Sewing For School
I actually sew many items for my classroom. I (and all my students) have to spend hours a day inside our room. We of course always spent time inside our classroom learning and exploring, but it seems like we are more classroom confined then before Covid times. Due to contact tracing requirements students and staff in schools do not have the ease of movement and ability to gather in groups we had in prior years. Since we are in the classroom for the majority of the day it should be a welcoming and comfortable place.
The room is not only decorated with hand made objects, but I also wear them. I sew some of my clothes, especially holiday skirts, which my students love. On occasion I have also sewn for children who attend my school but are not my actual students. I have hemmed pants and repaired torn items at the request of other teacher friends for their own students. When my students compliment one of my made by me items I always tell them I made it myself. I explain that sewing is a hobby and it might be one they would like to try when they get a little older.
Holiday Presents
Every holiday season I gift each of my students a handmade fleece hat.
Fleece is purchased and cut into triangle shaped hats. I serge the sides together and then serge on a double layer of white fleece for the hat band. I gift each student their hat on the day before Winter break. The entire class then wears the hats out for parent pick-up. They look absolutely adorable!
I explain to both the parents and students that the hats are completely machine washable and dryable, no special treatment required.
Response
Students love the hats. For many, it is the first handmade item they have ever received. They usually cannot believe that I made something, just for them. I even have former students who will send me pictures of themselves in their hat years after they have been in my classroom (some of my lucky hats have traveled to some pretty cool places). What better gift for a maker than to know that an item they have made has found a loving, forever home.