Before that, my post on Tuesday about the daily homemaking tasks, got me thinking about old fashioned homemaking values. Which led to remembering my junior high home economics class. I can still picture the room. Sewing machines on one side and kitchen set-ups on the other.
It was in that room, I learned to sew. In fact, I remember the first item I made. It was a peasant blouse. Some of you probably remember those. It had a drawstring neck and hung straight down the front. I even remember the fabric. It had cartoonish frogs on it.There's a reason I remember that fabric so well. In my haste to get it done, I neglected to check the direction of the pattern, and all my frogs were upside down. I still wore it. :-)
Tomorrow my mom is coming over to help my two girls with an embroidery project. She taught me simple stitches when I was a girls, which I used to embroider designs into my dad's handkerchiefs. I asked if she would be willing to help my daughters embroider their initials into pillow cases. I think they'll love doing handiwork with their grandmother, and treasure those pillowcases.
Working with other women to learn homemaking skills are some of my best memories. And it challenges me to be more intentional to pass what I know on to my own children - not just the girls.
Question: What homemaking skills did your mother or grandmother teach you?
I'm happy to announce that "Journal for my Daughters" won the Amish Peace book. I've sent an email requesting your mailing address.
Have a wonderful weekend!
In His Love,
Glynnis
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5 comments:
I am in a situation that is becoming more and more rare. As far as my mom and I can figure, every generation in our family woman have sewn, and probably quilted, too. None of my cousins picked up these trades, nor did my mom's or my grandma's sisters. These skills make me feel a special connection to my lineage & simpler times.
My mom also taught me all I know about running a household--cleaning, cooking, gardening, grocery shopping & menu planning.
My grandmother taught me to crochet. She taught me the basics and I taught meself more advanced work. I have a crochet afghan that my grandmother's sister made for me when I was a teenager. She is gone now, but I still have the blanket.
My standard gift for a baby shower is a homemade crochet baby blanket.
We have a group at our church that knits and crochets items to give away for different ministries.
It is a wonderful way to connect with people when you share a skill.
I beleive some of these skills are becoming lost arts.
My mother taught me how to live independently, even though she never did. She taught me how to clean, iron, wash clothes, how to plan and organize just about anything, but most importantly, she taught me to cook. I know so many teenage girls and boys that don't know how to operate in a kitchen!!
My dad taught me the proper way to wash a car...men can teach too!
Aaaaah, home ec!! I still have and use some of the recipes from home ec in middle school!! We did sewing but I was a slow learner....I made elastic-waist pajama shorts in a jungle print for my final project but I remember my mom finishing it for me!! :)
My mom and grandmother are both crafty. My grandmother still makes crafts at age 84! We've made tons of stuff over the years but they did teach me to do cross stitch.
I really wish I'd have learned more, like quilting and embroidery. They really taught me how to SHOP, which is actually valuable because they're both thrifty and resourceful.
I wish I'd learned more basic house-hold stuff, all of which I've learned from trial and error over the years. I'm STILL learning, and hope to pass it on to our sons.
Thanks for the reminder....I wanna learn some basic sewing in '11! :)
I too have fond memories of home ec. I think it is too bad that they don't require that of middle schoolers anymore. I learned to sew in home ec, but also from my mom. Even though I don't make any of my own clothes any more (I did when I was in high school) I did make lots of my kids Halloween costumes. My kids friends are always surprised by how much sewing I do, even if it is only simple things. My mom was a wonderful quilter and I have the ones she made for each of my 3 children. Even though my mom is gone we have those to remind us of her.
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