Hey guy's -- can you sew??

[Geron]

Popped a button of the French Fly on my pants and was sitting here sewing it back on with needle and thread.

Was ruminating as I threaded the needle and got out the thimble about what all my mother taught me as a boy.

How many of you guys were taught to sew, cook, wash by your parents???
Crochet? Knit?? i.e. "women's" jobs as thought of by the "old school"

Just wondering.

geron

[SkipperSue]

I can sew myself, my mother taught me that. I learned how to crochet by my grandmother back in my early teen years but I have all but forgotten how to do that one now. I have a Baby Lock brand sewing machine but I screwed it up by trying to sew some leather bags that were too thick. I need to have that thing fixed one day.

[Steve_Cox]

Back when most moms stayed home, kids had the opportunity to learn lots of stuff from their moms. Cook, use a sewing machine, raise a garden just to name a few. Here's the only thing I've sewn lately. Thanks mom.

[asianflava]

I do all the women's work. I cook clean, the whole nine. I also sew but I prefer a machine because I'm impaitent. I like to mash the pedal down to watch it so at max speed. Although I prefer the machine, my wife admits that my hand stitching is better than hers.

[SteveH]

Yep, do lots of that sort of stuff. My wife, Joyce, still works while I am retired, so I do lots of stuff around the house. As far as sewing, I can do "repairs" and alterations as necessary. I also do the laundy, cooking while she is working, floor cleaning, dish washing, and grocery shopping. Sometimes, I wonder who it is that is retired?

[JunkMan]

My mom taught me how to sew my ripped jeans, and my wife taught me how to use her sewing machine.

Back when I was in the Marine Corps, I used to sew all of my ripped jeans while on front desk duty in the barracks. Since I was stuck there overnight, and there wasn't much else to do, it was the perfect time to catch up on some mending. Sure did get some odd looks from the guys when they saw me sewing though!

I haven't made too much with the sewing machine, just a couple of stuff bags, and such to use when backpacking. I usually talk my wife into sewing up the curtians for the camper and things that require a nicer finish.

I bought an old Singer commercial, upholstry type sewing machine a few years ago, and would like to take a try at re-covering my boat seats. I had a great uncle that was an interior design engineer at AMC when I was a teenager who offered to teach me how to do auto upholstry, but like a fool, I passed. I was too busy sneaking beers and chasing girls.

[apratt]

I didn't paid my mom much attention when it came to sewing and cooking. But did learn them when in school, they just started teaching them to the boys when I took the class. It was cool only 4 guys with about 25 girls. Then in my adult years my dear dad would impart his wisdom as he had been a navy cook, my mom could never tell my how make anything as she cooked the old way just intuition and a pinch of this and a dash of that. Drove me up the wall!

[BILLYL]

Learned the whole thing. My Mom was the cafeteria lady (she ran all the cafeterias - feeding more then 2000+ kids a day) - so we had to learn to cook. Actually they offered a class in high school for guys only - Home Ec. We learned to wash clothes, cook dinners, plan a menu, etc.

All my kids have learned these skills as well as the home repair stuff. It was funny when my oldest left for university - we packed a home repair tool box - nails, hammer, level, screw drivers etc. She totally amazed her roomates that she could hang a picture. And that she knew how to wash clothes.

IMO - kids today need to know how to do these basic things.

Bill

[doug hodder]

I'm kind of a self taught seamster...It helps to have a good machine, I've got an electronic one, with all sorts of options on it. I sew up Hawaiian shirts out of the pin up girl fabric that we get in the store, and I kinda need to know how to sew as I own a fabric store. Doug

[angib]

My hand stitching is pretty awful - as a former structural engineer, I try to use thread like a sort of flexible bolt!

I make my own curtains and blinds on my 1895 Singer treadle, but once curves start appearing, I'm not so hot.

Andrew

[sauljordan]

I was also taught to do all of those things. I learned to knit, but lost it. I don't really remember the learning process. I think it was just assumed that I should know all those things.

[dwgriff1]

My mom taught me, but my wife won't let me.

dave

[EZ]

A reply from Miriam from a post I made a while back.....

Ed Bragged:
Quote:
And you know, it appears that some women find it very, very appealing when a man who mostly runs table saws and air nailers does some sewing once in a while......


Amen!

Looks real good there.
Miriam

Aunti M (Miriam)

[Miriam C.]

A reply from Miriam from a post I made a while back.....

Ed Bragged:
Quote:
And you know, it appears that some women find it very, very appealing when a man who mostly runs table saws and air nailers does some sewing once in a while......


Amen!

Looks real good there.
Miriam

Aunti M (Miriam)

Repeat! You guys are great so heres a challange. Make a quilt by spring. Special just for your teardrop and give it a theme.

[Leon]

When I was in the Navy I used to make extra money sewing the stripes on uniforms when the guys got promoted. While we were in school, it seemed like we were adding stripes every month! I made quite a bit of cash that way. Since then I've gotten a walking foot machine and have done some light upholstery work, along with curtains, pillow cases, etc. on the smaller machine. Sharon isn't very good with a needle so I do all the sewing.