Passing It On

Over on the HGTV Quilting/Needlework board, someone started a thread titled "Where Did We Go Wrong".  It's about  the fact that the older generations have failed to teach the younger generations how to sew.  A lot of people added their thoughts on the subject, including me.  I am concerned that the hand-made crafts may become a thing of the past unless we take steps now to prevent their loss.

One of the things that was mentioned a lot in that thread was the fact that many/most schools have eliminated what used to be called "Home Ec" from their curriculums.  Girls are no longer required to learn the basic homemaking skills that we were back in the 50s and 60s.  As a result, we now have a generation or two who lack basic sewing skills like sewing on a button or repairing a ripped seam.  Most of these young people are so used to going to the store to buy new items, that they fail to understand that those items are being made somewhere by someone.  Most of the time, by children and adults working in foreign sweatshops and only making a few pennies for each piece they produce.  How many of our young people have given an expensive piece of clothing away simply because it was missing a button, or it didn't fit just exactly right.  How much money are they wasting by not knowing how to sew.

I think that it's time that all of us who have the knowledge should be passing it on.  I have been thinking about doing some beginning crochet classes for youngsters and adults.  When I'm at my craft shows, I am almost always asked how I made something.  While I try to explain in the simplest terms possible, a craft show is not really the proper venue for teaching someone to crochet.  Trying to show someone how to do a crochet stitch in a busy, crowded and loud place is totally impossible!

I've also decided to check with our local schools about what kinds of sewing, knitting and crochet classes they are currently offering and seeing what I can do to help them out.  If I can do a beginning class on crochet at the school, it just might get me started with teaching on a more regular basis.

I really do believe that we are on the verge of a new era for the old fiber crafts.  Just as there was the resurgence of young people taking basic cooking classes about a decade ago, now those young people are starting to look at ways to save money, and being able to repair a seam on an expensive piece of clothing and continue to use it instead of throwing that piece out and buying a new one is one way they can do that.  So, come on, all of you older fiber artists.  It's time for you to teach the next generation the really good utilitarian aspects of your crafts!  Each one, teach one!