Craft - The dying arts?
My mother was a dress designer and seamstress. Not a million dollar "girls on the catwalk"one, but the neighbourhood wedding and debut dressmaker who sewed for other people to make some extra money. Mum also sewed for herself and the family and could turn her hand to making almost anything. She also knitted by hand and machine, smocked, crocheted a bit and did some embroidery.
I inherited Mum's love of sewing and have made clothes, curtains. chair covers and even a trailer cover in my time. I knitted a bit (didn't like it much), had a go at crochet and did the obligatory embroidery at school.
As I get older my need to do some form of craft grows stronger. I have done leadlighting and recently started to do embroidery and knitting. I am determined to do some smocking before I die because I believe someone has to carry on the family traditions.
I worry that we will lose these crafts? Are there enough people in the world teaching their children and grandchildren to knit, sew crochet and embroider?
My mother in law makes dolls (porcelain and fabric), sews quilts, bags, wall hangings and many other beautiful things. One of her daughters sews a bit but neither of her granddaughters do. One granddaughter knitted her Nan a scarf for Christmas just to prove she could but does not really like it and probably won't do much more.
My mother in law says she didn't start to do any of this stuff until she was 50 despite being taught by her mother at an early age. Maybe we need to get past the child raising and fulltime work stuff first before we have time to give to handiwork.
Art and Craft fairs are travelling the world doing big business which gives me hope that handcrafts will continue. I have younger friends who have just taken up beading and a recent fad for knitting scarves has seen many young women (and men) knitting on buses, trains and planes.
If all of us handiworkers teach one person one skill during our life we can help keep these crafts alive. We need to do this because no form of mass production can take the place of the Mum made silver suit for the school prom (like I made one of my sons), or the grandma produced knitting for the new grandchild.
Handiwork can be very calming and give you a real sense of achievement. Have a look around your family and see what skills you need to be carrying into the next generation before it is too late.
I inherited Mum's love of sewing and have made clothes, curtains. chair covers and even a trailer cover in my time. I knitted a bit (didn't like it much), had a go at crochet and did the obligatory embroidery at school.
As I get older my need to do some form of craft grows stronger. I have done leadlighting and recently started to do embroidery and knitting. I am determined to do some smocking before I die because I believe someone has to carry on the family traditions.
I worry that we will lose these crafts? Are there enough people in the world teaching their children and grandchildren to knit, sew crochet and embroider?
My mother in law makes dolls (porcelain and fabric), sews quilts, bags, wall hangings and many other beautiful things. One of her daughters sews a bit but neither of her granddaughters do. One granddaughter knitted her Nan a scarf for Christmas just to prove she could but does not really like it and probably won't do much more.
My mother in law says she didn't start to do any of this stuff until she was 50 despite being taught by her mother at an early age. Maybe we need to get past the child raising and fulltime work stuff first before we have time to give to handiwork.
Art and Craft fairs are travelling the world doing big business which gives me hope that handcrafts will continue. I have younger friends who have just taken up beading and a recent fad for knitting scarves has seen many young women (and men) knitting on buses, trains and planes.
If all of us handiworkers teach one person one skill during our life we can help keep these crafts alive. We need to do this because no form of mass production can take the place of the Mum made silver suit for the school prom (like I made one of my sons), or the grandma produced knitting for the new grandchild.
Handiwork can be very calming and give you a real sense of achievement. Have a look around your family and see what skills you need to be carrying into the next generation before it is too late.
posted by Patchworkpicklesandpigeons at 7:37 pm
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