My mom taught me all the domestic sciences. She taught me how to sew, crochet, hand embroider, and cook, all before I was 10. I did take Home Ec in jr high, but by then I knew more than they taught, so I aced the class. Mom went back to work full-time when I was about 7 or 8, so I helped out by cooking a lot of the family meals. I sewed blouses, dresses, choir outfits. I crocheted lots of afghans and blankets. Now that my mom is retired, she does a lot of embroidery and crocheting in the winter, when her garden is sleeping. And it's my turn, I'm teaching her how to quilt!
It always amazes me and makes me chuckle when so many of my friends think opening a box of Bisquick or Hamburger Helper is cooking from "scratch".