Olivia has been asking for a “kid sewing machine” for a year, ever since she saw one at JoAnn’s around Christmas time when she was 4. I told her she had to wait until she was older, mostly because I didn’t want to buy such an expensive toy, not knowing if she’d really want to use it.

Well, on a routine Thrift Store Trip this past week we saw one in the toy department. Olivia was the first to notice it and into our cart it went. I would have paid $30 for it, even second hand. But this glorious find was a remarkable $1.50! I was certain it wouldn’t work but at that price it was worth the gamble.

We took it home and popped two size C batteries in it and it just chugged along just like it should. It works! It is a chainsitching machine, so it has no bobbin to get messed up. The stitches are not the most secure but it really sews. But the most valuable thing of all is that it has an advance wheel, presser foot with arm, and a foot pedal, all which work exactly the same way as they do on a larger machine. So as Olivia learns to use this little machine, she will be gaining the basic skills needed to use a real machine when the time comes. And with the enthusiasm she is showing for this little toy machine, the real thing is probably right around the corner!