PL 7.03Sewing Card with a Needle
The child threads a blunt needle, knots the thread, and sews a running stitch through pre-punched holes on a card.
Presentation
- 1
Invite the child and carry the sewing basket to the table.
- 2
Measure a length of thread from your fingertip to your elbow and cut it.
- 3
Hold the needle so you can see the eye. Pinch the end of the thread flat and push it through the eye. Threading the eye is the difficulty isolated here.
- 4
Pull about 10 cm of thread through. Tie a double knot at the other end.
- 5
Push the needle up through the first hole from the back, pull until the knot stops.
- 6
Push down through the next hole, and continue with a running stitch around the card.
- 7
At the last hole, push through to the back and tie off by passing the needle under the last stitch twice.
- 8
Cut the thread and return the needle to the pincushion. Invite the child to sew.
Extensions, easiest to hardest
- Sew a card with smaller holes and thinner thread
- Sew a cross-stitch on pre-punched card
- Sew on burlap with a large-eyed needle (see Embroidery)
Control of error
The knot pulls through if too small; a skipped hole is visible; the thread unthreads if the tail is too short.
Ready to move on when the child…
- Threads the needle and ties a knot without help
- Sews a running stitch around the card
- Ties off and cuts the thread
Guide note
Needles are counted in and out of the basket; the pincushion holds a fixed number so a missing needle is noticed.