“There are two reasons to learn something: either because you need it or because you love it.”

Clark Aldrich, Unschooling Rules

To the above quote I would like to add a third reason to learn something: for unforeseen and seemingly unrelated opportunities it may prepare you for.

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Week 4: SEWING

One stitch, two stitch,

red stitch, blue stitch.

Straight stitch, cross-stitch,

old stitch, new stitch.

Ok, ok. . . enough hemming and hollering around. Sewing may be considered an “antiquated” skill . . . something that nobody bothers with anymore (other than Great Aunt Ruth and that weird cat lady across the street); but whether it is a necessary skill anymore is sew beside the point. Sure, clothes these days are mass-produced at absurdly low prices. But they also boast astonishingly low quality. And like many of our modern-day low-quality possessions, clothes are treated as nearly disposable. In short, the mending basket has been replaced by the wastebasket. Instead of sewing on a button, we toss the shirt and buy a new one. Rather than let out a seam or hem we just size up. After all, it’s so much easier, isn’t it? But is it better? Is it even ok? Are we living resourcefully? Or is the way we treat our clothes directly symbolic (if not symptomatic) of the way we treat our planet? And then, of course, there’s the loss of hand skills we have to contend with.

If you think that knowing how to use a needle and thread is irrelevant in our modern society, you’re probably right . . . except of course for . . . umm . . . surgeons, for example.

Personally, I’d love for all surgeons to have stitched up a few shirts and trousers before branching out to more . . . fleshy material. My husband just so happens to be a surgeon and he credits his hand skills back to his childhood days spent tying hundreds of flies for fly-fishing, hours upon hours spent sketching, and . . . yup . . . learning to sew. There’s something they missed when they cancelled Home Economics and increased standardized testing.

But future surgeon or not: sewing is a a fabulous fine-motor skill-builder for kids of all ages. The intricacies of working with thread and needle prepare little fingers for a world of craftsmanship and potential careers. And perhaps as importantly: sewing (in its many forms) is a lovely, simple, grounding, satisfying, and soothing activity. Our kids may not enjoy every aspect of sewing, but they are bound to take to at least one sewing skill, even if it’s just ripping seams . . . which just so happens to be our son’s favorite sewing task thus far 😆 .

So, join us this week in getting nimble with a thimble and thread! Let’s give our children access to new hand-skills and see how far they take them!

Those fiddling little fingers may one day go on to craft a great piece of art, create a revolutionizing piece of machinery, or sew up someone’s chest on the operating table!

SEWING SKILLS WE WILL POST ON THIS WEEK:

• “threading” or “posting”
• lacing
• beading/stringing
• basic stitches
• seam ripping
• sewing a button
• braiding
• weaving
• knitting, crocheting, embroidery, cross-stitch
• quilting

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Need a BOOK to go with Skill School this week?

Sewing Week pairs perfectly with: The Keeping Quilt, by Patricia Polacco

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Want a perfect PLAYLIST to stitch to?

It’s SEW SILLY I know, but this week’s Skill School really pairs perfectly with our: Tea Time Tunes Playlist

And don’t forget to brew a pot of tea! 😆

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Well, here it is: Ten 🧶Sewing Skills🧵 for Kids from One to Ninety-Two!

Thanks ever so much for reading!

Love, ~Our Holistic Homeschool~