{"id":3804,"date":"2016-01-25T03:55:30","date_gmt":"2016-01-25T03:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sewasoftie.com\/?page_id=3804"},"modified":"2025-04-08T13:00:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T03:00:58","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sewasoftie.com\/about","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hi, I’m Trixi Symonds.<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

I help parents and educators around the world teach kids to sew through my online video tutorials, free easy to sew projects, the Global Kids Sewing Party and a range of kids sewing books. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been teaching sewing to children for over thirty years and I’m the founder of Sew a Softie, a global movement to inspire adults around the world to sew with the kids in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m also a softie designer and the author of Sew a Softie Workbook No. 1: Kandinsky Softies to Sew with Kids, The Zenki Way: A Guide to Designing & Enjoying Your Own Creative Softies<\/a>, Sew Together Grow Together,<\/a><\/em> and I\u00a0 co-authored Sewing Simple Softies <\/a>with Deborah Fisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want more fun and easy sewing ideas for kids? Join my newsletter <\/a>for fresh tutorials, tips, and inspiration\u2014straight to your inbox!<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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MY Books<\/p>\n\n\n

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Kandinsky Inspired Softies to Sew with Kids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Exploring Kandinsky\u2019s paintings through sewing. These projects offer a great way to get your students to explore Kandinsky\u2019s beautiful abstract paintings and to use his colours and shapes to inspire a whole new world of wonderful whimsical softies.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nBuy the book<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Square Zenki Softies to Sew with Kids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Art teachers and parents take note: sewing softies with kids doesn\u2019t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as drawing a square. If you can draw a square, then you can create your own softie!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nBuy the book<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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The Zenki Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A step-by-step guide that shows you how to make a simple softie, which I call a Zenki. Ideal for teachers, librarians, people running workshops and parents to make with their kids and of course, for young children themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nBuy the book<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Sewing Simple Softies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This book brings together seventeen Sew a Softie participants who show you how to create a variety of wonderful softies ranging from tacos to ballerinas. Sewing Simple Softies is co-written with Deborah Fisher.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nBuy the book<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Sew Together Grow Together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sew Together Grow Together is an original and exciting sewing book for kids. It features 20 easy to make sewing projects developed and road-tested over two decades in classes and workshops with children aged 5-12. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nBuy the book<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The never-ending Sew a Softie story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back in 2015 I had this idea: I wanted to spread a love of sewing and to teach children all around the world how to sew. The first step I took, towards what seemed an impossible goal, was to create Sew a Softie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sew a Softie began life as a single day in July on which people from all over the world could post a softie tutorial and share their sewing skills with others. The initial response was overwhelming. My one-day event quickly filled up the whole month…and a bit more. I soon changed the name to Sew a Softie in July<\/a>. And it wasn\u2019t long before Kid Ambassadors<\/a> were getting in on the act and posting the softies they had made with their friends, often in Sew a Softie parties that they organised.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Sew a Softie Global Kids Sewing Party<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next step came in 2019. The Children’s Museum of the Arts, New York City<\/a> was running a civic values programme. I proposed partnering with them and created the Global Kids\u2019 Sewing Party<\/a> to raise children\u2019s awareness of community by getting them to sew a softie and gift it to someone or some group in their community. The museum loved the idea and once again the response was overwhelming. Over 140 groups, including schools, scout groups, museums, libraries and sewing groups took part in over 25 countries. And I was constantly being asked by groups who had been unable to participate if they could join in for the following year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that’s how the Global Kids\u2019 Sewing Party, which now takes place every March, became an annual event. Sew a Softie events seem to have a life of their own. They never cease to surprise me.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nRegister now<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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<\/path><\/svg><\/span>The Sew a Softie Facebook Group<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Sew a Softie facebook group<\/a> is a flourishing supportive community where you can ask questions, help others and share experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, I really do think that Sew a Softie is a case of dreaming the impossible dream. I am very humbled by the enthusiasm and creativity that all these people and children show. And I know that I have received as much from Sew a Softie as anyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nJoin the group<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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<\/path><\/svg><\/span>I’ve been featured in<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My projects have been featured in Simply Sewing Magazine, Country Living, Homespun, Handmade, Casa Creativa, Patchwork and Quilting, Love Sewing, Embellish, Little U from Uppercase, and Australian newspapers including The Herald Sun and the Daily Telegraph. Sew a Softie has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Parade and Uppercase magazine. I was asked to design a simple-to-sew Ugly Doll by the promoters of the UK release of the Ugly Dolls movie and I designed a piranha softie for Aaron Blabey\u2019s book Piranhas Don\u2019t Eat Bananas.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nContact me<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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<\/path><\/svg><\/span>I’ve held workshops in<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I’ve held workshops in Kyoto, Amsterdam, and Melbourne, and in venues all over my home city of Sydney, including the Art Gallery of NSW, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australian Design Centre and the Australia Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\nContact me<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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