According the Pennsylvania Cooperative Extension Service and Harvard University (1999) the critical ages for youth to learn creative skills are from8 to 12 years old.  Learning to sew heightens the levels of creativity in youth.  Creativity assists youth in critical thinking and problem solving.  

During the Fall 2017 58 youth were enrolled in after school 4-H sewing projects in Rockcastle County.  The Family and Consumer Sciences and a volunteers taught a total of 8 hours of afterschool sewing at each of the 3 elementary schools in the county.  During the project workshops the following projects were completed: 28 Unit 1 a basic drawstring bags, 29  Unit 2 zippered messenger bag and one Unit 3 zippered duffle bag.  The nine volunteers who assisted with the project spent a total of 88 hours teaching the youth,

During the Summer 2017, 6 youth participated in a 4 day quilting day camp, during the classes the youth each made a beginner, bed sized quilt, tied the layers together with yarn and hemmed 4 volunteers spent a total of  17 hours helping teach the day camp.  In evaluations at end of the program. One participant related, " This project made me learn how to stick with it  til i got the project done. Taking a break when I am frustrated makes a difference. Now I can take this home (the quilt) and use it on my bed."