Hi there! We had 46 sweet participants who voted and shared their skill level with the sewing machine. It was lovely to chat with those of you who commented or emailed privately, I'm thrilled and honored to have made a few new friends during this poll, such a delightful bonus! Thank you one and all!
It's good to see that only a scant few of us are lacking any sewing machine skills. Seems the majority of us muddle along, with a few who've acquired advanced skills.
Here's our poll results:
~ The Sewing Machine and You ~
never learned ~ 4%
basic skills ~ 47%
some machine finishing of my pieces ~ 19%
advanced skills ~ 28%
My dear nieces are 9 and 7 and live an hour away. We share *Craft Day* every so often, it's been such a pleasurable and loving experience over the years. They've been nurtured to learn, desire and appreciate arts of all genres and to create from hand for the mere joy of it and also to realize the possibility of *needing skills* in their future. After all, one day they'll have a dorm or their first apartment and might want a simple little valance for their odd sized window:) I believe if we encourage the young ones to at least try different arts, they will be more likely to experiment on their own as they mature, and hopefully find a passion that will last them a lifetime. I'm pretty sure most of you feel the same way too.
Do any of you ever wonder as I do? Did the daughters of soccer Mom's learn to sew on a machine? Is sewing still taught in Home Ec? Is Home Ec even offered anymore? Maybe you're a soccer Mom with daughters and can share?
If you're still reading, thx for hangin in there...
Tootles, Sue
Gosh, I barely remember what they offered in middle school for my kids. I seem to recall a home ec class of sorts, but I think it emphasized things like a bit of cooking, learning to wash your own clothes, can't remember what else. Oh yes, the kids did learn to make a pillow, so there was a tiny bit of sewing on a machine. (I remember that more with my son, but I think my daughter did it too.)
ReplyDeleteActually, the daughters AND sons of soccer moms (me having been one for many years!) learned to sew in Home Ec, Sue! My boys made boxer shorts, pillows, and little tote bags. Could they sew on a machine now? Not on your life! But, I think they enjoyed it back in the day. Home Ec is called "Family and Consumer Science" at our school--sounds quite serious doesn't it?!
ReplyDeleteMy DD is 22 and in high school she took a home ec class. They sewed PJ pants and a plush toy(?) and she really enjoyed it. She kept up with the sewing and has made lots of fun things. Now she is in college and a theatre major. She is taking advanced costuming this semester. Not half an hour ago she came by to show off the current school project she completed last night: a corset, complete with steel bones and laces! She had to create, draw and edit the pattern herself. She looks smashing in it too!
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt now, she can create anything she can picture in her head.
I'm a mother not a soccer mom, and due to our wonderful government leaders and the economy, Home Ec was cut from our school's "budget" this year, along with art, band, music, spanish and many other "non-essential" classes. However athletics wasn't touched at all - because you know that is really important. I was taught basics in Home Ec how to use a sewing machine and learned the rest from watching my grandmother and mother and on my own. But I have implemented my own Home Ec. classes here in my own home and my eldest girl is learning to cook, clean and be a seamstress. All are useful and over-looked tools for burgeoning young adults. No sense in sewing if you are hungry and you can't find your sewing machine because your house is dirty and unorganized, in my opinon.
ReplyDeleteI did Home Ec in 7th grade. In high school it was an option that my parents desperately wanted me to do as an optional class... so I took Wood Shop instead. ROFLOL I was a good kid in terms of no drinking or partying but lawsie mercy, I was ornery! My kids have all had the option of taking Home Ec as a study subject for the first three years of secondary school here in Ireland. Only the younger daughter decided to do it, and hasn't really enjoyed her experience. Unfortunately, a not-so-great teacher has influenced the way she feels about the subject itself, but she does enjoy cooking and crochet and knitting on her own.
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