| Blogs > spiritwoman45 > Life in the Canyon |
|
Recycled Skills I recently resurrected some of the first skills I learned as an 8 – 9 year old. All of us country participated in 4-H. There were several options, mostly involving animals but my grandmother decided I should learn to sew so I joined a group that worked on sewing projects. The very first thing I made was a pot holder and then an apron. All were done by hand so we would learn the various types of stitches. The very next thing was a simple gathered skirt and learning to sew a seam on the sewing machine. I carried these skills on and by high school was designing and making all of my own clothes. Living out in the country this was the only way I could have fashionable things quickly. If I didn’t make it it came from sears or I had to wait until one of our bi-annual trips to NYC. In college I worked as a seamstress in a coat factory summers. I was the only American in my group. Everyone struggled with English as this was the only common language among people who had 5 – 6 different native languages. I learned the basics of embroidery from my grandmother who made the usual pillow cases and table cloths. When the late 60’s hit I adapted my skills to create the popular items of the day. Although I hadn’t used these skills in years I revived them about 10 years ago when I finally got and day jobs out of the way and had some time for me. These skills came in handy following my kitchen painting and re-decorating. I could not get any dishtowels or pot holders that fit the décor. The attached were made from plain towels and left over materials from the quilt I made when I did the bedroom. Actually painting the walls was in a sense a revival of old skills as I had not done any house painting in the past 30 but sure did lots of it in the early years of nesting. What are some of your old skills that you either have or would like to revive?  Spiritwoman ^i^ |
|||
|
Confession: I've long wished I was able to sew, and do it well. I'd like to be able to make my own clothes that were tailor fitted. (But please keep it a secret so the guys won't think I'm a panzy. LOL ) Good luck with your sewing! GBU, Gavin
| ||
|
I've always wished I were handier at some construction jobs, I can do the simpler jobs, but some of the more complicated repairs and additions get me asking someone to help. Alfie...
| ||
7/9/2013 5:11 pm |
They did have the home ec stuff when I was in Jr. High. It was mandatory for all girls. I already knew how to sew and had been making complete dinners since I was 10 so my father decided that it was a waste of time. He went and talked to the school principal and I was placed in shop classes with the guys and learned some really cool stuff. Metal work, glass etching, leather work, basic wood working and a couple of other things that ended up being very useful. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/9/2013 5:13 pm |
Confession: I've long wished I was able to sew, and do it well. I'd like to be able to make my own clothes that were tailor fitted. (But please keep it a secret so the guys won't think I'm a panzy. LOL ) Good luck with your sewing! GBU, Gavin Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/9/2013 5:13 pm |
Sure you can remember after 40 years? Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/9/2013 5:16 pm |
Those are really cool. You could sell those on Etsy. I never did learn to sew properly. My mom made all our clothes and she said a lefty could not teach a lefty how to do it. When I was pregnant with my first child, I took a sewing class at J.C. Penney's and had to make a dress. Oh my gosh, it might have fit an alien with 1 arm, 1 breast, a triple long back and a reed thin, un-pregnant body. I gave up my sewing hopes. I did know how to embroider and used to do tons of it. It came in handy when my hippie friends wanted designs on their tie-dyed jeans and clothes. I haven't done it in years. There is a big difference between the two. Sewing is pretty much mechanical and requires mechanical aptitude. Embroidery is more a matter of repetition and patience unless you create your own designs, then artistic aptitude comes into play. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/9/2013 5:21 pm |
I'm with you on the baby having skills. Grandma is good though as you get to send them home. These days it is far less expensive to get store bought. I usually get the basic "blank canvases" at a discount store then add to them and / or customize them for clothes. I ended up doing the household things from scratch becasue this was the only way I could get exactly what I wanted. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/9/2013 9:51 pm |
Thank you. It does get tedious at first but for me it is rhythmic and calming. I usually do it when I have to sit for w while. My ADD brain has to be doing something. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
|
Part of the SpiritGirl creativity is here and as evident in your usual art work. Many thanks for sharing. There are some things one can never unlearn - it is only that they become dormant through neglect and one needs a bit of 'I can' attitude for their resurrection. I bet that 'I can' is with you aplenty, My dear Friend.   "To fight the darkness do not draw your sword, light a candle" - Zarathustra
| ||
7/10/2013 3:06 pm |
Part of the SpiritGirl creativity is here and as evident in your usual art work. Many thanks for sharing. There are some things one can never unlearn - it is only that they become dormant through neglect and one needs a bit of 'I can' attitude for their resurrection. I bet that 'I can' is with you aplenty, My dear Friend. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
7/10/2013 3:13 pm |
Wow - would I ever have loved a buckskin wedding dress. I had to settle for a green satin mini dress first time around just to defy tradition. It was 1969 and defying tradition was the thing to do. Second time I wore a dress that I had purchased at a colonial village replica in New England and put away for "something special" three years before I met husband #2. When I got to the wedding chapel I was somewhat blown away to find that the print on my dress was the exact same pattern as the chapel wall paper!!!!! Coincidence, fate or just the Universe messing with my mind? Spiritwoman ^i^
|
×
×