Sew fun! 4H Sewing Fun Day at AgriLife Jan. 22
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Many people think that youth must have a livestock project to participate in the 4-H program. Johanna Hicks, Family & Community Health Extension Agent, has been setting the record straight for years. Actually over half of the youth enrolled in Hopkins County 4-H do not have animal projects.
Among the most popular projects are Foods & Nutrition, Archery, Fashion & Interior Design (formerly known as Clothing & Textiles), photography, and leadership. Of course livestock is also in the top ten projects, and Hicks doesn’t downplay the importance of raising and showing an animal because of honing skills of responsibility, accountability, and keeping up with daily tasks of caring for the animal.
Each year, Hicks offers a 4-H Sewing Fun Day to interested youth in the county. Through the years, make-and-take projects have included decorative pillow cases, draw string laundry bags, hope totes (wash cloth bag filled with personal care items), fabric coasters, no-sew blankets & pillows, fleece toboggans & scarves and more.
A project that was highly successful was “4-H Quilts Across the County,” in which the youth were taught a simple quilt block. All participants completed two or more blocks to create pillows and table runners.
Penelope Deterding completely finished a quilt top during the workshop and entered it in two separate contests – the 4-H Project Show and the Hopkins County Fall Festival Creative Arts Contest. Her completed quilt garnered a Best of Show ribbon in both contests. She has since joined the Lone Star Heritage Quilt Guild and has helped make quilts with her church.
Another 4-H member who has excelled in the clothing & textiles project is Lena Reyes. She has completed a strip quilt and is working on another more complicated quilt. Both young ladies are to be commended for taking the skill of sewing to another level.
This year’s Sewing Fun Day project is somewhat of a surprise, but 4-H’ers will have the opportunity to make two projects – one from upholstery scraps and one from fat quarters (if you aren’t familiar with a fat quarter, the 4-H’ers can tell you!)
Participants only need to bring a good pair of sewing scissors, some pins with ball heads, and perhaps a tape measure and seam ripper. Everything else will be provided. The Hopkins County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office has been blessed by donations of sewing machines, fabric, upholstery sample books, and other items which allow the kids to participate at no charge.
The 2022 4-H Sewing Fun Day is scheduled for Saturday, January 22, 1:00 p.m. at the Hopkins County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1200 W. Houston, Sulphur Springs. Those wishing to participate should call 903-885-3443 so adequate preparations can be made.
Youth may bring their own sewing machines if they want to learn how to use it. Otherwise, several machines will be available. Hicks will teach how to fill a bobbin, thread a machine, and more. No sewing experience is necessary!
Contributed by Johanna Hicks
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