For many years, I sewed for a half hour a day. With that amount of sewing time in my schedule, I could keep up with making matching dresses or jumpers for myself and my girls every few months. When Sarah was about twelve years old, I began to teach her to sew. Eventually she became a proficient enough seamstress to take over the family sewing. For many years she has made our matching outfits.
Now we have entered another phase of our family’s life. When Anna was about twelve, I put into both of our schedules time for me to teach her to sew. Now at sixteen, she is undertaking her first set of matching jumpers, ones we will use for singing outfits. She has already made a jumper for herself from the pattern she will use, but it was a bit too small for me. I tried on another jumper we had made that was the next bigger size of that pattern, and it was too big.
We decided we needed to make a test jumper to get the size correct before she tackled my jumper from the matching fabric. Anna discerned how to alter the pattern not only to make it fit, but also to make it look better. The test jumper came out great, and she is ready to begin sewing the four matching jumpers.
As you invest in teaching your children in various areas, it can sometimes be discouraging and wearying. However, with perseverance, the fruitful season arrives. I haven’t had sewing time on my schedule for ten years now, but we continue to have many hand-made outfits to wear. The fruitful season has arrived and is being handed down from daughter to daughter.
Trusting in Jesus,
Teri
“She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple” (Proverbs 31:22).
What an encouraging post! With 5 children 10 and under, I am currently in that season where I have to do all the sewing and sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the time. However, trying to find modest clothing for my daughters and myself in the stores (including thrift stores) is almost more time consuming and you don’t know for sure you are going to find anything acceptable, either. I have recently begun setting aside time each week to teach my daughter to sew (the 10-year-old) and am looking forward to the day when she can at least help, if not take over the sewing for us. Thank you for the encouragement! I love your books and your website and blog!
One thing I wish I could do is sew! Your jumpers look so comfortable. It is so hard these days to find modest clothing.
That is so special and sweet! I also sew a lot of the dresses/jumpers for the girls in my family. All of us (my mom, my sister, and I) have been blessed with being able to sew and, since having changed to dresses, I have been able to become better skilled in this area. I still need to work at it, and I am not nearly as good at it as I would like to be, but if I keep up the work, I know I can be one day! =:D Your family is such a blessings to me and I love being able to take you ladies as an example of godly, modest, Christian women. Thank you for following God’s word and letting your light shine!
Blessings in Christ!
~Miss Rachel~
What a great skill to be handing down. I learned to sew at a very young age and am currently working with my daughters ages 11 and 5. They are both very interested in learning to sew. I have learned from my own growing up years and now with raising daughters and sons of our own, it’s so important to teach and instill in them the things which will help to carry them through this life while they are young. God bless.
Marie
We also are enjoying the benefits of a sixteen year old who is sewing for us! What a blessing it is. Your jumpers are very nice. Can I ask where you find your tops with the necklines tighter and the sleeves longer so there is no gap under the arm? Do you make your tops as well?
You are a blessing! Thank you!
Would you give me the pattern company and number? We are always looking for modest patterns.
Thanks in advance!
~Joan P.
Teri,
Thank you so much for this email! It is another good reminder for me to invest not only in the academics of my girl’s education, but also the homemaking part. I have begun having a special “girl’s night” once a week in which my dd gets to stay up longer than the other children. During this special time together, we have a short Bible study & work on projects. What a special time of blessing this is!
I also liked the reminder that a little bit of work each day can yield much! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this post. I have just decided to take up knitting and am teaching myself. As my daughters, (8,6,4) watched my take on the new task, they encouraged me to continue when I made mistakes. As I completed my first “test” they were so proud of me and said, “Mommy, will you teach us how to knit?” I was so excited at the potential time of bonding I will have with them as I teach them this new skill.
I would also love to know where you found the pattern you use. I’ve almost given up on finding clothing at stores. When I do find something I like it is usually overpriced and made of low quality material.
Yes! Please share what pattern you use for your jumpers and also where you find your modest tops to go under them. I am struggling right now (in my pregnancy) to find tops to go under the jumpers I am sewing for myself. Also, I have a question about when you were nursing babies. Did you wear mainly skirts and tops or did you sew nursing dresses? My sewing skills are limited, however, they are improving the more I sew. (I try to stay away from zippers!) I have not seen very many nursing dress patterns that I felt confident enough to try. I’m going to have to figure something out soon, though.
Thank you!
Lovely post ! I am looking forward to that someday. I do most of the sewing. Did you use books to teach your daughters or just started sewing. And at what age did you allow them to use the sewing mach.?
Would be wonderful if you share where you get your patterns from and your fabric.
Thank you for all you do!!
this post brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me. sewing with my mom was something i loved to do when i was a girl. my mom made all of our clothes growing up and even made my wedding gown and all the bridesmaids dresses when i was married. she also taught me to sew and taught me how to design my own pattern, which i still enjoy doing to this day. i don’t have trouble finding more modest patterns to use in the fabric stores, but patterns have gotten so expensive i would rather create my own and have it truely be me. i still have and use the same sewing machine my parents bought me on my 15th birthday and it still runs well.
thank you so much for sharing your sewing experiences, this really touched my heart and i shared it with mom.
blessings