Family & Consumer Science
Pre-fair Skills Contest
Guidebook
CLOTHING
Hood River County
Updated: April 2016
Contents
2 | Introduction
3 | Clothing Skills Contests

Additional Resource: Quilting Guide
10 | Clothing and Sewing Judging Contest
Introduction
Sewing provides the opportunity for young people to experience a sense of accomplishment
associated with completing a project. It also provides an opportunity for youth to understand
textiles, construction techniques, design principles as well as develop eye/hand coordination.
Research has found that youth who sew develop skills needed to become more creative
thinkers.
The experiential learning activities in the Sewing curriculum are designed to provide a positive
learning experience for youth. Sewing helpers are encouraged to focus on the fun, experience,
and accomplishments attained in the project.
Skills contests are a great opportunity for youth to demonstrate skills they have learned in their
current skill level of the project.
Note: These contests no longer exist at the state level, so participation is limited to the county
level only.
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Clothing Skills Contest
Contest Rules
1.
4-H members enrolled in clothing projects are eligible to enter. They must enter the same
phase in the Clothing Skills contests as they are enrolled in the project.
2.
4-H members should provide sewing equipment such as scissors, needle, thread,
measuring guide, pins, and marking equipment.
3.
4-H members may provide their own fabric if they desire, but some fabric is available.
Patterns are provided.
4.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own sewing machine; however, sewing
machines are available at the contest.
5.
Contest lasts for 1 hour. Judging is on quality of work and product, not completion.
Skill Levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Level 6
Level 7
Level 8
Level 9
Bean Bag
Baby Bib
Shorts
Patch Quilt Block: House (with diamond triangle corners)
Patch Quilt Block: Double Four Patch
Patch Quilt Block: Rail Fence
Patch Quilt Block: Nine Square Patch with triangles and rectangles
Seam Finish: choose three – Hong Kong, Flat-Fell, French, Welt, Lapped or
Top Stitched
Set-in Sleeve
Basis for Scoring
Work Habits
35
Skill in Knitting
35
Finished Product
30
Total Possible 100
Points
Clean appearance, organized, good posture, uses equipment
properly
Follows directions, uses proper equipment, uses proper
sewing techniques
Pressed correctly, looks neat, correct procedure used
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Level 1 – Bean bag
1. Cut a 5”x5” bean bag from your choice of fabric. Place pattern on the fold of fabric. Do
not cut out of the middle of the fabric.
2. Mark the large dots on the unnotched open edge. The dot is the spot to stop stitching.
3. Sewing:
a. With right sides together fold bean bag in
half on the fold line.
b. Using 5/8" seam stitch the notched edge,
pivot at corner and stitch to large dot. Be
sure to back stitch. Repeat on the second
side.
c. Clip comers to remove excess bulk. Be
careful not to cut stitching.
d. Tum bag right side out.
e. Iron.
4. Fill bag with beans.
5. Fold raw edges of the opening to inside on 5/8" line.
6. Hand stitch openings together using an overhand or whip stitch.
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Level 2 – Baby bib
1. Cut 2 – 12”x12” bib pieces. (Pattern will be provided for contest.) Stay stitch neck
opening curves on each bib-piece,
2. Attach ribbon tie, by placing ribbon on right side of one bib
piece. Place ribbon 3/4" in from neck opening curve. Stitch
in place on 1/2" seam line.
3. With right sides together stitch 5/8" seam around all sides of
bib leaving open about 4" of the bottom edge for turning
right side out. Take care not to catch ribbon ties in seam by
pinning the ribbons to center, away from seam.
4. Grade seams to approximately 1/4", clip comers, and notch
neck edge to stay stitching line.
5. Tum bib right side out. Make comers square. Press. Hand
stitch the opening closed.
6. Top stitch 1/4" around all edges using the edge of the
presser foot as a guide.
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Level 3 – Child shorts
1. Using the pattern provided, make a pair of shorts that will fit a small child. The pattern
provided will have elastic waist.
2. Select fabric for play shorts. Cut out the shorts from the fabric.
3. Follow the directions given with the pattern. If you know of an acceptable technique
other than the one provided in the pattern guide, feel free to use.
4. At the end of the hour, pin your number on the shorts and tum into the judge. You are
judged on the quality of the work you have performed, not if you complete the shorts.
Level 4 – House Quilt Block
Follow the general instructions in the "Quilting Guide" herein to help insure a quality product.
When making the quilt block:
1. Select two contrasting fabrics.
2. Cut one piece of Center Block using a print or a
plain fabric.
3. Cut the 4 triangles using a contrasting fabric.
4. Place a triangle on each side and sew in place.
5. Finished block will measure approximately 12 ½
inches square.
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Level 5 – Double Four Patch
Follow the general instructions in the "Quilting Guide" herein to help insure a quality product.
When making the quilt block:
1. You will make one quilt block. Select two contrasting
fabrics.
2. Cut two 6" squares (plus seam allowance) blocks using a
print or a plain fabric.
3. Cut eight 2" squares (plus seam allowance) blocks using
a contrasting fabric (Use all the same fabric).
4. Join the smallest pieces first. Press seams to one side.
5. Sew small squares into units, so to make a 6" square.
6. Join the units into rows.
7. Join the rows into a 12 1/2" block.
Level 6 – Rain Fence
Follow the general instructions in the "Quilting Guide" herein to help insure a quality product.
When making the quilt block:
1. Select four contrasting fabrics.
2. Cut fabric into 2 inch strips, the width of the fabric.
3. Sew one strip of each fabric together, creating one long
piece of fabric.
4. Press seams to the dark side.
5. Cut the fabric into squares (if possible, use a 6"
template ), each square would be 6 1/2".
6. Sew the squares together, alternating the directions of
the squares.
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Level 7 – Nine Square Patch
Follow the general instructions in the "Quilting Guide" herein to help insure a quality product.
When making the quilt block:
1. This quilt block has triangles on the 4 corners, a rectangle
in the middle of each side, and a single square in the
center.
2. Select three different pieces of fabric with different
colors, values and prints.
3. This quilt block uses a unique method of creating the
quilt square, called the patch method. With this
technique you stitch, trim and press to make a square.
4. It is important to be accurate in your sewing.
Level 8 – Seam Finishes
1. From the list of Seams Finishes provided below, select three seams to make samples.
Use the correct fabric weight for the seam and seam finish.
2. You may use reference books or instructional directions during the contest.
3. Upon completion, label each sample with its name.
Select three of the following seams:
 Hong Kong Finish
 Flat-Fell
 French Seam



Welt Seam
Lapped Seam
Top Stitched Seam
Level 9 – Set in Sleeve
1. On a sample garment, you will put in a set-in sleeve.
2. Use the pattern instructions to set the sleeve in or you can use any other acceptable
technique in which you prefer.
3. Reference books can be used during the contest.
4. The sleeve should be finished as if it were a real garment.
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Quilting Guide

Select appropriate templates. Use templates #1 and #2. (Learn to see the templates as
fractions of the unit square.)

Choose the fabrics. Blocks require a pleasing variety in value (light and dark, and in print
size and spacing).

Remember this ditty every time you select fabrics for a block:
o Light, Medium, Dark (values)
o Small, Medium, Large (prints)

It only takes a little more effort to do it right! Your seam ripper is your friend!
Steps
1. Layout total block.
2. Join smallest pieces first.
3. Press seams open.
4. Sew into units matching seam lines.
5. Press seams open.
6. Join units into rows.
7. Join rows into blocks.
8. Make intersection seams match perfectly.
9. Press carefully again.
10. Measure block. It should be 12 ½". (12" plus two 1/4" seam allowances.)
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Clothing Judging Contest
Contest Rules
1.
4-H members enrolled in clothing projects are eligible to enter. They must enter the same
phase in the Clothing Skills contests as they are enrolled in the project.
2.
Contest lasts for 1 hour. Most participants finish before then.
Topics
Introductory Level – for first year members
 Construction – curved seam
 Identification – plain seams and seam finishes
 Management – laundry sorting
 Construction – evaluating cutting skills
Basic Skills - Phase 2 and 3
 Construction – curved seam
 Identification – plain seams and seam finishes
 Management – laundry sorting
 Construction – evaluating a machine stitched hem
Expanding Skills - Phase 4-6
 Construction – neckline facings
 Identification – complex seams and seam finishes
 Management – laundry products/clothing care
 Construction – evaluating hemming techniques
Advanced Skills - Phase 7-9
 Construction – neckline bands/collars
 Identification – complex seams and seam finishes
 Management – laundry products/clothing care
 Construction – evaluating hemming techniques
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Resources for studying
All Oregon 4-H Clothing project materials are available free of charge online at:
http://oregon.4h.oregonstate.edu/home-economics
In particular, the judging contest classes are designed to match expectations of knowledge and
skills gained per level as described in the following publications:

4-H Clothing Advancement Guide 4-H 320-01R
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/52479/4-h320-01R.pdf

Cutting Skills 4-H 320-12
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/52483/4-h320-12.pdf

Plain Seams and Seam Finishes 4-H 320-19
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/52491/4-h320-19.pdf

Hemming Skills 4-H 320-32
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/52493/4-h320-32.pdf

Facings and Enclosed Seams 4-H 320-33
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/52495/4-h320-33.pdf
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