Old Style Skills

Mrs_Cupier

Lovely thread. I've been thinking about this recently, as the eldest Minor has just turned 7 and is now big enough to learn to sew, knit, cook etc. He's been observing us (as have the other two) since he was born anyway.

My grandmother taught me to knit, bake scones, grow tomatoes and mint, dry lavender and herbs
My mother taught me dressmaking, plain household sewing, cross stitch, applique and embroidery, washing and ironing.
My father taught me to cook and to bake, enjoy poetry and always have at least two books on the go at once (in case one gets put down and you can't find it!). He also taught me to paint, gloss, wallpaper, tile, and plaster.
My paternal grandfather taught me to mix concrete and mortar and lay bricks.
My maternal grandfather did woodwork (which I never really picked up) and grew vegetables.

I'm eternally grateful for these skills. By the time I got to university I knew I was 'a bit strange' because my flatmates goggled at me making pastry.

So now comes my turn to teach the Minors - because I think these skills are going to get more important, not less. DH will teach them what I can't - fixing computers, tatting about in the garages (apparently an important man-skill) and so on. But where are the opportunities to teach things like bricklaying any more?

It's obviously rubbing off, though. We were looking at clothes for Minor #1 the other day, and in the end he said 'couldn't we just make something for me, Mum?'. He's getting there.

exlibris

ZoeGirl - sides to middle is exactly what it says, you cut the sheet in half down the middle and join the edges together so you have a seam down the middle of the sheet. The worn center now becomes the edges which are then hemmed to stop fraying.

If the sheet is pure cotton rather than polycotton, when it is worn again you can then cut it up for tea towels. If it is polycotton it doesn't absorb as well but it can be cut up for cleaning rags

mary43

zoe - sorry its took me so long to reply. It's just as exlibris says. Sheets normally wear out in the middle so cutting up the centre and stitching the sides together gave the whole sheet a new lease of life.
Not sure its that easy now with fitted or semi fitted sheets.....not tried it and don't have a sewing machine that works -must get them (or one of them) sorted.

Sarahsaver

After side to middling the sheets can be cut down further for baby sheets, you get really nice soft flanelette sheets this way!

a friend of mine used squares of sheets for washable/reusable baby wipes

My DD provided us with a meal for the first time at the ripe old age of 10 she got us some mussels from the rocks by the beach on holiday

DS made his special 'crunchy coleslaw' today. If your kids do ANYTHING old style let them know they are the best at it (which of course they are;)) and they will want to impress you again and again. Now DS wants to know if supermarkets will buy his coleslaw - he is 8 years old.

Sweet_Pea_2

I picked up quite a lot of OS skills from school, cookery and sewing lessons in secondary school and sewing, embroidery and knitting at primary school. My mum taught me to knit, and although she is not keen on cooking, we always had a home cooked meal on the table because that was they way that she was bought up, so I learned to meal plan and cook the basics by watching her, and also mother in law as well. My mum is very good at budgeting, mother in law is just plain tight to be honest, but I guess old style habits are hard to break and its amazing the things that she does as standard which are really OS.
When I was growing up in the 1970's everyone gardened, you never went to visit a relative without coming home with a bunch of sweet peas, or a bag of rhubarb or tomatoes, when I played in my best friends garden we always pinched her dads raspberries or peas to eat.
I had to teach myself to sew as Im an akward fit and a lot of my stuff has to be altered, Ive never ever paid anyone to do this for me.
It seems to me that the trend in schools to drop the traditional home economics classes was a big mistake. My school was an old secondary modern and had a flat in which mainly girls I think were taught about cleaning and cooking,shopping and budgeting, even how to make a bed. Not all kids had parents that taughthem these things. When I went there this was all sealed up and not used. It has really rebounded because now we have a generation of people who do not know these necessary life skills, and a nation of obese fast food fans. All Im hearing from the government is that mothers should go out to work so that their children are not bought up "in poverty" its OK for these kids to spend their time in breakfast and after school clubs and then given microwave meals for tea, in front of the telly rather than being at home with mum or dad, watching them cook a meal from scratch and sitting at the table with the rest of the family to eat it, because if the child doesnt have a nintendo ds or mobile phone then they are classed as being in poverty. Its a real erosion of family life and its something I feel very strongly about.

Sarahsaver

Here Here!

I think a lot of people are well off in material terms despite what the doom and gloom tabloids tell us. The greatest deprivation is not teaching kids life skills or spending something which is free - TIME;)

welsh_worrier

My dad who passed away at the end of March taught me decorating and a lot of diy skills .He used to boast that "anything a man could do ,my daughter can"I change the plugs in our house and do all the decorating.My 3 sisters can`t (or wont ) do any of this.I also sew and teach myself lots of crafts.I believe in " I will try" and not "I can`t" as my 3 sisters do.They all claim they cant sew at all,I think that`s rubbish.My daughter is unfortunately like my sisters not me.She is however very clever academically(spelling?)

ZoeGirl_3

Sarahsaver wrote: »

Now DS wants to know if supermarkets will buy his coleslaw - he is 8 years old.

Isn't that just the cutest!!! I love a man with ambition, pity hes a bit on the young side for me lol :rotfl:

I agree the most important thing you can do with your kids is spend time with them, and that is the trouble with losing these skills. People don't know WHAT to do with their kids anymore, they take em to malls, give em some money to spend, get a DVD out, have take out food together, buy them some new toys because they are bored etc.

So many of my five year old sons friends have had game machines since they were 4 :eek: and I am not having a go at people who do this, personal choice like most things, but it shocks me. He is just starting to be allowed to play educational games I have selected online, .

Doing so called "OS things" gives a real oppourtunity for entertainment, self satisfaction, bonding, and learning (eg, growing a garden is biology) etc that modern life has taken away from us to some degree.

People say they don't have time, but I work fulltime and am a single mother and I cook almost everything from scratch, grow a small garden (have just moved so have to set a new one up lol), sew stuff, crochet etc. People just need to think of all that time you save when you are not always out shopping spending all your money lol....

carriebradshaw

my gran was fabulous at everything knitting,sewing,baking & cooking, crochet,you name it she could do it and well too. She didn't manage to pass any of these skills on to my mother though (strange in itself as she was a school teacher before she retired) who hated housework of any kind and could not abide being in the kitchen.As a result most of what she cooked was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle I had to help out around the house at an early age as my mum worked full time and I'm glad too because I could always look after myself.I can't knit,but I can sew a few basic things and although my cooking will never be as good as my grans,I get by and like to try new things.I do wish my gran had taught me a bit more in the kitchen though,I only ever remember being allowed to cut out jam tarts & put the jam in or to whisk up the angel delight :rotfl:

Claero

I have always had this thing about learning as many old style crafts as I can. I remember my nan teaching me to knit when I was about eight, and I've not really looked back. Now, I knit, I cross-stitch and sew, and I love to cook from scratch. I want to learn how to make lace and also to crochet, although I've tried a couple of times with the latter but have never had any joy. Just got to keep persevering!