Project Series: Sewing Expressions

Use: Project Workshops, Club Meetings, Skillathons, Day Cap, Cap Classes, !sseblies,
!"ter#school Sessions, $iel% Day, &#' Project !wareness E(ent, &#' Enrollent )ight
*oal: +uil% awareness o" an% interest in the Sewing curriculu,
Pro(i%e youths an% a%ults opportunities to experience han%s#on Sewing curriculu
acti(ities,
Create an en(ironent where youths an% a%ults interact through han%s#on Sewing
acti(ities,
-ie: ./ inutes
Materials: Saples o" sewing tools, place car%s with tool naes an% tool %escriptions
!cti(ity: -ools o" the -ra%e
-he best tools pro%uce the best results no atter what the cra"t, Sewing is no exception, 0ou will
sa(e oney in the long run when you sew, so it pays to buy the best tools you can a""or%, Soe tools
are absolute necessities1 others ake sewing easier but are not essential, Do not try to own one o"
e(ery sewing ga%get on the arket or you will ha(e clutter rather than ore e""icient sewing
e2uipent, Each person ust %eci%e what is essential an% what is not, %epen%ing on the type an%
aount o" sewing to be %one,
3eep all your sewing tools in the sae place, Storage containers coe in all shapes an% si4es these
%ays, 5ne with a cobination o" %rawers an% copartents woul% be i%eal, 'a(ing e(erything han%y
when you nee% it sa(es tie an% energy an% akes "or ore e""icient work habits,
)ow let6s take a look at soe basic sewing tools, Sewing tools can be groupe% accor%ing to their use:
Cutting tools 7 Scissors an% shears are use% to cut "abrics, clip threa%s, an% tri seas,
Special shears are scissors are a(ailable "or le"t#han%e% people,
Measuring tools 7 !ccurate easureents are iportant in sewing, 8" your easureents
are not correct, your "inishe% project will not look or "it as it shoul%,
Marking tools 7 Pattern arkings are like the signs along a highway9 Markings pro(i%e
gui%es "or assebling an% sewing a project, -hese arkings ust be trans"erre% to your
"abric,
Sewing tools 7 5" the any sewing tools a%e, soe such as nee%les, pins, sea ripper,
an% threa% are necessities, 5thers, though not really necessary, are (ery han%y "or
general sewing:a nee%le threa%er an% thible, "or exaple,

Pressing tools 7 Pressing is an iportant part o" sewing, $or a sewing project to look its
best, each line o" stitching shoul% be presse% as it is coplete%,

Proce%ure:
;earning to sew well re2uires that you use the right tools, -his acti(ity will help youths increase han%
tool knowle%ge an% learn about the types o" cutting, easuring, arking, sewing, an% pressing tools
a(ailable an% what "unctions they ser(e,
;ay out the sewing tools,
;ay out the nae car%s o" the tools,
'a(e ebers place the tool nae on the correct tool,
'a(e youths practice naing the sewing tools until they can recogni4e an% nae the on sight,
+egin with a "ew sewing tools an% increase the nuber as the youths6 knowle%ge base increases,
!cti(ity Discussion <uestions:
=, What %i""erent sewing tools were you able to i%enti"y>
?, Why is it iportant to know the naes o" your tools>
., Why is it iportant to know how to care "or your tools>
&, What ight happen i" one o" your tools was %aage% or issing>
@, Why is sa"ety iportant when using sewing tools>
A, What han% tools ha(e you use%>
B, What li"e skillCsD %i% you use to i%enti"y sewing tools>
!%%itional +ackgroun% 8n"oration:
-he "irst tape easure was intro%uce% %uring the War o" =E=?,
! tailor6s ha an% a sea roll ha(e two si%es, 5ne hal" o" the pressing sur"ace is wool an% the
other hal" is cotton, Use the wool si%e "or woolens, synthetic blen%s, an% "abrics re2uiring low to
e%iu teperatures, Use the cotton si%e "or cotton, linen, an% "abrics re2uiring e%iu to high
teperatures,
-he "irst sewing nee%les were han%a%e out o" bone by western Europeans an% central !sians,
Soe sewing achines inclu%e two types o" throat plates: a 4ig4ag throat plate an% a straight
stitch throat plate, -he 4ig4ag throat plate has a wi%e opening "or the nee%le, -he straight stitch
throat plate has a sall roun% hole "or the nee%le,
+alance% stitching looks the sae on both si%es o" the "abric, ! balance% stitch looks goo% an%
lasts longer than stitching which is unbalance%, 8" your stitching looks %i""erent on one si%e, a%just
the tension on your sewing achine,
Progras an% acti(ities o""ere% by the West Firginia Uni(ersity Extension Ser(ice are a(ailable to all persons without regar% to race, color, sex, %isability,
religion, age, (eteran status, political belie"s, sexual orientation, national origin, an% arital or "aily status,
8ssue% in "urtherance o" Cooperati(e Extension work, !cts o" May E an% Gune ./, =H=&, in cooperation with the U,S, Departent o" !griculture,
Director, Cooperati(e Extension Ser(ice, West Firginia Uni(ersity,
?//H