Teaching the past to the future...
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
United States
October 15, 2012 2:10pm CST
SO many people look down on those of us who do "crafts" that are "old fashioned" such as knitting and quilting. But as a historian I find it so important to teach these things to our children so that the skills of our ancestors are not lost as so many have been.
So that said I spent the weekend teaching my seven year old how to sew on the machine, how to pick, trace, cut and pin together patterns and how to quilt the tops she pieced together. She is so excited to have made a small doll size quilt top on her own and to be quilting it by hand. There is a sense of accomplishment having finished so much so far and determination to finish the project as a hole. I haven't just taught her to sew and quilt but to have pride in making something by her own hand. To appreciate the work she has put into it and to enjoy the simple points in life that money cannot buy.
She is sitting here now on the phone very proudly telling her grandmother (my mother in law who taught me how to quilt) what she has done so far. A lesson, a feeling no money could ever buy.
1 person likes this
6 responses
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
16 Oct 12
That was a great accomplishment for a 7 year old kid!
I never new how to do knitting and quilting like my mom has. I was just not interested, I guess.
I never new how to do knitting and quilting like my mom has. I was just not interested, I guess. @OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
16 Oct 12
I was but never could be taught my my mom, we just do not work well together. My mother in law taught me how to crochet and quilt, I taught myself to knit from books.
@STOUTjodee (3573)
• United States
15 Oct 12
I think we should learn as much as we can , you never know when it might come in handy to make things for survival. I think people take things for granted, they think that stores will always be around, we'll always have utilities,etc. People need to become more self-sufficient. Once people learn how to be self-sufficient, they will take pride in making things that you can get in a store.
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
16 Oct 12
Very true. We have tried to teach our girls to be self sufficient. As we want to be. I can, freeze and store as much as I can so as we do not have to buy as much of the over processed, chemical ridden foods.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Oct 12
hi opinionatedlady thats so neat.money cannot buy that feeling your seven year old daughter has of having made it herself.
An accomplishment for sure.my mom taught me those things
too many y ears ago andI felt s o good about my self.
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
16 Oct 12
She's been beaming and telling everyone she sees or talks to on the phone about what she's done.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
16 Oct 12
My aunt taught me to crochet when I was nine years old. I didn't pick it up again until I was well into my adulthood but it has been a blessing and good use of time ever since. I love to do it and don't feel I am wasting time when I have the television on. I have bags of completed work stored in the closets. Need to find some place to sell them I suppose.
@natliegleb (5175)
• India
16 Oct 12
that is a great feel where one can share so much about outdated stuff and get to know more about future also in a way
@subhojit10 (7375)
• India
15 Oct 12
Thanks a ton for the discussion. Yes u are absolutely correct, we have to keep alive the spirit of the dying crafts like knitting and all so that our next generation will also practice these crafts. They are the pioneer crafts and cannot be just forgotten like that. We have to take the initiative to let us know our children about it and its importance. Glad to know that your daughter was introduced to this craft at such a tender age thanks to u.
What say?
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
16 Oct 12
Very true so much of that time has been lost we need to hold on to all we can.
