Passing On Your Craft...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
December 9, 2008 9:03am CST
Most ppl do some type of creative craft…sewing, quilting, needlework, drawing, painting, sculpting, ceramics, writing, the list goes on and on. We either learn on our own, someone teaches us or maybe we take a class on it. Some are crafts that are passed down generation to generation.
I do quilting and cross-stitch. I’ve taught my youngest brother to cross-stitch and taught most of the foster kids we had the basics of quilting. The other day I took a shoebox full of 2” squares for a current quilt over to my Mom’s and taught her how to turn them. It’s a little difficult to explain but basically you turn them opposite directions in order to make counting them easier. She had a lot of fun doing it. I’ve also taught her to tack…it’s a method of binding the three layers (top, batting and back) together in a quilt. It’s the way quilts used to be bound and I love the look of it. She also really liked doing that. My Niece and Nephew also are learning to turn, cut, measure, and lay together a quilt. I love teaching them and they really want to make their own.
Do you have a special craft or creative talent? Do you teach it to others? Do you encourage others to learn it or just keep it to yourself?
[b]MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND TRUST IN GOD**[/b]
9 people like this
43 responses
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
10 Dec 08
I am quite a creative person. When I was in school, I used to do decoupage and copper tooling. I did these for interest sake, but I did do a copper tooling piece for a school fun fair, and it was sold to an interested buyer. When I was working, I took up cross-stitch, and did about half a dozen pieces, two of which I gave away to friends and two were framed up and displayed in my home (I've attached one of them here). But I gave up this interest after about two years, because I've always thought that this craft was more for females. Anyway, I took it up at a time when my wife was interested in it. These days, I concentrate more on using computer graphics software to create collages, posters and scrapbook pages. I am quite good at it and have done many such pieces. Some collages of my previous holidays are still hanging on my living room wall. I have an ambitious plan to do another 15 collages over the next two months. I've never really shared my skills with anyone. Most of my friends are busy people who are not really interested in such craft and art work.
1 person likes this
@onlydia (2808)
• United States
11 Dec 08
I taught my sister how to crochet and now she is better at it then me. But that is ok I still just do what I can for me. As I love to just sit and crochet and when my hands fall asleep then I do something else for a min or two. Have a great day. Oh do you have a Quilting square? As my grandmother did as that is how they did it in her family over 100 years ago. Your friend onlydia
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I love art stuff. Anything to do with it pretty much. We are all pretty artistic in my household. All the kids are big on coloring, drawing and making books. I am a writer and reader also and my girls are following that same thing. My daughter has just started to read so much and its good to see.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
what I do is write that is my art, my boyfriend is a painter,
he taught himself, I taught myself, though my mom can do a lot of macrame and crochet, needlepoint and quilts, I have never been interested in any of that stuff.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
10 Dec 08
seems like anything im good at i cant explain on how to do it to others.. its like in my head but i dont know how to tell it to where it makes sense to them
1 person likes this
@morningstar369 (495)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I have always been a crafter. In my early years I made candles and my kids liked to help me and make their own. It was fun and we had a good time. I also did Hand Embroidery and I taught my Older Son the embroider. I made patches and purses and pillows with everything you can imagine hand embroidered on them. I did cartook caracters and my own designs as well as album covers on the back of jackets. My older son used to hand embroider patches for his jeans. I crochet hats and I have taught salot of young people to crochet. I have always taught myself to do most everything crafty. My Mom did teach me at 7 to crocket. I tye dye clothing and both my boys tried that, had fun but needed to get on with other things. I also bead jewlers, semi precious, necklaces, bracelets and anklets. I have done crzy quilting but neer really got the hang of quilting.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
17 Jan 09
Hey that is great! I have tried to instill the love love of crafting into the kids in my family some love it some don't. I have tried teaching them crocheting and knitting..Nowadays it seems though if it isn't high tech or a gadget that is electronic they have no time for it. It is a shame though.I think maybe they should make Nintendo DS games that would teach crafts like sewing,embroidery,knitting,crocheting,quilting and other things. They have one that cooks..So I guess it wouldn't be that hard to make one to teach the other crafts.Maybe kids would find it interesting enough to try and learn.
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I crochet, quilt, do ceramics, and quite a few other crafts. I have taught my daughter how to do ceramics and she helps me in the studio. I am teaching her how to crochet. I am also going to be learning how to do tatting after the beginning of the year. I love doing crafts and I think that more and more people are wanting the handmade pieces but either don't have time to do them themselves or don't know how so they are willing to buy them from those of us who do know how and can take the time to do it.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I have taught my daughters to crochet. My sons enjoy making jewelry and also doing plastic canvas work. My daughters also do some jewelry making too. My mother has learned to do crochet work.
1 person likes this
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
18 Jan 09
I teach dance sometimes (integrated dance for able-bodied people and disabled people dancing together). I have taught writing, my other craft, to kids sometimes. If I get this grant I'm applying for I will teach writing to disabled people (We will also do Nanowrimo together and have a fundraiser at the end for whatever cause we all, as a group, decide). I love teaching; I really want to do more of it.
@Galena (9110)
•
10 Dec 08
hehe. I though this was a different sort of craft in discussion.
when it comes to that one, I've taught others, when they've shown themselves ready.
as for other crafts. Jewellery making. so far I've not had anyone showing themselves wanting to learn from me.
1 person likes this
@wrongway (277)
• United States
18 Jan 09
My first crafting love is ceramics and yes, I do pass this craft on to others. I started doing ceramics about 30 years ago for fun. When my daughter was about 12 we lived in Texas and I would help out at a ceramic shop inexchange for ceramics and supplies and sometimes I would take her with me. By watching me she learned to not only paint ceramics but also how to pour them, clean them so they were ready to be fired and also how to load a kiln and fire them. My daughter is now 35 years old with 4 boys of her own (ages 4,6,9, and 12) and I now own my own ceramic shop. At least one day a week my daughter bring the boys to the shop and they paint. The oldest one is also learning to pour them, but I think the 6 yr. old is the one who will do the most with it as he is always asking questions and wanting to learn how to do this and how to do that. I think it is wonderful to be able to do something together as a family.
I also try to teach children and adults that there are many crafts out there that they can be doing. Since I feature crafts from over 35 crafters in my gift shop there are so many things I can share with others from making different types of candles and simple painting on different recycled items, to knitting/crocheting and ceramics.
Wrongway
www.oleandlenas.us
@Fairygrl (348)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I do have a craft I like to do which is scrapbooking!! I can sit for hours an scrapbooking!!Theres no exact way to scrapbook.. Its all up to you... Ive gotten my sister into scrapbooking and collecting stickers.. Ive done scrapbooks for my mom as a gift.. I love to take something so plain an turn it into something so beautiful.. You can use anything to scrapbook. Old pics, paper, stickers, anything...
@moonbeam94 (387)
• Australia
18 Jan 09
I had a lot of fun over the years learning different crafts ,quilling folkart,ceramics etc then later teaching what I had learnt .I remember laughing when my folkart teacher told me I may as well do it the right way as I might teach one day ,how true her words were as I was asked to take over from her when she left.I also met some lovely people on my crafting journey. cheers
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
12 Dec 08
I envy you for being able to quilt. Because sewing is not my favorite thing to do, I steer away from any craft that involves sewing. Where did you learn to quilt?
I make crafts with plastic canvas and yarn. Many designs I make were patterns bought either from a craft book or from the internet. I vary the designs just to change things around a little bit. Am working on a Big Bird bank right now. When it's complete, will post a photo on myLot. Decided there had to be some use for a plastic coffee can. Measured, cut and stitched the pattern on the front using plastic canvas. Since the lid is also plastic, I slit the top so coins can be added. Our new grandbaby has one and it's so cute on her dresser. I also make them without the slits so this project can be used for trinkets, buttons or simply any small items that needs to be kept in a closed container. Made a Cookie Monster can that can be lined and used to store cookies. It's been fun but very time consuming.
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I cross stitch, can foods, and do most every kind of hand needle work. I have never quilted I know it started out being hand work. My kids have not been interested in learning anything like this. My daughter beads and my son reads and collects comic books. I think he will find some kind of hobby to make things with his hands one of these days.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I am just learning how to crochet myself, but I intend to teach whomever wishes to learn. I think that crafts are a great pasttime and are a very nice way of giving love to your family and friends. I also think that the more who know it, the more popular it will be if it's a lost art.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
12 Dec 08
I guess my craft would be drawing. I don't think I'm that great at it but everyone that's ever seen my stuff says I am. I don't try to teach it to anyone but I do encourage it with my kids.
