Sewing with Kids: A 1-Hour Project!

In today’s fast-paced digital world, where screens dominate our attention and virtual interactions replace face-to-face connections, finding meaningful activities that engage children’s creativity and foster valuable life skills has become more important than ever, especially during the summer months. This is the perfect time to start sewing with your kids; it’s a wonderful way to bond with them but also introduce them to the joys of crafting, ignite their imagination, and teach them patience, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. Sewing opens up a world of creativity and self-expression for young minds.

We’re starting a series of 1-hour sewing projects that you and your child can do together this summer, or anytime! First off, luggage tags.

Make a Luggage Tag in an Hour

It’s summertime and that means vacations, camp, and lots of sleepovers. Let’s make some easy luggage tags to help your kids keep track of their stuff when they’re on the go.

Supplies

How to Make a Luggage Tag

There are many ways to sew luggage tags, but I drafted this pattern to be extremely simple. The vinyl will be sandwiched between two layers of fabric to make it easier to sew. If you find the topstitching step difficult for your kiddos to handle, explain that certain fabrics require tricks and introduce them to tissue paper or a Teflon foot. We had no issues using a size 70/10 Universal needle and a regular foot. Be careful not to use an iron or heat the vinyl, or it will melt. 

1

Cut two pieces of fabric and two pieces of interfacing using the tag pattern. Cut one rectangle of vinyl using the pattern. A rotary cutter (adults only!) can make vinyl cut smoothly. Adhere the interfacing to your fabric (once again, adults only!). 

2

Mark the snap placement. 

3

Layer your pieces in the following order, lining them up along the flat bottom: interfaced tag piece right side up, vinyl piece, interfaced tag piece wrong side up. 

4

Sew around the pieces with a ½” seam allowance.

If this is the first time your child has used a sewing machine, you might need to provide a few lessons. Our sister site, Quilting Daily, has a fantastic tutorial for machine sewing with kids. For a little humor, read one of our staffer’s stories about teaching her daughter to sew.

5

Leave a portion of the straight bottom of the tag open for turning. After sewing, trim the seam allowances to ¼”. Cut across the corners. You can also use a pair of pinking shears. 

6

Turn the tag right side out. Tuck the seam allowances from the open end inside the tag and pin or clip. This step may be tricky due to the bulk of the vinyl. Go slowly. Using a slightly longer stitch length, topstitch ¼” from the edges. The topstitching will close the opening and also secure the vinyl pocket.

7

Install your preferred kind of snap using the markings on the pattern. I used KAM snaps—here’s a great starter kit that includes pliers for easy snap installation.

8

Have your child decorate a piece of paper (4″x2.5″) with their name and slip it inside the vinyl pocket. Secure the tag to their luggage and they’re all set!

Stay tuned for three more 1-hour projects for sewing with kids, and let this summer be a season of stitches and smiles, as your children discover the joy and fulfillment that sewing brings while developing creative skills that will last a lifetime.

Do you have ideas for crafty boredom-busters? Leave a comment and share them with us!