I always chose woodshop over home ec, but I did take it as part of an "intro to..." class once (where you took a variety of classes for two weeks each, it was actually required to do this, to expose you to as many electives as they could, so you'd have a better feel for what you wanted to choose the next year).
In those two weeks, we made cinnamon rolls, mini pizzas on English Muffin bread, and sewed a windsock. The boys were having just as much fun as the girls, and we were all very proud of our windsocks.
Other than wanting to finish a quilt with a top made by my great-grandfather, I had no interest in learning how to sew, much to my mom's disappointment. That changed just over a year ago, when I suddenly discovered a lot of time to work on projects, and a desire to learn to sew and quilt everything I could. I didn't realize how much mom had wanted us to learn to sew, etc, until I finally started last year. All the women she worked with (she works at a JoAnns) would tell me she was so excited I had started, would talk about things I was working on, would look for fabric remnants for me, etc. My mom's not an excitable person, so I know it was special for her.
Anyway, in the last year, I've been sewing and quilting a ton! Most wood working ventures are on the back burner until I can build a shop, but I love that I can take the sewing (and crochet, and eventually knitting) anywhere!