It's kind of funny and a little annoying how kids learn in spurts, and generally only when ready. I've long asked Clover if she wanted to learn to sew or knit. Her answer has always been a decisive "no." A booth at the Maker Faire was teaching people how to make simple draw string bags. Clover said she'd give it a try, but then she saw the sewing machines - and a girl her age learning to use one - and quickly changed her mind. "Sewing? Forget it."
The girl cannot turn down a dessert, which must be why her attention was caught by a woman with an ice cream cart full of ice cream plushy kits.
"I want one of those!"
"Those aren't real. They're felt. You know that, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's a kit. You'd have to make it."
"Yeah. I want it."
I couldn't say no. She barely mentioned it again until this week when she asked to make it. I dug through the bag of ignored kits I'd bought for myself at the Maker Faire to find her blue Popsicle. She made it on Sunday, with me helping here and there, but mostly acting as an adviser. At least one person finished a craft project around here.
The next day, after camp, as I turned off the car in our driveway, she said, "Mom, I'm feeling...(long pause)...I just...(heavy, rapid breathing while she held her stomach)...I feel..."
She's got to be sick. Don't throw up in my car! No, wait, maybe something happened at camp. I turned my full attention to her because clearly something big was going on.
"I feel like I need to MAKE SOMETHING! Like yesterday. (Deep breath and exhale) I want to embroider something!"
I practically ran into the house to set her up before the moment passed. Like Sunday, I had a million other things to do, but felt I needed to do this while she was interested.
She's working without a pattern, deciding to make a dog. I've tried to talk about different stitches, but she doesn't care and I'm not pushing it. This phase will probably end soon, but I love that she's learned a little bit about sewing and expressing her creativity using a thread, needle, and a 10 cent Ikea pillowcase.
