Sussex County 4-H sewing clubs held their 53rd annual fashion show June 13 at the Selective Insurance auditorium in Branchville. Members from the county’s three sewing clubs came together to show the projects they began work on in September. The projects were diverse, reflecting the skills and interests of the members.
A clinical study revealed that learning to sew helps youth develop life and career skills and other attributes that contribute to lifelong success. It related that children age 8 to 12 had elevated creativity and self-esteem after completing a simple sewing assignment. These same traits were not demonstrated by children in the control group who watched a movie or played a video game instead.
When youth learn sewing they become involved in multiple sewing choices involving color, selection, fabric options, design and proportion. These choices help to stimulate and focus creative energy. Youth develop pride and a sense of accomplishment from mastering skills and completing a project. These skills also boost children’s sense of self-esteem. Working on their projects, youth develop problem-solving skills as well as patience and perseverance.
Some may believe sewing to be a dated skill in a world where clothing can be mass produced and globally distributed. But there’s still much to be gained as youth may develop fine motor skills, process thinking and visualization. As youth learn different sewing techniques, they come to understand garment construction leading to more complex and challenging projects. Learning sewing allows 4-Hers to develop abilities for creating just about anything they can imagine.
The often not-so-simple practice of sewing enables youth to develop mathematical abilities through measurements and calculations — skills that have application beyond sewing. Learning to sew may also provide job opportunities through the development of lifelong vocational skills. Fashion is the second largest industry in the world employing one-sixth of the world’s population. Youth who learn to sew now may have an edge in tomorrow’s economy where creative, flexible workers will be in high demand.
By working on sewing projects with the help of caring, adult mentors, youth develop a greater sense of self as co-creators of their world. Learning sewing in a 4-H club allows youth to develop healthy relationships with adults and peers. The sewing projects 4-H members modeled were impressive, but the skills and friendships developed along the way will serve them far longer.
Dave Foord is the 4-H Program Associate for the Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension of Sussex County. He can be reached at 973-948-3040 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.