4-H, Where test nesting began

By: Erin, Laura and Leslie

It's fair time around these parts. As I read about activities, dances, and prize winners I'm reminded of the good old days (you know, the early 90's) when all of us test nest sisters were working on our 4-H projects and preparing for the Boone County Fair.  

4-H for us gals wasn't about showing farm animals of any sort, we didn't live on a farm. Actually, it was all about the baking and sewing (and a little decorating of the duds, too).  This was where we got our start and our ambition to test new things in the kitchen as well as at the sewing machine.  

Our mom, Jacque, was also one of our biggest supporters while we were working on our projects.  She was patient with us even when we screamed her name from the sewing room or cried because we had to start over on a diagonal pillow (okay, maybe that was just me).  Mom knew patience, considering she was a 4-H pro back in the day as an active member of her 4-H club, the So-Sews, and she had high hopes for our continued participation in the program, but after only a few years, our enthusiasm fizzled.  Luckily, though, our skills from our mom and 4-H experiences stood the test of time and we have been inspired once again.  So let's take a moment to hearken back to the old days  to laugh at old pictures and listen to stories about past 4-H creations.  Each test nest sister is glad to share.  Let's start with the longest running 4-H participant and the oldest of the three, Erin.

What a work of art, sort of.  I don't think I was too successful in cake decorating.

Top and skirt made by me! Hosiery was not, what was I thinking and why the tractor?

Here I am (Laura), baking away in the kitchen.  I was trying to master the art of the snickerdoodle, which I believe I did accomplish after many practice batches.  Gotta love the permed hair and the sweet friendship bracelets.  

Seersucker pj's complete with accessories and a purple ribbon, ya'll!  That's how you do it.  I hated making these pjs, but they were quite patriotic. Luckily a purple ribbon made up for the hours of challenging sewing, well, sort of.

Here I am (Leslie) with a shirt "decorated" by me.  Actually, this was one of the few pictures we could find of me in something "I had made".  Notice the quotes here, folks.  I didn't make this shirt.  It was a hand-me-down.  I guess this shirt goes to show that I was not up for "Decorating my Duds". At least I had those high-top sneakers to soothe my sadness.

This, however, shows my winnings from my second year of 4-H.  My club was called The Clever Clovers.  I am holding my pillow and "everything bag" that I made as well as my abundance of purple ribbons.  Perhaps I was wearing a purple shirt to celebrate the occasion?

Looking back at these pictures definitely brings back memories.  We spent a lot of time perfecting our craft--and in the end, we learned some vital things.  Always practice before you are going to do something "for real",  measure your ingredients carefully, and don't be afraid to make a mistake.  After all, the test nest is all about trial and error--because we have lived through many errors, but find such satisfaction when something turns out just right.