4-H Projects
As a 10-year 4-H member, I can share so many memories of my participation. I loved belonging to 4-H as a youth and I support the organization anytime I can as an adult. I dream about our children belonging to 4-H (oh, how I hope they want too!). A highlight for every 4-Her is to take projects to the county fair and hope they get selected for the state fair. And, if they got chosen for state fair, it was so much fun to search them out at the 4-H building at the Iowa State Fair. So many memories flood my thoughts...the blue ticking apron I made and still use today...the making of my Danish rolls while Dad decided to start ripping up the kitchen floor...the crepe working demonstration that went to the state fair where I made LOTS of crepes...my first full-size quilt that went to the state fair, but got a red ribbon because they lost my instructions...the friends that I made when I served on the State Council that I still am friends with today...the countless hours of preparing the 4-H record books...representing the Grove Progressive Girls 4-H club in the Miss Worth County pagent...I could go on and on (maybe I'll have to do another post).
And, of course, every 4-Hers dream is to start on projects well in advance of needing them done! I was thrilled when my 12-year-old cousin Stephanie wanted to come and start working on some sewing projects for the 2009 fair. You go girl! I talked with Stephanie ahead of time about what projects she had in mind. A terry cloth chair cover for by the pool, curtains for her room, and possibly a t-shirt quilt. Well, now that's my kind of girl--she's got a list and is ready to go. I knew we wouldn't get that all done in two days...I was working, too! But, I outlined what I thought the "big picture" schedule should be.
Monday...arrive late morning. Work on terry chair cover. (She was coming with supplies.)
Pick kids up around 5 p.m. and head to Ames to The Quilting Connection to get curtain supplies.
Tuesday...take kids to daycare; work on curtains.
Stephanie's mom was going to be at our house late on Tuesday night to pick her up, so we had lots of time to work. And, work we did. Stephanie is a hard-worker. Very patient. Not a speedy, hurry-up, and just get it done girl, but rather a steady, even, do a good job kind of young lady. I would get her doing a step and go to my office and work until she was ready for the next step. I was very impressed with her work.
Shopping on Monday night was kind of a hoot. I told her one thing is for sure. If you shop with me and three children you learn to make decisions quickly! Especially when it's beyond their bedtime. When we headed to the quilt shop we had a plan...I would feed the girls while she started looking for fabric. Stephanie is going to have the same eye for color that my grandmother, her great-grandmother had. By the time I got done feeding the girls and went to see what she was finding, she already had four choices to work with. All were excellent. We tried out various combinations for what she was looking for in the finished curtains. We sought out the opinions of Jeanne and Janelle (always nice to get confirmation of your choices from the professionals). Once we got those fabrics cut, then we were off to Hobby Lobby to purchase some ribbons for the top of the curtains. That was the funniest...by this time the girls were tired of being in the stroller and Henry was tired of shopping. Even the cutting lady was trying to help us by cutting as quickly as possible.
Needless to say when we finally got home Monday night and ate our pizza, we didn't sew anymore. Instead we all got to bed so we were ready to go the next day. Stephanie was already sewing as I took the kids to daycare. She wrapped up the chair cover by noon and we got started on the curtains. I had worked out the math for what I thought was going to look the best for lined curtains. That made me really use my math brain!! Nine hours later, Stephanie put the finishing touches on the first of four panels. I'm sure that sounds like a long time, but keep in mind that after the first 4 hours, we had three children with us. There wasn't much sewing for about 3 hours in the evening. And, her seams were perfect. She really took her time to match things up and sew straight seams. I thought it turned out pretty cute.
One of the most charming things of the day was what happened after she finished her curtain panel. Henry had been in the sewing room with us. He had been messing with "his" fabric, but I obviously had missed what he was making and what he and Stephanie had been talking about. She immediately took Henry's "flag" and started sewing on the decorations he had attached. I thought to myself, wow, this young girl has to be tired from sewing all day, and yet she still is helping Henry and doing it with a smile and a loving heart. She is a lovely young lady! (And, if you're wondering what the flag is for, Henry says it s for our John Deere 4000. He's going to "tape" it on.)
Stephanie still has three curtain panels to go, but I think the next three will go a little faster! And, she's got until next July to get them done. I wonder what else she can get done?
And, of course, every 4-Hers dream is to start on projects well in advance of needing them done! I was thrilled when my 12-year-old cousin Stephanie wanted to come and start working on some sewing projects for the 2009 fair. You go girl! I talked with Stephanie ahead of time about what projects she had in mind. A terry cloth chair cover for by the pool, curtains for her room, and possibly a t-shirt quilt. Well, now that's my kind of girl--she's got a list and is ready to go. I knew we wouldn't get that all done in two days...I was working, too! But, I outlined what I thought the "big picture" schedule should be.
Monday...arrive late morning. Work on terry chair cover. (She was coming with supplies.)
Pick kids up around 5 p.m. and head to Ames to The Quilting Connection to get curtain supplies.
Tuesday...take kids to daycare; work on curtains.
Stephanie's mom was going to be at our house late on Tuesday night to pick her up, so we had lots of time to work. And, work we did. Stephanie is a hard-worker. Very patient. Not a speedy, hurry-up, and just get it done girl, but rather a steady, even, do a good job kind of young lady. I would get her doing a step and go to my office and work until she was ready for the next step. I was very impressed with her work.
Shopping on Monday night was kind of a hoot. I told her one thing is for sure. If you shop with me and three children you learn to make decisions quickly! Especially when it's beyond their bedtime. When we headed to the quilt shop we had a plan...I would feed the girls while she started looking for fabric. Stephanie is going to have the same eye for color that my grandmother, her great-grandmother had. By the time I got done feeding the girls and went to see what she was finding, she already had four choices to work with. All were excellent. We tried out various combinations for what she was looking for in the finished curtains. We sought out the opinions of Jeanne and Janelle (always nice to get confirmation of your choices from the professionals). Once we got those fabrics cut, then we were off to Hobby Lobby to purchase some ribbons for the top of the curtains. That was the funniest...by this time the girls were tired of being in the stroller and Henry was tired of shopping. Even the cutting lady was trying to help us by cutting as quickly as possible.
Needless to say when we finally got home Monday night and ate our pizza, we didn't sew anymore. Instead we all got to bed so we were ready to go the next day. Stephanie was already sewing as I took the kids to daycare. She wrapped up the chair cover by noon and we got started on the curtains. I had worked out the math for what I thought was going to look the best for lined curtains. That made me really use my math brain!! Nine hours later, Stephanie put the finishing touches on the first of four panels. I'm sure that sounds like a long time, but keep in mind that after the first 4 hours, we had three children with us. There wasn't much sewing for about 3 hours in the evening. And, her seams were perfect. She really took her time to match things up and sew straight seams. I thought it turned out pretty cute.
One of the most charming things of the day was what happened after she finished her curtain panel. Henry had been in the sewing room with us. He had been messing with "his" fabric, but I obviously had missed what he was making and what he and Stephanie had been talking about. She immediately took Henry's "flag" and started sewing on the decorations he had attached. I thought to myself, wow, this young girl has to be tired from sewing all day, and yet she still is helping Henry and doing it with a smile and a loving heart. She is a lovely young lady! (And, if you're wondering what the flag is for, Henry says it s for our John Deere 4000. He's going to "tape" it on.)
Stephanie still has three curtain panels to go, but I think the next three will go a little faster! And, she's got until next July to get them done. I wonder what else she can get done?
You gals rock! Go, Stephanie!
PS, thanks for editing my sidebar link.
Connie W
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What a sweet story! Stephanie looks very talented and Henry is sure proud of his flag.
I'd love to see a pic of the flag attached to the John Deere!
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Love reading about your kiddos and the fair! I am inspired to go to our fair next time it comes around although I am sure it is not quite the same in California as it is in Iowa!
Joanna
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We all need a cheerleader Heidi and you are a great one that Stepanie will remember for a lifetime. Please tell her that when she is done, I need curtains for my house and would love to have her practice some more....just kidding. Someday, she will be making curtains for a whole house, plus shower curtains, pillows and slip covers and she will remember 4-H and YOU.
GREAT BLOG.
Mary Lou
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Heidi I can't wait to come and sew with you again tell Henry,Jeff,Goldy, and Virginia I say hi. The article was really sweet thank you.
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