3. Why teach sewing beyond replacing buttons
and fixing dropped hems?
• Develop tactile
sensitivity and
build
organizational
skills.
• Build confidence
and self-esteem
with success.
• Change the
student’s view of
their capabilities.
4. Sew Much to Talk About!
1) General Tips
2) Tips for Teaching Threading, Measuring, Cutting,
and Machine Sewing
3) SAFETY: Instruction caveats discussed as we go
through the tools and techniques
4) Incorporating Volunteers into the Sewing Room
5) The World is Flat, Rectangular, and Made of Fabric:
Beginner Project Ideas
5. General Tips: Some things I’ve learned
while teaching sewing:
• Get the student sewing
or cutting as soon as
possible.
• Stay positive and up-
beat no matter what
happens.
• Stress SAFETY through
good habits and
techniques as well as
organization.
6. Tips for Teaching Threading a Hand-Sewing
Needle:
• Consider not
teaching “how to
thread” first.
• Is your student
spending a lot of
time searching for
the thread?
7. Which Type of Needle?
• Do you, as a
teacher, favor
one type of
method or needle
over another?
• How do you
decide which
threading method
to introduce to a
student?
8. Threading a Sewing Machine
• Left hand pulls and
directs the thread
while right hand
verifies.
• Left hand holds only
about 4-5”.
• Work with the
minimum amount of
thread necessary to
avoid tangles.
9. Self-Threading Sewing Machine Needles
• Presser foot should be
down and needle up.
Thread end to the left.
• Hold thread horizontally
and pass under the
needle to come up
behind it.
10. Self-Threading Sewing Machine Needles
• Hold thread against the
right side of the needle
shaft.
• Drag the thread down
the needle shaft until it
clicks into the hole on
the right side of the
needle eye.
• Maintaining thread
tension with both
hands, pull the thread
through the needle.
11. Inserting Bobbins
• Bobbins have to be
inserted with the
thread unwinding in
a specific direction.
• Place the filled
bobbin on a flat
surface. Pull the
thread with the left
hand. Feel if it spins
clockwise or
counter-clockwise
with fingertip of
right hand.
12. Inserting Bobbins
• “Front-loaders” require
a dexterous left hand.
• “Top-loaders” have
easier access.
• Either way, the left hand
pulls the thread into the
notch of the bobbin
casing as the right
hand verifies that
thread is going in the
correct place.
13. Starting Machine Sewing: Fabric Placement
• Painter’s tape is quick
and easy for marking
seam allowance.
• Lower the needle then
push the fabric in.
• Then lower the presser
foot.
14. Before You Hit the Gas Pedal…
Check 4 things:
1) The fabric is aligned
on the right.
2) The presser foot is
down.
3) Left hand is holding
the needle thread and
the bobbin thread.
4) All fingers are in a safe
position.
15. Cutting Tools: Scissors
• 7” length is good for
beginners.
• Weak hands can use
spring-action scissors
• Always close scissors
before putting down.
• Bring the thread to the
scissors, not scissors
to the thread.
16. Cutting Tools: Rotary Cutters
• (top) Push slider
button forward to
expose blade.
• (bottom) Best for class
is the “squeeze-
handle” model.
Comes with a button
to freeze position of
blade.
• (left) However,
students sometimes
freeze the position
with the blade
exposed!
17. Preparing to Cut Fabric: Fabric Alignment
• Fabric must be cut on
the grain.
• Use dymo tape with a
single line of dots 2
and 5 repeated,
painter’s tape, or
puffy paint to create a
tactile straight line.
• Place marker lines in
two or three locations
on the cutting mat.
18. Preparing to Cut Fabric: Fabric Alignment
• Use fingertips at each
end of the strip of dots
to make sure the edge
of fabric touches the
dots perfectly.
• This can take time and
try the patience of new
sewers. Consider
assisting more in the
beginning. It takes
time to develop a feel
for handling fabric.
19. Preparing to Cut: Rotary Cutter and Ruler
• Use a wide quilting
ruler made for rotary
cutters.
• Place tactile “warning
strip” along right side
of ruler (where the
cutting happens).
• Use straight edge of the
cutting board to match
up with the straight
edge of the ruler.
20. Preparing to Cut: Rotary Cutter and Ruler
• Make sure fabric is
wrinkle-free and way is
clear by touching the
length of the ruler.
• Students need to have a
set location to put tools.
• Keep pressure on the
ruler with left hand to
prevent any shifting of
fabric or ruler
alignment.
21. Cutting (Like a Hot Knife Through Butter!)
• SAFETY: fingers of left
hand should not be on
the warning strip of tape.
• Bring the rotary cutter
into position and go
through the motions of
cutting without exposing
the blade.
• Cut a lot of scrap fabric
before using the
student’s fabric.
22. Rotary Cutter Technique
• Cutter should be on
cutting board not on fabric
to start.
• Left hand presses firmly
down on ruler.
• Cut in a smooth stroke,
pausing to move left hand
as needed to stay abreast
of cutting action.
• Correct cutting has a
distinct sound and feel.
24. Use a Template to Cut Squares or Rectangles
• Templates allow a
student to measure
without measuring.
• Template must be the
same thickness or
more than the ruler.
• Students must have
good tactual skills to
detect fabric edges
around template.
25. How Do You Align Small Strips of Fabric?
• Align the ruler
lengthwise along
the side of the
cutting mat.
• Teach students
to use a gentle
light touch when
aligning anything
to prevent
shifting of ruler
and fabric.
26. How Do You Align Small Strips of Fabric?
“Check twice,
measure twice,
cut once!”
27. Cutting Small Squares
• Once strip of fabric is
aligned, the template
and ruler can be used
to cut the strip into
sections.
• Teach student to
check for accuracy of
previous cuts by
feeling for exposed
fabric around top and
bottom edges of
template.
28. Fiskars 45 mm Fabric Rotary Strip Cutter
IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD
IDEA…
• Edges make fabric
alignment easy.
• Bar clamps down and
hold fabric securely in
place while cutting.
BUT
• No room to measure
with template.
• Cannot cut 45” wide
fabric even when
folded in half.
29. Cutting Patterns with Scissors
• Student must be able to
pin pattern without
lifting edge of fabric.
• Free hand checks
scissor blades position
prior to cutting.
• Have more than one
copy of thicker paper
patterns for beginners.
30. Instructing Machine Sewing
• Sew “seams” through
paper without thread.
• Right hand checks for
accuracy as the left
hand supports and
smooths the fabric.
• Fingers are safe from
the needle as long as
finger tips are resting
on the fabric.
31. Instructing Machine Sewing
• For best accuracy, the
right hand should check
fabric placement beside
the pressure foot to
keep seams straight.
• The horizontal knob that
hold the needle in place
may hit knuckles of the
right hand if the fingers
are curled too much.
32. Independent Measuring
• No ideal solution
for measuring
less than ¼ inch.
• Counting bumps
very slow.
• Often no room to
add braille
markings.
33. Independent Measuring
• Count bumps once
and then use tape
or a safety pin as a
marker if measuring
the same distance
more than once.
• Some students
prefer to
incorporate their
magnification
devices with sewing
for greater accuracy
and ease.
34. Transferring Pattern Markings to Fabric
• Tailor’s tacks work
best. Use thicker
button thread or even
fine yarn in the
beginning to the
tacks easier to feel.
• This is an essential
skill for advanced
sewing. Teach it
early on as part of
small, simple
projects.
35. Volunteers in the Sewing Room
• Set boundaries:
when should they get
the instructor?
• Share how sewing is
accomplished with
vision loss. This will
dampen “do for”
tendencies promote
student
independence.
36. Projects to Suggest to Students
• Pillow cases
• Fabric eco-friendly lunch
bag
• Tote bag or purse
• Drawstring bag: slate
and stylus bag, cane
cozy, shoe bag, lunch
bag, laundry bag
• Apron
• Simple Quilt
37. Final Thoughts…
• Teach trouble-
shooting and fixing
mistakes.
• Help student
develop a method
for telling the right
side of the fabric.
• Give students time
to sew alone and
experience the
independence.
