Namaste Friends 4-H Meeting

Here are some pictures from our third Cloverbud 4-H meeting.

Today we focused on learning to sew with a machine. Most of our friends (and some of thier parents) had never used a sewing machine before so I briefly went over they key parts of a machine and how a machine works. Being five and six years old the kids were eager to jump right in and get to work...so we did.

My Mom had picked up some smaller mending machines at Good Will but they needed work and I didn't have time to get them tuned up for the meeting. So I set up the three machines I have and use at home (depending which one is woking best at any given moment). I set up an old 1950's Singer that Dad found in the barn when I bought the house 12 years ago, a basic White machine with a tempermental bobbin that I picked up at Salvation Army, and a Brother that mostly works but I think it needs a new belt because it slips a bit.

First we practiced control and pedal pressure by sewing without thread on paper making cool designs from the needle holes. After everyone had a chance to get comfortable with the machines we moved on to our first project...sewing a bag.

I kept the bag design simple. I precut 16" x 32" rectangles of denim. The children folded the fabric right sides together and made two straight seams on either side. Next they turned the bag right side out and folded the top edge in. On this folded edge, each child measure, punched, and hammered in four grommets. We strung and tied navy blue cording through the holes and custumized the bags with fabric markers and fabric paints.

Here are Abby and Isabel's finished bags (whoops Isabel moved out of the photo when I took it).
Lots of learning and fun. Two hours goes by so quickly. Next month we will practice our cooking skills and bake gingerbread houses for the holidays. Yummy!