Sewing 4-H Project Area

This curriculum provides ways for you to create garments and unique costumes. Buying strategies, accessorizing, apparel design, recycling, starting a business, and the social and psychological influences of clothing are featured.

The 4-H Sewing project area consists of three project manuals. Each manual covers three years of activities.

• In Under Construction (Sewing 1), you will practice the basics of sewing construction and learn how to make simple clothing or accessory pieces.
• Fashion Forward (Sewing 2) helps you develop a fashion sense and the skills needed to create your unique style.
• Refine Design (Sewing 3) focuses on fashion, your unique style, technology in sewing and careers in the textile industry.

If a member completes the 9 years of project manuals, they can work with their county Extension professionals to determine their learning opportunities for their remaining 4-H years.

Additional 4-H Sewing Projects

There is an opportunity for members interested in sewing have an opportunity to take additional projects to further their exploration. Some of these sewing projects require a youth to have intermediate skills to find success.

• In Designed By Me, you explore current fashion and various embellishment (or decorating) techniques to design a one-of-a-kind top that reflects your personality. Choose a T-shirt, sweatshirt, button-down shirt, or a simple jacket and add at least two embellishment methods to show your style. Complete a neatness check, and learn how to make decorative stitches and sew on a button. This fun and easy project is practical too!
• Ready, Set, Sew Active! is an intermediate level project where you will make at least one garment in an outfit assembled for active sportswear. Along the way, evaluate your buying habits, complete a plan for accessories, and evaluate your total look.
• Embellish: A 4-H Guide to Wearable Art is an intermediate level project where you will explore current fashion and various embellishment (or decorating) techniques to design a one-of-a-kind top that reflects your personality. Numerous possibilities include appliqué, batik, beading, dyeing, embroidery, and many other techniques. Not a clothing construction book and not a how-to book, this is a general project guide that involves exploring embellishment ideas, identifying likely clothing items, learning a few techniques, and putting together a completed outfit.
• In You Can Quilt!, members will make two mini-quilts Curious about quilting but don't know where to start? Look no further! Just gather quilting tools, select and cut fabrics, stitch pieces together, and before you know it—you're quilting!

Scoresheets

Each year, 4-H members should complete 7 sewing activities in the project manual as well as the planning pages at the beginning of the manual. Record in your work in a notebook, including the what, when, where, and how you accomplished each selected “More Challenges” activity. Include your notebook with your project book for grading.

Download a copy of the scoresheet to determine what is expected for project completion.

• Level 1 - Under Construction
• Level 2 - Fashion Forward
• Level 3 - Refine Design

Exhibit Ideas

• Sewing 1 – Exhibit ideas include poster or display on basic sewing kit tools with descriptions; a sewing machine with machine parts and purposes identified; seam finishes with a comparison chart; a sewing project completed (e.g. pillowcase, tote bag, nine-patch pillow, pajama pants, drawstring bag) in Under Construction.

• Sewing 2 – Exhibit ideas include poster or display on three methods of fabric construction; natural fibers versus man-made fibers; pressing equipment and uses; steps in setting a product’s price; a sewing project completed (e.g. jacket, dress, skirt, pants, pillow cover) in Fashion Forward.

• Sewing 3 –Exhibit ideas include poster or display on five specialized sewing tools and their use; three new laundry products and their use; comparison between purchased item and homemade item; patterns designed for two different figure types; or a sewing project completed (e.g. jacket, vest, wall hanging, windsock, bedspread, pillow) in Refine Design.

• Examples of Blue Ribbon Exhibits

How Do I Sign Up?

The first step is to create an enrollment in our ZSuite website.

When you get to the CLUBS tab of the enrollment, you will want to ADD PROJECT.

For Sewing, you should search for:

Project Videos

Related Events & Camps

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