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Aubrey Will plans to finish sewing a dress today, in time for 4-H fashion revue judging and a public event on Friday. She has a little more time to put the binding on her quilt; fiber arts aren’t judged until Tuesday.
The Pratt County Fair won’t officially begin until next Wednesday, but already 4-H’ers are pushing deadlines to get their projects completed on time.
Aubrey started the dress earlier this week and on Wednesday it was in two pieces — the long skirt was done and the bodice nearly so, ready to be joined together, lined and finished off. It’s not a simple project.
“We’re not taking the easy way out. You’re not going to get a purple ribbon by taking the easy way,” said Jeri Koch, who has helped Aubrey with her sewing for the last five years.
Aubrey has won several champion ribbons. Her dress last year received a blue ribbon at the county fair. After she made some improvements suggested by the judge, it earned a championship ribbon at the state fair.
Every year Koch challenges her to make something a little harder.
And every year they try not to wait until the last minute, but it happens. The plan for next year is to start sewing before school is out, before Aubrey is involved in cheerleading and basketball camp and a traveling basketball team.
Everything is in place for another phase of the clothing and textiles project, clothing buymanship.
She purchased her cheerleading uniform for Pratt High School, a dress, an outfit for school and slacks and a printed top that will be entered as “miscellaneous.”
“She’s a bargain shopper,” Sharon Will said of her daughter, who will celebrate her 15th birthday soon.
When she shops, Aubrey pays attention to fit — sometimes she has to take things in a little at the side, and she has to be careful of length to fit her slender 5-foot-eight-inch frame, whether the outfit is appropriate for the occasion, and how it presents her personality. Mom prompts her to consider ease of care and encourages her to choose things that can be washed instead of dry cleaned. Dad, Doug Will, requires a certain level of modesty.
She has learned a lot since she made her first little halter top of pink fabric with frogs.
“I’m more confident,” she says. “I was kind of shy when I was little.”
Aubrey Will plans to finish sewing a dress today, in time for 4-H fashion revue judging and a public event on Friday. She has a little more time to put the binding on her quilt; fiber arts aren’t judged until Tuesday.
The Pratt County Fair won’t officially begin until next Wednesday, but already 4-H’ers are pushing deadlines to get their projects completed on time.
Aubrey started the dress earlier this week and on Wednesday it was in two pieces — the long skirt was done and the bodice nearly so, ready to be joined together, lined and finished off. It’s not a simple project.
“We’re not taking the easy way out. You’re not going to get a purple ribbon by taking the easy way,” said Jeri Koch, who has helped Aubrey with her sewing for the last five years.
Aubrey has won several champion ribbons. Her dress last year received a blue ribbon at the county fair. After she made some improvements suggested by the judge, it earned a championship ribbon at the state fair.
Every year Koch challenges her to make something a little harder.
And every year they try not to wait until the last minute, but it happens. The plan for next year is to start sewing before school is out, before Aubrey is involved in cheerleading and basketball camp and a traveling basketball team.
Everything is in place for another phase of the clothing and textiles project, clothing buymanship.
She purchased her cheerleading uniform for Pratt High School, a dress, an outfit for school and slacks and a printed top that will be entered as “miscellaneous.”
“She’s a bargain shopper,” Sharon Will said of her daughter, who will celebrate her 15th birthday soon.
When she shops, Aubrey pays attention to fit — sometimes she has to take things in a little at the side, and she has to be careful of length to fit her slender 5-foot-eight-inch frame, whether the outfit is appropriate for the occasion, and how it presents her personality. Mom prompts her to consider ease of care and encourages her to choose things that can be washed instead of dry cleaned. Dad, Doug Will, requires a certain level of modesty.
She has learned a lot since she made her first little halter top of pink fabric with frogs.
“I’m more confident,” she says. “I was kind of shy when I was little.”
In addition to being sure enough of herself to choose what she likes and not what someone else is wearing, and a lot of skills specific to her sewing projects, Aubrey has learned what might be called life skills.
Respect for people who sew, starting early — Aubrey, her mom and her leader all laugh a little at that, determination and the ability to pace herself. She has also learned not to take on too much. She will enter her clothing at the fair and is also enrolled in photography. She leaves the foods exhibits to her twin brother Zach and older brother Ryan.
“It’s harder for teenagers to work everything they want to do into the time they have,” Koch said. “Part of the growing-up process is learning what you really want to do.”
