if you get stuck on something. Ask in a big store...might be helpful if you not a keen on sewing yourself. they might show you how to set it up etc.

I like that john lewis one, it looks more strdy than the other mini ones I was looking at. I've just checked for my nearest store and there is one quite close by so I'll have a look at that one. I also just phoned a sewing shop and she said she would be delighted to give DD sewing lessons so I'm going there next week to speak to her and arrange it. I might see if I can sit in on it too and pick up a few tips.

Thank you for all your help

Aww, I love threads like this. I bet your DD is going to be really chuffed!

In my local sewing shop they sell bags of mixed buttons, ribbons etc, just little scraps really, maybe that would be a good way for her to be stocked up with supplies?

I think my DD is going to be quite similar BTW - she is 5 now but is really getting into making dresses for her dolls out of any scraps she can find, and designing outfits on paper. DH is now convinced she is going to be a famous clothes designer :o

That sounds like a brilliant idea - your DD will surely love it. We're struggling with DD this year as she really isn't into anything at all and doesn't play with toys much, preferring to write, draw and make-believe type stuff. She'd be delighted if I bought her an iron and she has developed a real love of ironing after I let her try a t-shirt one day!! Poor thing!!

Another vote for the John Lewis mini sewing machine. I recently bought my daughter a purple one for her 8th birthday and it is a nice, sturdy machine. I looked into quite a few different ones and this one had the best reviews. Think I need to get DD some sewing lessons too though as, like you, I can't sew a stitch!

Just to clarify we won't be buying her one!

Well I did it. I bought the john lewis one in pink and yellow. I have ordered a lovely white desk and chair and nipped into the sewing shop to speak to the lady and bought a mannequin and some material and thread and buttons and sequins etc. Maybe went a bit overboard but, hey, its xmas. And the lovely lady at the shop is giving us her dressmaking lessons after xmas. She is going to send a letter saying Santa asked her to in time for xmas

Thank you all again for your help I'm so excited to see her wee face now :) xx

My mum has bought dd1 (8) a little sewing box and filled it with various sewing bits. I am sure your dd will love it.

Sounds great, she will love it- how much is a mannequin and how big are they?

And a bag of fantastic buttons and beads!

I bought and aged 10-12 one and it was £38 and it is the size of the teenage ones you get in shop windows only without the head on it. It stands probably about 4 and a half ft tall.