More school holiday sewing with Bernadette and McCalls 5419
My youngest daughter and friends were just as keen to attend the school holiday sewing classes with Bernadette Doherty after seeing what the older girls had made during their sewing lesson.
I wondered how these three (around 10 and 11) would go since they’d never sewn on a machine before, let alone cut out a pattern or if they would last the 2.5 hours!!! – but as the desire was there we thought we’d give it a shot. Let’s just say they’re already planning to make another of these cute tops (above) on their own and are feeling pretty impressed with themselves!
Bernadette found a suitably simple pattern for them to start on and also importantly a style that they would enjoy wearing. The pattern is McCalls 5419. This pattern was modified slightly – view E’s front was cut out twice so that you had the same piece front and back. Straps cut from Tessuti’s soft grosgrain ribbon and gingham bias binding was threaded through the casings to create bow straps. A very cute style that can be made up into a dress or halter version. The pattern goes from ages 3 to 14.
Worth noting : although the pattern measurements at the back of the packet state that they measured a size 12 – when the actual pattern pieces were measured flat – the size 8 was plenty big enough! When will the pattern companies get this right!??!
Bernadette sent through an email and photos saying:
‘The girls did fantastically today, I hope they are very proud of themselves, I was. I very much enjoyed the lesson as well’
They enjoyed it alright, they’re already booked in for the next school holidays 🙂
xxx
Just by looking at their faces of concentration (and the final pic with smiles), you can see how much they dug this. Excellent work girls!
Girls you did a fabulous job and you look gorgeous in your new tops…I wish they did that pattern for big girls too !! Well done !!
awww god love em! look at how gorgeous they look in their new tops and so proud as they should be xxx
I love that the style and the fabric chosen is so fun and girly and most importantly age appropriate, its so hard these days to find fun prints for tweens
Noosa girl Im sure Ive seen an Amy butler version of this pattern in adult sizing
I have this pattern in one of my japanese pattern books also
its a very simple pattern but looks so lovely once made up
That's just wonderful – I love seeing the young ones getting in early – they did sew well!
They look gorgeous! How exciting for them and what a great skill to have. I bet you have them as well as all their friends booking in for the next class
🙂
What great attitude and focus from these lovely girls-looking forward to seeing the next masterpieces!
They are so darling! What a fabulous thing to start them sewing at such a young age. This will stick with them for years. I'm so proud of them too!
Hi Sarah-Jo (Colette I hope you don't mind me talking to Sarah-Jo on your blog). Thank you so much for the info about the top. I'll have a look at Amy Butler and maybe Colette might have this Japanese book. Cant say that I will look as fabulous as the girls do in theirs though !
Thank you everyone for all your lovely comments to the girls about their tops.
It's very encouraging 🙂
These gorgeous girls were such fun to teach.
Look out world here they come! Great sewers of the future.
I'd like to do a course with Bernadette, and I've been sewing since I was kneehigh to a sewing table! Can you come to Melbourne??
Jenny
Adorable!!!!
those girls put me to shame – they did a wonderful job!
Aww! They all look so chuffed and they picked such great fabrics. Well done!
What a great advertisement for sewing! I'm sure that all their friends will be signing up for sewing lessons now. Very groovy tops. Now you might have to fight your daughters for your sewing machine.