INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Many kids' craft websites have sewing sheets you can download and print at home. These sheets have a variety of different patterns on them for your child to follow using a sewing machine. Print several sewing sheets for your child and go to the sewing machine. These sheets have a variety of fun patterns like mazes and dot-to-dot patterns. The purpose is to teach your child how to control the sewing machine BEFORE you put thread in it. Once at the sewing machine, show your child the following: how to raise and lower the needle/foot; how to use the pedal to make the needle move; how to use the manual dial to move the needle; and how to guide the paper while the needle moves. Once your child has a handle on the straight-forward functions of the machine, use the patterns you printed to practice these various functions. All that is happening is that the paper is having tiny holes punched in it from the needle. No thread is being used. Use these practice sheets to show your child how to do a pivot stitch around a corner (where the needle stays down, but you turn the paper in a new direction). Once your child has the hang of the basic functions of the sewing machine without thread, it's time to add the thread. Start with a folded piece of fabric and a regular-sized straight stitch on the machine. Demonstrate the differences with the functions your child has already learned now that there is thread involved. It might be too early to demonstrate how to thread the machine and create a bobbin, so you may just want to do this on your own. Show your child how to line up the edge of the fabric with the edge of the lowered foot. This allows the stitching to be about " from the edge of the fabric. If it helps, you can draw this line directly onto the fabric for your child to follow. Show your child how to lower the needle into the fabric before touching the pedal. You should instruct your child that the needle must always be all the way down before pressing the pedal. Practice pressing the pedal slowly and lightly to start the needle. Show them how to use the back button to do a backstitch over top of the forward stitches already in place. Practice anchoring the stitching by using the backstitch (which should always be done at the start and end of every line of stitching). Continue practicing along the edge of the fabric, including pivoting around corners. When finished a line of stitching, remember to anchor the end of the stitching. Demonstrate how to use the wheel to raise the needle all the way up, and then raise the foot off the fabric. Finally, show your child how to pull the fabric away from the machine and cut the thread. Snake charmers are a very simple project that can be made on a sewing machine. This project doesn't require an actual pattern, it just uses measurements. You'll need the following items to complete this project: easy-to-sew fabric like cotton that can be cut into two 2" by 9" pieces; two small buttons (" to " wide); a small piece of red ribbon (" to " wide); plastic pellets for stuffing; thread; and scissors. The fabric and thread can be any colour your child wants they don't have to match! Complete the following steps before going to the sewing machine: Cut two pieces of fabric so they're 2" by 9" in size. Sew the two buttons (which will be eyes) to the 'right' side of the end of one piece of fabric. The buttons should be between " to " from the edges of the fabric piece. Cut the red ribbon (which will be the tongue) so that it's 1.5" long. Cut a triangle out of one end so it looks like a forked snake tongue. You can cut the fabric and ribbon using scissors or a rotary tool. Pin the red ribbon to the 'right' side of the fabric, between the buttons. The flat end of the ribbon should line-up with the flat end of the piece of fabric, the forked end of the ribbon should point towards the other end of the fabric piece. (The tongue should not be hanging off the end of the fabric.) Pin the two rectangular pieces of fabric together, with 'right' sides facing inwards. Now it's time to take your snake to the sewing machine and bring him to life. Starting on one of the 9" sides of the fabric, sew a straight line from one end of the snake TOWARDS the end with the eyes. The stitches should be " from the edge of the fabric (which should be easy to measure by aligning the edge of the foot with the edge of the fabric). Pivot around the corner and sew a straight line below where the eyes are (keep in mind you won't be able to see the buttons, as they'll be on the inside of the two pieces of fabric). This stitch should also anchor the red ribbon onto the fabric. Pivot around the second corner and sew a straight line down the second 9" edge. Remember to anchor your stitching with a backstitch at the beginning and end. Take the fabric off the sewing machine and cut and trim all the thread. Before turning the snake right-side-out, trim the two corners (pointy edges) off the fabric on the eye and tongue end. This will help make it easier to flatten out the corners when the fabric is turned right-side-out. Turn the pieces of fabric so the 'right' sides are facing outwards. Use a stick to straighten out the corners (near the eyes) if you need to. The tail end of the snack should be open fold the raw edges of the fabric inside at the tail end by at least a ". Fill the snake with 3 tablespoons of plastic pellets. Use a funnel if you have to. Use a hand stitch to sew the tail end of the snack together so the pellets don't fall out. Enjoy!

SUMMARY: Print some sewing practice sheets. Show the basic sewing machine functions. Practice with thread. Continue to practice by making a snake charmer. Complete pre-sewing machine preparations. Sew the snake together on the sewing machine. Finish up the outside of the snake.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In the event you and your guy friend do end up as more than friends, you'll have to work to establish extra intimacy. In order to make it clear you're now more than friends, work to show you care. Leave your guy friend surprises. Write him a special note telling him how much you care. Buy him a small present now and then. Be more physically affectionate. Seek to hold hands and cuddle when you're together. Sometimes, the transition between friends and more than friends can be confusing. It's a good idea to take measures to make sure your guy friend knows you want the relationship as much as he does. It may be easier to communicate openly when you started out as friends. You can have open, honest discussions with your partner about what you want out of the relationship, and what expectations you have regarding a romantic relationship. At first, you may have to reassure your partner a lot that you want the relationship. Let your partner know about once a week for the first few months you're happy to be more than friends. Another way to solidify the transition is altering how you socialize. Try to stay together at parties. Interact with mutual friends as a couple instead of one-on-one. At parties, stay in the same conversations rather than talking to people individually. You'll feel more like a couple than friends if you start doing things as a "we" instead of a "you" and a "me." It can take time for a friendship to feel like a romance. Try not to have high expectations in regards to what your relationship will look like. It will take awhile to feel like more than friends, and there may be awkward or confusing interactions along the way. If you're committed to being more than friends, allow the transition to happen gradually. Stay patient and remember, if you really care about this person, the relationship will be worth it in the long run.

SUMMARY:
Show you care. Reassure your guy friend you want the relationship. Socialize as a team. Have patience.