Sewing, by hand or with a machine, is an important skill which is not my strong suit. Yes, I can sew on a button, hem up a skirt, mend a seam but it isn’t beautiful. September is National Sewing Month.
I’d rather sing about sewing than sew. However, finding a variety of sewing songs has proven to be a challenge. Here are some song suggestions with indicators for older adults (O), intergenerational (I) and preschool (P).
- Do, Re, Me (O,I)
- Quilting Party (O)
- Be My Life’s Companion – Mills Brothers (O)
- Family Hands – Mary Chapin Carpenter (O)
- Silver Threads and Golden Needles (O)
- O Can Ye Sew Cushions? (I)
- Scarborough Affair (I)
- Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (C,I)
- There was a Taylor Had a Mouse (I)
This song would make a great theme:
Older adults will enjoy discussing the changes in sewing over the years. One resource is this song from the 1940’s:
For ideas to use with preschoolers, see this post on Teach Preschool.
If you have suggestions for other sewing songs, add them in the comments below.
Looking for more bright ideas for adding music? Get started here.
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When I was 9 years old in 1948, I stood on the headmasters table in the school hall (at Brinsworth near Rotherham) and sang “There was a taylor had a mouse”. Mr Spilsberry played the piano. There were four verses of two lines and four choruses. each line of the lyric was followed by “Eye tiddle um tum teerum” and each verse was followed by the chorus “Eye tiddle um tum tar rum tantum, through the town of Ramsey, eye tiddle um tum over the leaves, eye tiddle um tum teerum.”
This song sometimes goes through my head still today, and I get quite distraught that I cannot remember the last line that rymes with “The pie was cut the mouse ran out”. Can anyone tell me what the last line was?
While there is some variety in the verses, most sources show verse 4 – The pie was cut, the mouse ran out, The tailor followed him all about.
And verse 5 – The tailor found his mouse was dead. So he caught another in his stead.
Happy singing!
coat of many colors- Dolly Parton.
Great song to add, Sarah.
I am trying to find the song when my mother sits and sews in and out her needles goes
Those lyrics aren’t familiar to me.