What’s Your Skill Set?
I am sore today. It’s pathetic really. I haven’t done enough to be sore, which probably means I need to move around more.
I worked on my woodwork again today. I do enjoy working together with Patience and Noah on my little projects. We talk and sing and share ideas. I teach them tips about cutting and sanding and painting. They may not be convinced that they will use these skills, but I know it will come in handy for them someday.
Like when I was 8 and my grandmother put me in front of her sewing machine and showed me how to use it. Thirteen years went by before I sat in front of another sewing machine, but it all came back to me. I really wish I could show you the matching shorts I made for James and I when we were first married.
I found some Hawaiian style fabric and bought a pattern. “I can sew,” I said to James, “my grandmother taught me.”
It wasn’t pretty. We never wore the shorts and I didn’t sew again for years.
I finally figured it out by watching PBS + trial and error. Once I got the hang of it, I took off. I made all of the girls’ clothes when they were little. I’ve sewn pretty much every home decor item we’ve ever had.
I’m not the best at it, but I’m good enough. Just like my woodwork. It’s good enough and I’m happy with it. Believe it or not, I am not a perfectionist. I am just a detail person.
And it is the details that wore me out today. “Let’s sand this one more time so it looks really good on the back as well as the front,” I’d say to Noah as he handed me a piece that he thought was finished.
I want them to remember the little things. Like I remember my one and only sewing lesson by my grandmother.
Do you have a skill that someone taught you when you were little?
Do you teach your skills to your kids?
Do you get really sore when you work all day on Sunday and wish you had an extra day off?
Awww, what a precious memory! My mom taught me to sew and I still love it! But I remember very fondly this sweet little lady from our church having a sewing class for some of the little girls. I loved every minute of it and we made some adorable things. It’s funny you mention sewing because I am in the process of considering an “upgrade” on my machine. 🙂
I love that you work with your kids on your projects. That is prime time! So many little opportunities to peek into their hearts or to sow new things there. Not to mention more time to just be SILLY!!! And silliness is always time well spent, right?
I sew. My mom taught me the basic when I was young, but she didn’t like sewing that much and her machine frustrated me. Fast forward to me as a young mom and I really wanted to sew. A friend helped me with any questions I had and off I went! I still sew for my girls, and for my home! Love it!
My Mom taught me how to embroider and sew and encouraged me in many areas – and although I didn’t do much in those areas when I left home. When I picked them up again it was like riding a bicycle.
I hope to pass on similar skills to the girls and I am making them redo things when I think they give up too easy.
I find that when I do something different like sand furniture, I’m using muscles I don’t usually use and I’ll be sore the next day.
My husband is very good about showing our boys what he knows. My daughter blew past me when it came to sewing. I like to draw and paint more than anything and she’s not very interested in that. BUT she does have the urge to learn how to cook and so we enjoy doing that together.
Have a super duper day!
My Mom taught me to sew, crochet, knit and these skills have served me well over many years. She also was very into Christmas crafting which I took part in and still love. Now….my new skill set I’m learning….POWER TOOLS!