What do you think? Does it skip a generation? What I mean is I have always been crafty,not just machine embroidery but just about everything, I have all the supplies and gadgets from numerous craft endeavors through the years and am always trying-not always succeeding in different crafts. But my Mother does not have a crafty bone in her body,says she wouldn't have the patience to put into it. but my Grandmother did beautiful needlecrafts and sewed for all the grand kids, etc. What about you? Was your mom a crafter? Or Grandmother? Where did you get your crafting talents?

Fabulous question Bev xx,
My nanna now 86 bless her had 12 children, was a brilliant knitter and liked basic crochet, all clothes mended and recycled she stopped about 6 years ago due to chronic arthritis of the hands,
My interest in knitting began 23 years ago with my first pregnancy and I was 19, I wanted to created bespoke items for my children, I am completely self taught,
My interest in embroidery only began 9 years ago when I was expecting my youngest I wanted to create specialist items for her,
I am the only person in my huge family that knits or creates any thing.

The biggest problem I have is I also work part-time, and run around after my youngest two who are now aged 8 and 10, is constantly turning requests down from family and friends, no one is interested in learning these skills,
I can run of an embroidered towel or blanket for example as a quick gift, but knitted or crochet items take much longer, and I only make these for my benefit lol..

Big hugs from London
Maria xx

My Grandmother taught me to sew in her 4H group that her and my mother had I was 9. I also then had 4 years homemaking in high school to help with the finer techniques. They do not even offer that in school anymore. My mom was not into sewing but had a love of drawing. I have 1 aunt that sews,1that canning is her thing, and 1 that is a photographer so it does run in families. I have 2 daughters neither can sew but both can embroider on the machine. My mother in law crochets beautifully and i never learned from her unfortunately. She just recently did a baby blanket for me to give to my youngest when she decides to start a family and I am working on a matching crib quilt. I want her to be able to have something just in case the Good Lord decides its my time. I know that sounds morbid but we never know. After losing my Mom 3 years ago it made me realise how much i missed and still miss and I want my girls to know that I thought of them when they use their things.

Bev, how I have enjoyed reading all the posts here. My grandmother was a great seamstress, making all my mother and aunt's clothes when they were little. Only my mother inherited this gift. My aunt could barely sew on a button. My mother bought me up as a single parent with the help of my grandmother. Just thinking about it now I do not know how she coped. Travelling to London every day and still having time to make my clothes and her own at weekends. She always looked immaculate, in her tailored suits, coats and jackets. I learnt from a very early age to sew, making all my dolls clothes. I remember making myself a suit when I was about thirteen and it was actually good enough to wear!!! My grandmother taught me to knit but I have never mastered crochet. I was given my very own sewing machine when I was 21. Over the years with working full time, sewing has taken a back seat although I did make both my daughter's matric (prom) dresses and both their wedding/ bridesmaid dresses. Now both my daughters are in their forties and they are both useless at sewing. They are not bad at knitting but never finish anything. Now I am retired sewing has become very important to me. I dearly love my embroidery machine and what it can do but it is not the same as making a garment. I think that sewing will probably one day become extinct like the dodo. Such a shame. Sarah.

Mine runs in the family. My mom has always done a lot of sewing and knitting, my gran also did a lot of sewing but really loved to knit. My greatgran apparently could crochet beautifully as well. I have loved sewing since I was young, not crazy about knitting but do my fair share. I stunned my mom and gran by teaching myself and then them how to crochet, they said my greatgran was teaching me!!! Hand embroidery is something I have never enjoyed, although something all the women before me have loved. I adore machine embroidery!!! I also love anything crafty. I have 2 daughters aged 24 and 18. The elder can draw beautifully but is not into any of my types of crafts. My younger daughter sews beautifully, in fact she talked me into machine embroidery and we bought our embroidery machine between us. She is also very crafty but doesn't crochet at all!!! She can also bake amazingly and loves to cook, something I loathe, but my mom always loved!!! Strange how our talents can be traced back. They say history repeats itself!!!! I think growing up in a house where most things are hand made makes you want to be more creative. My dad was amazing at woodwork and made beautiful toys for my girls. My brother 'could fix anything that started with a key' and my elder daughter loves to fix things, even down to working on her car!!! Sadly my brother was killed when I was 16 so my girls never knew him, but I see so much of him in Robyn. We are very much of a family who tries to make before buying and we all love to 'upcycle', something I learned about during the '60' and '70's growing up in the Rhodesia. It saves a lot of money as well as being great fun. I am so thankful that I have these talents. Although I am no expert, at least I can do a bit!!
So lovely reading all the other stories. Such talent among us ♥♥

It runs in my family.My grandmother pieced and quilted by hand.I don't ever remember her NOT having a quilt up.She even helped me quilt one, for my oldest daugher out of printed, flowered ,feed sacks.It was more of a bedspread than a quilt.I have a photo somewhere.My mother made all our clothes,dresses mostly and play clothes.My mother crocheted too.My oldest sis and I sew,not the case with my middle sis.I learn to sew at a young age....I have told this story before.My mom got a bolt of fabric, for us 3 girls some gowns.She gave us a pattern and told us to cut our own gowns out and sew them up.If we needed any help,we could ask her,but to follow the directions from the pattern and we would be alright.Well, my oldest sister and I got our gowns made and mom made my middle sisters.We always said she would have slept naked before she SEWED anything!-LOL...My daughters do crafts.My two girls do flower arranging and decorating,one houses, the other cakes.Older daughter also makes bows, which I CANNOT make.lol.. I like to emb, by hand and machine.I enjoy sewing, crochet,cross stitch, and smocking.My love is making baby clothes,although I haven't made any in a while.Thanks for the memories-Toogie

I love these answers, It's up to us to pass these skills on .Maybe if they are not interested today they might be in the future. I want to hear Carolyn.Loralye,Michele and the other Canadian ladies stories. They seem to have a super crafting bug. Come on ladies,even new Cuties,tell us your story
Bev

We are award winning sewists in my family for 4 generations, and many quilters in the older generations too :-) I'm the only one of my generation to sew or craft, my sisters have less than zero interest. I do have a niece that likes the duct tape crafts. I can't have children so don't know if I would have passed the sewing bug down. I'm a child care provider so I do share crafts and sewing with the kids I know and have sewn for each of them over the past 20 years.

I say it skips. My mother taught me my basic embroidery stitches on a rotted pillowcase in 2nd grade, but I only remember her stitching a minute bit of crewel after that. She helped me know how to stitch a seam and a dart and put in a zipper and then said, you know everything I know. The "hard" (textured) polyesters that were in her huge sewing basket that year were still there 43 years later, at her death. Mother only did a small bit of gardening and didn't seem to enjoy it. Very little expression of creativity. My grandmother knew all kinds of handwork and her sister as well, knitting, tatting, embroidery Of course, they grew up when you made your clothes and were judged by how well you did the hand work on them. I have only boys and one son was interested in learning cross stitch, but only enough to make a Mother's Day gift one year. Maybe I'll get a creative DIL someday - I'll put that to prayer!

Both of my grandmothers and my mother were very crafty (mom still is!). One of my grandmothers did primarily knitting - and also made each child a quilted/embroidered baby blanket (all by hand, no machine). My other grandmother crocheted, did ceramics, beading, and a bunch of other things over the years. My mother knitted, sewed, cross-stitched, did art-deco pieces, painted, and now card making. I have done MANY different things in my life (ever since I can remember) - all except knitting/crochet - I never could get the hang of it and now my hands can't take it.

i dont remember either of my grandmothers sewing, knitting or doing anything crafty. My mom on the other hand could sew like there was no tomorrow, she was a wiz with knitting needles, cut crochet stumped her. My sister on the other hand was into almost everything. I learned to knit and crochet from them very early on but never got into sewing, and i dont remember my sister sewing much. I was once told by a lady that i thought had alot of talent that i had more talent in my little finger then she did in her whole body. Ive tried almost everything, got into quilting on a whim and fell in love, bought a new machine and got bitten by the embroidery bug. Now my quilting is ITH because my hands dont work well anymore, but still hooked on jewelry when my hands allow

2 comments

by airyfairy 24 Jan 2014

Welcome to Cute - so good to hear your story.

by cfidl 24 Jan 2014

Welcome to Cute, I can empathize with you! Thanks for posting.

I definitely did not inherit it from my mother. She was a knitter and made some clothes but it had to be useful and practical. My father was the opposite he sketched.painted, made woodwork toys, rugs etc. My grandparents had 14 and 8 children and no time to make items.

One of my sisters is quite crafty and makes lots of items (Got the embroidery bug from me) But she works very much with set patterns.
My brother and other sister do not do crafty things.

Two of our children are interested but are not doing any craftwork at the moment (Lack of time they say) My other child is not interested at all. Maybe when the grand children are a bit bigger..... I can hope!

What a wonderful thread! I have loved reading all of your stories. My grandmother made all of my clothes and said that she learned late because her oldest sister got to work in the house and she had to work in the garden. My great aunt did custom work for the Upper Class ladies in Atlanta, Ga. They brought her original patterns from New York and Paris. She would make these exquisite gowns and hats and coats, then she would get permission from the owners and make clothes for my mother. There are photos of her in some really beautiful clothes that my grandparents could have never afforded.
My mother couldn't hardly put a safety pin on an article of clothing, but she was very bright. She was a math teacher for the gifted children and also taught reading to children with learning disabilities. She worked with both ends of the spectrum!
I have been sewing since I was 13 years old and can't even remember all of the crafts I have gotten involved in. I love tactile art of any kind. I was happy making quilts until the machine embroidery bug bit me. My daughter who is mathematically gifted, like my mother can't sew at all and neither can my sister.
My nephew has shown a little interest in sewing a couple of times, but my 14 yr old niece has not.
My darling daughter-in-law asked for a sewing machine from us for Christmas and I was so excited! She uses it so infrequently, I have to go show her how to thread it all over every time. {sigh}
My two granddaughters are just babies, so we will see what they delve into.

4 comments

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

I remember back in the 60's the kit of the month club,for a few dollars you got a box that contained all of the supplies to make a wishing well ,a pot holder or something to hang on the wall.

by jrob 23 Jan 2014

The biggest thing I remember doing in the 60's was crocheting a "bun" holder. You made it to fit your hair pulled into a bun. I also did lots of crewel work on clothing then.

by bevintex 23 Jan 2014

What is a bun? lol Jerrilyn maybe you could start a new trend here on Cute, We will all put our hair up in buns when we embroider .Remember the crewel purses with the jeweled owls,etc.

by Patricia109 23 Jan 2014

I used to wear those bun holders!! (some folk call "buns" top knots) I remember asking an elderly friend if she had a pattern for them. Instead she offered to make me one. A week later she handed me 4 of them, in 2 different sizes for when my hair was shorter or longer. They finally gave up the ghost some 15 years after she made them for me and lots of wearing. Don't need to wear them any more - cut my hair to shoulder length so I no longer put it up.

I think it is more a case of "will someone else do it for me" than it has skipped a generation. They don't bother to try.
My grandmother born in the 19th century and died early 20th century could crochet like crazy, but couldn't knit. My mother told me that she suffered terribly at school as she was picked on for wearing hand crocheted socks instead of hand knitted socks. Now, you go to the shop and buy them.
My Mother made all my clothes when I was a pre-schooler then Dad was hurt and bed ridden so no time to sew and the new fangled electric Singer was a lemon. So more unpicking than finishing anything.
With Mum as the bread winner and a lemon of a sewing machine no clothes made until I started to make clothes in my later years at primary school and high school. Again, that ruddy sewing machine caused more problems. Why didn't they trade it in?? Most likely worried that they would end up with a worse one!
My younger sister and I sew, but the older one doesn't - someone else will always do it for her.
Tried to teach my kids - boys & girl. But I wasn't patient enough. Paternal GrMother finally taught the girl when she was 30+. Youngest boy is the best at sewing as he had a decent teacher at high school as he attended a different high school to the older two.
Family History shows that my paternal gr grandmother was a sewer - but in the 19th century er 1800s you had to make your own clothes or go naked. She did it for a living. Her daughter, my pat grmother was also a professional sewer, again according to the FH records as I never met the woman.
If you do your sums, I am not that old, just the late child of a late child... :-)

1 comment

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

Now it's just easier for some to buy it than actually make it , I would rather have something hand crafted any day.

While researching my fathers family tree I discovered that my great grand parents donated land for the local school & it was suggested that the daughters could teach sewing.This idea was rejected because they were daughters of Chinese & German migrants.I never met my fathers mother but I remember a beautiful bedspread & pillowsham made by her with small pleated edges,all made persumably on a treadle machine.My other grandmother made all my clothes as well as my cousins but I am the only one who sews,knits & does other crafts.Hopeless where paint is concerned

I think my dad's mom probably did a lot on a farm with 8 kids, but we did not live close enough to know her very well. My mom's mom had nothing and couldn't afford to raise her 7 kids. We didn't have much growing up, but my mom did sew and crochet and crafts and cook. She wouldn't show us how to sew because she didn't figure she knew the right way. All 4 of us girls are good at crafts, sewing, wood working, cooking and anything else. My daughter does nothing. Now at 43. she thinks I have time to teach her. I remind her of the times I tried to teach her. She could beat all the boys at cleaning fish( we owned a resort.) I have tried to teach my 3 gd's and they wanted nothing to do with any of it. I also gave my dil a sewing machine and she gave it back to me. I now have 4 ggd's and hoping I live long enough to teach them something. Isn't life wonderful! sandy

My father's mother (she passed when he was six so I never met her) painted. She did water color, oil, and two trips on a ship to England she learned to paint on porcelain which I still have some of her pieces and paintings. My mom's grandmother sewed and I watched her sitting in her tiny rocking chair (she was 4'8") mending. Both her as we called her Little Grandma and her daughter Big Grandma made many quilts. My mom knitted, tatted, did cooper tooling and sewed but was not one to let anyone watch so I picked up her knitting needles and learned on my own. Back when I was a kid they would send in the mail samples of fabrics and my mom would give them to me and I would hand sew them into doll clothing. Our son is very crafty and our daughter not so much and we try to keep her away from the kitchen and knifes. She is so not coordinated and does admit it. She is able to do cross stitch and loved to make the potholders using the loom when smaller and made jewelry with beads.

Hi Bev, my mom always sewed for us. I think she made just about all our dresses, even my high school formals. But, it really was my grandma who "gave me permission" to just experiment and be creative. It used to bug my mom when I would waste materials and make things without a pattern - LOL. I have found over the years that when it comes to anything crafty, anything fine-motor, I can easily do. My great-grandmother used to quilt - everything - and weave rag rugs with a huge loom, which I can barely remember, but it was really neat. My daughter and granddaughter are both really crafty too. In my case, I think the gene for crafts and fine-motor skills runs pretty straight though and doesn't really skip a generation. We all love to make things. It has been a real bonus for us, as we can make anything we think we need!

4 comments

by katydid 22 Jan 2014

I do think we should encourage the creative aspect. Don't you?

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

My sister says she doesn't have time but she knows I'll make it for her.

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

I don't have daughters. 2 sons who wonder what could I possibly need at a fabric store. lol

by sewilso 23 Jan 2014

That reminds me I also sewed a couple of formals for prom too. I had forgotten all about that. That was before Walmart and every town had at least two fabric stores, almost. Our town of 10000 people had a Singer sewing machine store who sold fabric as did J. C. Penney's. A few years later they opened another just fabric store. Now in that town I think singer may still be in business and that's about it but I don't know if they even sell fabric. Penney's is even gone from there.

i don't know. My Greatgrand Mother was an artist and wonderful seamstress. My Grandmother did not cook or sew. She was into landscaping and had beautiful flower gardens and knew all the botanical names. My mother learned from her Grandmother to sew and studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago. I sew and can not draw worth a flip. My sister is an artist and award winning scrapbooking skills. She can not sew a button on. My daughter is an artist. I gave her two of my older sewing machines and she can't thread them. She broke all her needles because the bobbin was not pushed in all the way. My Granddaughters have not showed any interest so far in sewing or art. They are soccer and karate girls. What else do I say? Kay

1 comment

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

You have a very talented family,they just have different interests.

I am not as crafty as my Mom was but with Home Economics in junior high school, and with Mom's sewing abilities I manage okay. Mom could make anything she wanted without a pattern, we would go somewhere so Dad could go hunting and she would make me a doll dress by hand in the car while he was hunting. My daughters in law won't sew or iron, I know there are a few young people who do sew but I don't know any personally I'm sad to say. I hope to crochet someday too, there are so many cute things on pinterest I think the grandkids would love.

2 comments

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

I don't know a lot of young sewers either. I offered my daughter in law a sewing machine I wasn't using using and she politely declined. So I sold it to a young woman who really wanted to learn.

by katydid 22 Jan 2014

I was going to volunteer to make monogramed pockets for my granddaughter's friends and my daughter told me that none of their Moms knew how to sew them on. I don't the younger generation care to even try to learn sewing skills. Kay

My whole family is pretty crafty and can sew .except my mom all she did was embroidery
Lenamae

Hi Bev, my Mum hasn't got a crafty bone in her body, but my Grandmother was brilliant. She made all our clothes. I've done sewing since a young girl and it was one of my classes at High School for 4 years. I did Folk Art painting for years as well and Patchwork, Dressmaking, Crochet, Knitting, Handwork etc. for Donkey's years. My daughter Dana is useless with a needle and thread, but Amy on the other hand had her work put forward for her Year 12 Art Express. So, it's missed one generation with my Mum, but Amy loves sewing/craft and so does Ophelie! I hope it continues though through all the grand-daughters. Love Chris

1 comment

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

It's an interesting question isn't it. I wonder if we just have more leisure time than Mom did. I do love my crafts!

Bev, I think you are right. My Grandmother did beautiful crochet work and made beautiful quilts. I still have some of the things she made years ago. I sew, crochet, knit, and of course my machine embroidery. My Mother never really got into too much crafting though she did try and do several different things but none that ever lasted. I also went through a period of time when I did ceramics. That too was fun.

5 comments

by bevintex 22 Jan 2014

I also did the ceramics,took some classes and still have a couple of molds collecting dust and a few of my projects here and there, I still have not mastered knitting but I can crochet.

by katydid 22 Jan 2014

In the late 1970's everyone made those ceramic Christmas trees with lights. I laugh as I walk through flea markets and there they are. Ready for a whole new generation!!! Kay

by lilylady 22 Jan 2014

do you remember the jewelry trees done on velvet? I chuckle when I see them at flea markets.

by pcteddyb 23 Jan 2014

We have one of those ceramic trees with lights my grandmother made - put it out every year - on the beaded table cover she made too.

by toogie 24 Jan 2014

My mom made the ceramic christmas trees too.