Kids are expensive! I don’t regret having them, but all the clothes, food, and other things they need drain my bank account.
That’s one reason why I like to sew — I can make clothes cheaper than I can buy them.
Sewing is both fun and useful, but if you want to sew around young kids, here are some things to remember.
If You Leave Your Sewing Machine Out, Your Kids Will Touch It
Kids are curious by nature.
They want to know how everything works.
If they see your sewing machine sitting on the table, they will want to know what it is, why you have it, and what it does. That means that if you leave your sewing machine unattended, your kids might fiddle with the knobs and mess up your settings.
They aren’t trying to make you mad — they are just curious.
To protect your sewing machine, put it away when you’re done using it.
Don’t leave it on your table or anywhere your kids can easily get to it.
Even if you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated sewing room, your kids can still get in and cause trouble. They are curious and don’t realize sewing machines are dangerous. That’s why it’s important to take precautions.
Sewing machines are best stored in a locking cabinet. This protects them from dust… and your kids. You should also talk to your kids about sewing machine safety and explain that your sewing machine is not a toy.
Kids Like to Have Projects to Work On, Too
Kids love to be involved in everything you do.
This isn’t always possible when you’re working on a sewing project, but that doesn’t mean you need to turn your kids away. Set up a small sewing project for them to work on, too. You can work side by side.
If you keep your kids involved, they will learn the joys of sewing themselves and not feel left out. My son loves lacing cards where he can weave a shoelace through a series of holes. It makes him feel like he’s sewing, too.
You can also give young kids a toy pizza cutter to pretend they are using a rotary cutter or child safety scissors with things to cut out.
When your kids are old enough not to put things in their mouths, give them a box of buttons to sort and string on yarn.
Always Put Your Work-in-Progress in a Safe Place
If you can’t finish your sewing project in one sitting, don’t leave it out until you can find time to finish it.
That’s a big mistake if you have young kids. They might find your sewing project and decide to play with it. That’s an issue if your sewing project is white fabric or still has some pins in it.
I know what you’re thinking… You can just tell your kids not to touch it.
I envy you if that actually works. I have good kids, but they need lots of reminders until they truly realize they can’t do something.
I’m hoping this will improve with age. Until then, I’m putting my works-in-progress away until I’m ready to work on them. I am not willing to take the risk.
Sharp Tools, Like Scissors and Pins, Look Fun to Kids
As I mentioned earlier, kids can’t help but be curious, especially if you tell them something is off-limits.
That’s why I’m extra careful when storing sharp sewing tools.
I never leave my scissors, pins, or rotary cutter out where my kids can get to them. They are stored in a bin high in a closet. As soon as you’re done cutting out your sewing project, put your rotary cutter and sewing scissors away.
My mom always hung her sewing scissors on the wall and had a constant threat that we didn’t want to know what would happen if we touched them or used them on something other than fabric.
I’ve used the same warning with my own kids.
Your Iron and Ironing Board Are the Most Dangerous Things in Your Sewing Room
I’m often tempted to skip the pressing and ironing steps on my sewing projects because I don’t want to pull out my iron and ironing board.
They are extremely dangerous to young children. When I have my iron on, I constantly worry that my kids will come running in and accidentally knock over the ironing board and get burned.
I’m not suggesting that you don’t use an iron, but you should always turn it off when you’re not using it.
I invested in an iron that heats up fast and has an automatic shutoff feature when it hasn’t been touched in a while.
This minimizes the amount of time I need my iron on while working on sewing projects. I like irons that have stands, too. They are more secure than irons you simply stand on their side.
Small Scraps of Fabric and Thread Are Choking Hazards
When I’m done sewing, there are little pieces of fabric and thread on the ground.
I’m sure you’re the same way. If you have young children, you need to sweep or vacuum when you’re done working on your project for the day. Babies put everything in their mouths.
They won’t hesitate to eat thread and small scraps of fabric.
You should also be extremely careful not to let pins fall on the ground.
Wear a wrist pincushion that’s magnetic so you have a safe place to put pins immediately after removing them from your sewing project. It’s important to make your sewing room safe for kids so you can get things done without worry.
It’s hard to complete any task when you have young kids in the house — sewing is no exception.
Just remember that some days sewing and kids do not mix. Try to sew when your kids are napping or after they’ve gone to bed. You’ll have a couple of hours of uninterrupted time to get things done.
How do you get things done when you have kids?
Share your experience in the comments below.
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