A Sewing Structure for Fashion Design Wannabes

Today I played with an idea which started brewing as my daughter and her friends began getting excited for Season Five of Project Runway. I created a simple little softie puzzle so that she could play with some curvy shapes and piece them together. There is only one way these pieces go together, so the challenge is to make an enclosed structure -- a box of sorts, though not your typical box.

I'm so not a fashion designer (not even a good clothing sewer) but I'm presenting a challenge to the newbie fashion designer. I'm not a master at this but I do know that your mind does a little mechanical bending when you create and sew a sleeve to a shoulder, for example. The seam curves; a simple fact. You must sew with the curve, from outside or within the curve, your choice. How do you decide? How long is the curve? Is is the same on both edges? See what happens when you stitch from the outside of the box and the inside. See how curves match up to straight edges and opposite curves (convex to concave).

Since I have learned almost every thing I know by making mistakes, I though it would be fun to make a simple sewing structure challenge so that my daughter could explore these challenges on her own. All she'll need is a bit of embroidery thread or pearl cotton and an embroidery needle. The pieces are made from fabric formed around shapes of soft but firm craft foam. I added a bell to the finished structure just for fun -- the finished structure will jingle when you pick it up! --but I think this project will be delightful for her to make and embellish on her own.

I'm going to let her choose a color scheme for her room and decorate it as she likes. It will be fun to stitch it up and form it in her small hands as she goes. The foam will provide more structure than simple fabric so it will be easy to handle. Furthermore, she will have to use an actual needle and thread (the reality of making stuff from fabric!) and not just a pen to make sketches of cute clothes she dreams up.

I hope she likes this! If she does I'll put a few on etsy and see what other kids think of this sewing structure puzzle.