Many young people today don’t know how to sew, and surveys from 4-H programs in schools showed that only a small number of students have basic sewing skills. Many didn’t even know how to sew a button. To help fill this gap, the 4-H Sewing Club in Whitley County began teaching sewing skills to youth to help them learn a practical, useful skill.

The Busy Bees Homemakers Club teamed up with 4-H sewing volunteers to help teach the youth. These experienced sewers worked together to make sewing fun and easy for the kids to learn. This partnership helped the club provide hands-on learning experiences that encouraged creativity and built confidence.

The 4-H Sewing Club held monthly meetings where kids worked on different projects, learning skills like how to prepare fabric, use patterns, and operate sewing machines. They also ran an introduction to sewing in schools, where students learned how to sew a button by hand. During these meetings, kids practiced new skills and worked together to complete a special community service project — making handmade pillowcases for Baptist Health in Corbin. These pillowcases were given to patients in the hospital’s Surgery and Labor and Delivery Departments to help bring comfort during their stay.

The club has six members and two volunteers who continue to help with the program. In schools, over half of the students tried a new sewing skill for the first time, and about half felt comfortable using a needle to sew by hand. The club’s community project had a meaningful impact, and the hospital staff said the pillowcases gave patients a comforting reminder of home. One student even shared, “I never thought I could sew something by myself, but now I can. I even taught my little sister how to sew a button!” Through this program, kids are gaining valuable life skills while also helping others in their community.