Sizzln' Hot - Is it 4-H Dress Review Day?

Heat index of 105 plus 98 percent humidity...Must be 4-H Dress review Day.

I was a member of the Middletown Livewires 4-H club.

I belonged to this club for 10 years.




Sewing was one of my projects for all 10 years.

Waaaay back then it was different then it is now.
You had to actually sew your garment.
Today they can purchase a garment

because evidently the old way discriminated

against those who could not sew.
Hello - we took 4-H sewing to LEARN how to sew.

Your garments were judged on construction and fit.


In order to judge the garment on fit we all had to model our garments.
This modeling always took place right before the county fair.
You could always count on 4-H dress review day as being the hottest day of the summer.
The modeling was held at Lakefield Minnesota's grade school with NO air-conditioning.
I still can remember the smell of pressed cloth as you enter the building.


We had all summer to make our garment but for some reason
I always procrastinated until the very last minute.
It was summer and I always could find better things to do
than sew on a WOOL garment during the hot days of summer
with NO air-conditioning in the house.
We would often sit out on the shaded front steps to do our pinning or handwork.

But that was painful too because we lived on a road
that was a shortcut to Big Spirit Lake - a favorite swimming spot.
My friends would go by and honk as I sweat in a sea of wool.

The night before dress review day we always ended up staying up most of the night finishing our garment.

We then would pile in the old 66 Chevy with NO air-conditioning and travel the 15 miles to Lakefield with wool on our lap as we of course were sewing on the last hook and eye or button or something - getting car sick along the way.

Each category of girls - beginner, junior and advanced had a set time to model their garments.

You then entered the room one at a time and did your modeling in front of a panel of judges.

At the end all of the girls came in and walked round and round in a big circle while the judges made their decision - in NO air-conditioning - in WOOL.

The walking around in a circle was just a formality - the judges had already chosen Susan Shearer. Susan ALWAYS won - not that she did not deserve it but really did we have to walk in circles forever just for show?

I wonder what Susan is doing theses days - does she make her living sewing?
She also had a fabulous flip.

Sadly we do not have any pictures of me in any of my 4-H outfits. I suppose it was because we were always finishing the outfit in the car.
Back then the first year sewing members had to make a gathered skirt. You did not use a pattern. You had to pull threads in the fabric for your cut lines. This was such a nasty experience. I really am amazed I didn't quit after that little lesson.

My second year I made this dress. I used 1/2" blue gingham
for the yoke and sleelves and plain blue fabric for the skirt.


I made this out of a red/hunter green hopsacking plaid
with green ball buttons.
I had hunter green patent leather shoes to match.
Loved those shoes!



This little number was made out of gold knit.
I really never liked this dress.



This was made out brown jersey knit.
Knit was really big back then.
Mine had two pockets, was top stitched
with gold thread and had gold buttons down the front.

This pants suit was made out of red and cream wool plaid
similar to the plaid in the picture of the girl in the ad above.
I received a purple ribbon on this outfit.
I made a cream colored polyester double knit blouse
and a red wool bow tie to wear with it.

Polyester, wool and a bow tie … can you think of anything that could be more hot?

Here's hoping you can find a cool spot to do some sewing on this very hot day.


From my heart,
Sandy

P.S. The winner of the Twenty-Five Years of Blizzards post is Maria. Maria please email me your address so I can send you your prize.