Comments on: Crafting Knowledge, An Endangered Species?

By: Bridgett

Bridgett — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:19:25 +0000

A few years back I taught the gals on the block (other moms, about 8 of them) how to sew, enough to make a straight seam quilt block. We made a baby quilt. And then another. And a third. This past January, they got together and made one for me on their own. One mom has made one for her older daughter since then. So many things are not hard. But they’re scary if you have nobody to teach you…

By: Jonee

Jonee — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:40:51 +0000

I have sadly handled 10 cent doilies crocheted (or tatted!)at estate sales thinking about the time and love someone had put into each stitch in order to bring beauty into a home and impulsively bought the entire collection for $1 in order to save them from a dumpster.

I began collecting older black and white knitting and crocheting books from rummage sales knowing that I would never be knitting argyle socks with impossibly fine wool (or…maybe…they’re cute…) but realizing that these are the history of the art of crafting.

I laugh at modern magazines with recipes for mashed potatoes…”Peel 6 potatoes. Cut into 1/4s. Cover with water. Boil until a fork will pierce them. Mash with 2 tbs butter and 1/4 cup milk.” Egads!!! Mashed potato recipes!!!!! Then, I worked with some yung’uns who needed the recipe…couldn’t make oatmeal without one…couldn’t make a grilled cheese sandwich…

I still embroider without a machine that I “program and walk away while it does the work”, hand applique without cutout and paste by number patterns, and (double egads!!) will sew up a ripped seam without throwing away an otherwise new pair of pants!

And guess what…I’m not even a grandma yet!

Jonee

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:49:38 +0000

Apparently spelling is also a disappearing art. Lose is spelled L-O-S-E and that makes it l-o-s-i-n-g.

By: Cindy Davis

Cindy Davis — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:50:15 +0000

This is such a beautiful pic of a sewing machine. You are inspiring me to start a new series of paintings capturing these character of these old beauties. Just imagery of this old machine gives me a connection to my grandma.

I grew up in the suburbs, but I realize now that I was always making stuff. I learned to sew, made skirts & clothes, my grandmother taught me to crochet, I made other things as well.

Now as an adult, I have come to realize that need to “make stuff” had more to do with my creative side than it did with necessity. It is FUN to make things, functional things or things just to “look at” (ART).

Thanks for a great post, and THANKS for a little inspiration for me today. Now I am off to research old sewing machines!

By: lisa

lisa — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:34:03 +0000

I so strongly identify with what you are saying! When I was a child my parents did most of their cooking “out of boxes” and abandoned the homecraft of their parents. In my own young adulthood I didn’t know how to bake, cook, sew, or pretty much anything else.

It wasn’t until I visted an elderly relative that I really came to appreciate the skills of you foremothers. Looking around her handmade home where every single thing was unique and practical made me suddenly realize how much respect these skills should command as part of our culture. For the past 15 years I’ve worked to learn all these skills and now am passing them on to my children.

There is no better time spent with your child, than the time spent teaching him or her a skill.

By: Cerise

Cerise — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:43:30 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing this. I agree that there are many things we are loosing. I started growing up in large cities but moved to a small slightly-rural town in seventh grade. I never took home economics (I’m kicking myself for this now) but was fortunate to have a mother who taught me how to sew when I was pretty little. I grew up with my grandmother’s 1955 Singer Featherweight and when I moved out of my mom’s house I got my own Featherweight. I moved to San Diego a year and a half ago and am amazed at how different the average city dweller is. I also teach and am sad to see that kids and people have lost a lot of knowledge about the important things like growing food, being able to use textiles, that are more essential to life. I am happy to be moving to Oregon in a month and get back to a slower pace of life and start a garden. I will be closer to my family and am definitely going to have them teach me how to get such a fabulous garden as theirs and how to can my food, make jam, and more. I also hope that more and more people learn basic crafts and gardening so that we can pass these skills on to future generations.

By: Crafting Knowledge, An Endangered Species? «

Crafting Knowledge, An Endangered Species? « — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:49:09 +0000

By: Becky

Becky — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:50:57 +0000

I know exactly what you speak of here! Many is the time I wish I could ask my [Grand]Mama how to do something in the kitchen. She taught me so very much but I wish I could have learned more. And from my other GrandMa I wish I had learned how to can veggies!

But I have taught my Son & Daughter and many of their friends how to knit (yes, even my Son) and how to sew. I’m proud to say that one of the friends has taken her love and talent for sewing to New York and is a costumer’s assistant for theatre!

There is nothing like the face of someone who tackles a new craft and is successful!

By: Crafting Knowledge, An Endangered Species?

Crafting Knowledge, An Endangered Species? — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:40:11 +0000

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