GingerK

What a lovely thing you did for these children and their parents. My DD hates sewing of any kind--even balks at sewing on a button. My 3 year old DGD sits on my lap and says "Nother one Nana" as I chain piece. She is facinated with the colours and the blocks that I put into her big-gir-bed quilt. I know that her baby sister is going to be fighting for time on my lap in a couple of years and I will turn her into a quilter too! Exposure to new things is the best kind of teaching and learning.

jaciqltznok

oh my....sad indeed....in Alaska I taught sewing in the after school program...and here in OK everyone seems to sew...luckily I taught all my kids to sew! Your story makes me want to go out and teach kids again!

Connie M.

My 10 year old grandson walked into my sewing room one day as I was ironing a shirt and said "What in the world is that thing, Gramma?" His mother actually did know how to iron at one time. I guess it is a lost art, as well.

sweetpee

You are a very special person to take the time to show each child something that people don't do anymore. I truly enjoy each day I get to sew and I have been showing my granddaughter how to sew. She is 16 not sure where that will go, but I am sure she likes to make things. Have a great day.

QuiltingCrazie

LOL I love this thread!!! I'm a mom of five and my monsters ages 17, 15, 13, 13 and 9 all can cook, bake, clean, and the oldest and youngest do sew( the girls) Them boys love quilts and will ask me to make everything under the sun, I made book covers and a wallet for one recently. Have never been able to get them interested in the actual sewing part.....there's still time lol Amazing how little actual life skills kids are taught now!!

Katia

You should be proud of yourself for introducing these kids to a beautiful art. But you are right. It is a shame that kids don't see the things some of us took for granted. My kids saw a lot of sewing. My sisters, mom and grandma all sewed to some degree. Plus throw in a little knitting and crocheting. It was just a normal thing for them.

I do have to get a kick out of one of my grandsons. My daughter sews and has made quite a few quilts and other things. But for some reason he thinks I am the expert maker person. His words, not mine. The other day he told his mom to call and ask if I would make him a shark or crocodile. Okay, that's interesting. Then a week later he wanted to know if I had started because he wants it to be a great white shark now and as big as his body. So I am thinking maybe a sleeping bag? I have no pattern, so I guess I have to wing it. Last request was a real ninja suit, blue please. Which did turn out cute. If he were closer he would help. He loves to go to the fabric store and help match fabrics and later to work on stuff. He just turned six, so not really a lot of help, but he does enjoy the experience. He is supposed to come for a visit this summer, so I am thinking of doing it then so he can help. I need to work on a pattern.

I think that it is so important for kids to get a well rounded look at least of all the home arts. We need to know more then how to go through a drive through or dial a phone to get food. And to have the relaxation of some kind of hobby. No matter what that might be. I know a lot of people that do not have any hobby at all. Nothing. They work, and that is about it. They hire someone to do the house cleaning and take care of their kids. They run the kids here and there so someone else can teach them baseball or dance or even to read. My dad taught me baseball and how to ride a horse and a bike and take care of the cows we had. My mom taught me to sew and to read, to crochet and cook or bake, and of course to clean. My grandma taught me to dance and to walk like a lady and talk like an educated person. Sure, I went to school and church and all that, but my parents were always laying down the basics. I did the same with my kids. And now I tell them every once in awhile to slow down. Take the time to garden and sew and read to the kids. Sometimes it seems like all the running around just makes circles.

annthreecats

I love your story about teaching the kids to make a pillow and use the sewing machine. It was so inspirational.

I learned to sew in my home ec classes in jr. and sr. high school back in the 70's (my mother didn't sew). I guess I was lucky. I hate that schools can't/won't offer sewing classes anymore.

MaryLane

Locally schools can't offer any arts anymore. I think my children had it better in the 90s than we did in the 70s and earlier. There was no way for me to get out of taking home ec. I did not want it and I did not need it but had to take it for a year in junior high (1977-78). My children took 9 weeks of different life skills classes. One year was cooking and one year sewing.

I will be honest that even if I had raised girls and home ec were available I wouldn't have agreed to let them take it. They have much more important things to learn in school. All of my sons can cook and sew because they learned at home just like they learned woodworking, basic mechanics and basic horticulture at home.

Cindy60545

I, too, was one that took home ec in school. I made my own clothes til my mid-20's, then quit sewing for a few years. Then I made my living sewing by making sails for sailboats, including accessories covers. I did this for 15 years, then got hooked on quilting. Today? My grandson (now 8) is always wanting to go play in the studio. He really wants to learn how to use "Queenie" - my longarm, but I keep telling him that he needs to learn the regular sewing machine first. Better yet, the neighborhood boys come over & want to sew! Now I have boys ages 8-12 wanting to learn how to quilt! I so enjoy passing on this craft with them. It's a shame that our schools find that computer work is more important than the skills we learned to survive back in the stone age! Unless you can google it or have an app for it, these kids don't know common sense things like we were taught.

carrieg

Exposing kids to other things is how they learn. You did a good thing, don't be sad. My DH says the same thing about kids & farms. Farm animals, farm equipment, eggs, etc.

My mom didn't teach me any crafty talents & she is 83. I recently taught my 23 year old neice how to quilt & so we will continue to add new quilters to the fold!