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| With Cyndi and a stitchery project, around 1989 |
Welcome to my April A2Z posts! This time, I am officially signed up on the challenge sheet and will be visiting other bloggers on the list. My theme is "misty memories," which will include a bunch of rambling about old stuff in my life, and hopefully some of it will be accurate, but if not, there's no one around to contradict me. Today we continue with S for Stitchery.
I have been interested in arts and crafts as far back as I can remember, and it was because of my mom. She was constantly creating something new, whether for decorative or practical purposes. She taught me how to knit and crochet when I was young (though I have forgotten both skills), and I used to make blankets and rugs for my dolls. In seventh grade, girls had to take home economics in school, and one of the projects was to embroider a denim shirt. The teacher showed us how to create the various stitches required, and it was a lot of fun.
My shirt turned out beautifully, so that encouraged me to continue with needlecraft. I did a few other small projects with embroidery stitches, but what I really loved were the larger picture kits using yarn for the stitches, which was called crewel. I did tons of those! I also did needlepoint pictures and pillows for years. It was a super relaxing hobby and something fun to do while watching TV at night, so I didn't feel totally unproductive. When the girls were little, I made some gorgeous pictures, framed them, and put them on the walls. Unfortunately, framing was hugely expensive: a kit might cost $20 for a 16x20 fabric canvas, but to frame it nicely, with a layered mat in complementary colors, could be $200 (back in the day). Soon, I switched to pillows only.
After I went back to work full-time in 2001 and became interested in writing novels (plus blogging about them and everything else), I lost interest in stitchery. The girls and I began knitting projects one Winter Break, and I did finish a scarf, but it was very plain, done in one stitch with straight edges. A few years ago, I took a crochet class at Michael’s and made the cutest little pumpkin, so of course I went into an obsessive frenzy and bought a ton of yarn and adorable little kits to make more vegetables for a basket. Unfortunately, it turned out that my hands were too achy and my eyes were too tired to deal with such intricate detail, and I ended up giving most of my untouched kits away. I think this hobby and I have parted ways for good.
I really admire handicrafts like these, but I just lack the hand dexterity (lifelong arthritis). So I settle for buying lots of beautiful soft textile crafts that others made! @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
I hear ya. My hands are way too achy for needlework now. Even typing sometimes hurts. Yay for ICYHOT!
DeleteOne of the ladies I follow is really quite good at knitting...or is that crocheting? Well, whatever it's called, she's very good.
ReplyDeleteLiz and Bluebird are yarnists (?)… probably some others…
DeleteI never got the knack of knitting, but I did make multiple crochet blankets, but it's been awhile. Did a lot of counted cross-stitch and gave most of them away. The last time I tried one, I realized my eyes aren't what they used to be :( If I get glasses may try it again. Crafting is such a good way to relax.
ReplyDeleteYes, I forgot to mention my eyes are tired now as well as my hands…
DeleteWe did home ec in 7th grade, too. Or, you could do woodshop. The girls did home ec and the boys did woodshop, mostly. It wasn't required that way. A couple girls took woodshop, and a few boys took the semester that we did cooking in home ec. They explained they wanted to learn to cook, which was reasonable. I have so many random memories of that class.
ReplyDeleteWe didn’t have crossovers in Cary, IL. I don’t remember cooking, but it must have been part of it…
DeleteLikewise I had a mother who knitted and sewed and did all sorts of crafts. I still sew clothes but haven’t knitted or crocheted for years.
ReplyDeleteI've done all the handicrafts you mentioned but I had to give them up last years because my fingers just don't work well anymore without pain. I couldn't just sit and watch TV either without a handicraft because it seemed like wasting time. It's funny how these old skills fell out of favor to pass down to daughters, but now knitting is making a come back.
ReplyDeleteMy mother had a sewing machine, but she used it almost exclusively for mending. (She was very frugal.) She did teach me how to use it, for which I was thankful. I took home ec in high school all three years because it was an easy A. For many years I made most of my own clothes (this was back in the days when you could save a ton of money by making your own), and after I got married I made curtains for every room in the house. When my kids were little I made things for them all the time -- clothes, patchwork quilts, pillows, etc., etc. -- as well as knitting loads of scarves and hats and mittens. I look back on it now and wonder where I found the time!
ReplyDeletei love to embroider when i'm not reading, counted cross stitch. i put on a movie or tv show i've already seen and go stitching away.
ReplyDeleteI have done needlepoint once and it was very difficult for me. Much preferred cross stitch and made a number of pieces for gifts and for my own home. Now I have a cross stitch elephant I have been struggling to complete for about 10 years!! Ha!! May never happen. Would like to learn to crochet but keep telling myself I really don't need another hobby!!
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