# 4-H Dress



## Classof66 (Jul 9, 2011)

A post on one of my quilt groups on Facebook brought back this memory. Do you remember the 4-H Dress? One of the pattern companies had a pattern for it, a basic shirtwaist made with green striped fabric. I suppose Penny's or Sears catalog sold the special fabric, and there was an emblem that went on the bodice pocket. 

One girl in our county made one every year. I wonder if she ended up with a lot of 4-H dresses that were just alike? Most of the leaders wanted us to challenge ourselves a bit each year, maybe make cotton things, and then go to a napped fabric or wool, etc. I remember older girls making coats and even formals. In fact, I made a coat one year. Making the same dress every year is not much of a challenge. 

The quilter's mom used some of the 4-H fabric in a nostalgic quilt. I think that is cool. I cut up my old first year skirt several years ago and have been using bits in some of my quilts. After 53 years the cotton is still nice and the pattern blends in nicely. We had the choice of making the first year skirt with the elastic waist or the waistband with gripper snaps. I had the snaps. I think my mom did most of it.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

I did all the sewing on my skirt but my mother was at my elbow the whole time telling me what to do. I know my skirt did not have elastic, I think we put a zipper in it. I remember sewing the hem by hand, it seemed like it took forever!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

When I was in 4-H in mid 1950's the uniforms were an greeny/blue dress with a sailor collar and a white tie that had to be tied in a square knot.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

We never had uniforms in Indiana that I know of. I was in 4-H in the middle/late 60's and early 70's. If they did, I never heard about it.

My oldest sister never wore a 4-H uniform and she would have been in 4-H in the middle/late 50's and early 60's.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

Nowadays kids can sew whatever they want. For the first year they usually do something easy like a simple skirt, nine patch, or tote. In the second year they want kids to do something more complex. Pants, button holes, and the like are suggested. There aren't any patterns.


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