Reader Tips for Teaching Children Needlepoint:

I find great joy in teaching children to stitch. I'm reminded of so many different needlework skills that have almost vanished- people just don't know how to do them anymore. We have to share our skills if we expect them to be used by future generations. Here are some helpful tips shared by readers for teaching children:

"For a child to learn sewing, they must be comfortable and familiar with thread and yarn and needles, and know how to use them. I can't remember a time that I did not sew -- or thread a needle, or make a knot on the thread by using the thumb and forefinger. Scraps were always available for me to use-- and many childhood hours were spent on my porch with my playmates back in the 30's-- as we made Yoo-yoo circles, sewing them together for doll coverlets,accessories, pillow tops. We had miniature china dolls, with moving arms and molded hair and stitched and designed their clothes, I still have that litttle doll. and embroidered muslin pillow tops. Of course,my mother was not critical of ne, And I always had my own little sewing basket. Now I have great grand children, and when they visit me,I have a homemade lift-up pin-cushion miniature chair where all manner of sewing suppliess are inside -- for them alone, sewing needs. And me -- there to guide them." -Minerva

"Having recently tried to teach two of my nieces to cross stitch, the one piece of advice I have is to do it one on one. One niece was pretty good with stitching and following what I was telling them, the other(the one who really wanted to learn) got frustrated because the first one was better at stitching than the second one was. The second one recently asked me to teach her again but "just us, this time, please." So that's what I will do. She's been asking to learn since she was 6 and now she's 11 and a little more patient, I hope. Anyway, my advice is to teach kids stitching one on one."-SandyB

Thank you for sharing your tips! If you have a great tip to share, please email me with the details!