Sewing Basket

  The H's on the clover leaf logo of the 4-H Clubs of America, stand for Head, Hands, Heart and Health.  There is a pledge recited at the beginning of each meeting that goes, "I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to great loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world".  I'm not sure that I understood that completely at age 10, but, I couldn't wait to be that age and join my sister in this club that met once a month to do projects and make plans for future projects. Most every township of each county in Iowa had a club.  We lived in Marcy township, but, were members of the next township to the south of where we lived - it was Peoples Township and our club was called People's Peppy Pushers.  Marcy Merry Makers were closer to home, but, Mom was acquainted with more of the farmer's wives in the People's club, plus most of the girls were closer to our age.  Each month, the meeting was held at one of our homes and to me, it was always a "big thing" when it was our turn to have it our house.  We purchased specialty paper napkins, decorated and filled those little "nut cups" with mints and nuts, planned a special dessert and punch for refreshments, and, of course, in those days, we "dressed up" for those meetings, so, we had to plan what we were going to wear !!  Everyone had a "sewing basket" and this little woven wicker, satin lined one was mine -- it served me well for many years, holding the essential sewing tools, spools of thread, pins and needles, plus other miscellaneous items.  In recent years, it had been used as a place to keep all the things I would need when I gave myself a manicure and pedicure. Since I now consider it to be an "antique collectible", it now rests in the "memory box".  I think the first two pairs of scissors, a fabric shears and a small thread snipper, are in a sewing table drawer -- when I come across them, they will find a new home in this basket.