I learned to use a sewing machine at age 9 or 10...because my mom was afraid of her machine....wouldn't use it.
I had first learned to sew by hand, out of necessity. When mom realized I could sew, she taught me all the different hand stitching she knew..but she would not touch that new Kenmore. When she realized I could use it...I got (at age 10) all the sewing that needed to be done by machine. That was 50 years ago (yikes!), and now I have about a dozen machines...but I still hand embroider when watching tv, at the doctors office, etc.
My mom had the mind of a 10 year old...couldn't read or write well...but, darn it, try to cheat her out of a penny & she knew it! She could count...couldn't do addition or subtraction...but she knew if she spent 1.08, and gave the clerk 2.00, she should get three quarters, a dime, a nickel and two pennies back...if not...she went on a tirade about how pennies count...from her depression experience.
Mom wouldn't touch a calculator or computer...they scared her to pieces.
I find nothing wrong with using a calculator to prove your work..but darn it...learn simple math!
I hated algebra...didn't see why I needed A + B=C...when 1 + 2= 3 worked just fine.
Went for a job interview...huge math test...mostly algebra and calculation of fractions. I ace that test...why? Because my dad insisted I would need the junk some day. Sure, using a calculator is faster, but it does not stimulate the brain.
Originally Posted by Feathers-N-Fur
So, how many of you were not allowed to use a sewing machine until you mastered the art of hand piecing. Who learned to make all their clothes with nothing but newspaper, scissors, needle and thread. These were once necessary skills. That doesn't mean they apply to life today.