A Badger Seamstress

Article gives praise to 15-year-old Luella Smith, the youngest daughter of a Greene County, WI farmer. She's recognized for her dedication to the local 4-H Club, but even moreso her industry and resourcefulness. Quoting from her statement, the magazine goes on to describe the many household items she has fashioned from used flour sacks: dresses, dresser scarfs, table cloths. She recalls joining a group called "The Merry Sewers," praising their approach to household thrifitness: "I like the name as it shows we do not think of sewing as drudgery but rather as a pleasure."

The article on Smith is equally interesting for its accidental juxtaposition of male- and female-coded farm labor. Luella contributes to the household economy not only through her skills but an attitude described by her club's advisor: "She is such a modest little girl that one cannot help liking her. Her good work crops out not only in her projects but in everything she does." One historical challenge is seeing Luella's tools and skills on par with the advertisement adjacent.

Successful Farming magazine, E.T. Meredith, publisher

Successful Farming 25.6 (June 1927): 31

Courtesy of Internet Archive

Magazine article