Handicrafts for the Craftless
Oh, I so want to be able to do wonderful handicrafts! Crafts so beautiful they are worthy to be placed in a cozy little shop on Main Street and sell out the day they hit the shelves. I would love to quilt, sew clothes for my children, knit colorful sweaters, make bars and bars of homemade soap and lotions, concoct all my own cleaning potions, and decorate a wreath Martha Stewart would want to hang on her door.
Even more so, I would love to pass down all those wonderful handicraft abilities to my children. But, alas, no cozy little shop has approached me. They probably have little need for the straight-stiched curtains that hang a little crooked in my bedroom. They probably have no need for a pile of scrap fabrics that I’ve never had time to turn into a pillow for my couch. They probably don’t need my wreaths whose decorations may or may not stay on long enough for the season to pass.
But, I try. I pass on to my children what I know and hope the Lord will bless them enough to be able to take those skills farther than me, if He so desires. I think this plan is working pretty well. My oldest (10)can sew a button, use a sewing machine, knit, crochet, follow a pattern, cook, bake, clean, do laundry, create small floral arrangement, and decorate her room nicely, among other things.
I’ve taught her some of these things, but the Lord has also sent some very lovely people into her life to teach her the things I don’t know. For instance, she really wanted to learn to knit. I haven’t a clue! But, our 91 year old neighbor loves to knit and has been working with my daughter occasionally! I also pick up how-to books at yard sales – how to sew, how to plant a flower garden, how to do small woodworking projects. Both my older children devour the how-to books. They’ve learned a lot (through trial and error sometimes) on their own.
Finally, my daughter is part of a Keepers At Home group and my son is taking a Contenders of the Faith class this year at co-op. I can’t speak highly enough of these programs to teach both boys and girls handicraft and life skills! The Contenders teacher is doing a wonderful job teaching “boy skills” like outdoor survival, fire safety and using tools correctly. Our Keepers group uses the various talents of each of the moms involved to teach the girls homekeeping and handicraft skills. We even schedule outside speakers and field trips sometimes.
Take it from me, your children can learn all the handicrafts they like and need even if you are “craftless”. It just takes a little bit of effort to find others who love sharing their gifts and talents with your children. And, never count yourself out as being “craftless”. When you really think about it, there are all sorts of wonderful skills, habits and crafts you are passing on to your children – even if they aren’t worthy of sitting on the shelf at the cozy little shop on Main Street.
Here are some other posts about our Keepers At Home group.