texasbuilder Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Here is an excerpt from The Week magazine. "With the economy sputtering, doing it yourself is making a big comeback. Home Depot is reporting record attendance at its home-repair classes and a community center in Minnesota just added four sewing classes to its schedule." Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Yup they might kick them selves later, they are thinking of discontinuing the pond stuff at my work because it hasn't sold very much since November hmmm i wonder why. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Oh sewing class! When I was a young girl, my Mom and Dad enrolled me in the Singer sewing school. I learned many things. In the class I made a denim handbag and a wrap around skirt. (that tells you how long ago that was). If that was brought back to my area, like if Jo-Ann`s does it..I for one would want to go back for a refresher course. I think the only classes they teach now are for the really complicated machines (embroidery). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninky Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I would love to learn sewing myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 If I could turn back time I would like to go back to school and rather than learn cooking/sewing, would now love to take up woodworking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Schools must have been 'way different where you were, Wolfmeister; our highschool wouldn't let any girls take any of the shop classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Boy, can I ever relate to this! For years all I have wanted for my birthdays, etc., and tools. I love restoring furniture. In high school girls were not allowed to attend shop class either. I want some more tools (and I want to know how to use them!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Mary, somewhere (I think on the general Forum) we had a thread or two going listing all our tools!lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avidcrazyquilter Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Shop wasn't offered when I was in school either but am happy it is now. My Granddaughter is taking it this year. I encouraged her as she was thinking of being an architect. Don't know if she will stick with it as the schools have so many requirements she HAS to take like a foreign language that takes one of her electives and she is in Tennis too. Julie C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokelly Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I graduated in the mid 90s from High school and boy times change. We were required to take Wood Shop in Middle School where we learned to use power tools and all kinds of fun things, and Home Ec where we had to sew and cook. Everyone, boys and girls were required to take both. We had to take it for 2 months every year. I loved Shop until 8th grade when they determined we couldn't be trusted with tools that young and changed to it mechanical drawing. In High School we had a few girls take wood shop, and metal shop was also available, but not many took it. I regret it now. I wish I had taken woodshop. I still have an end table my brother made when he took it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merry Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Mary, somewhere (I think on the general Forum) we had a thread or two going listing all our tools!lol Thanks, Holly! I'll have to look up that thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Julie, do they still require architect students to take German, do you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butlerestates Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I took Shop class and home Eq. I did better in shop class because I liked it better. The sewing bored me and the cooking was lame because they had us do a group project. I was used to cooking dinner every night at home because my mom worked so I made the food and let the others in my group clean up. I really don't think there was much learning going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmarm Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Wolfie, I'm with you on the wood working classes! I did home ec (Ich!) and made a hideous orange apron and some sort of 'Swedish Embroidery' huck towel. I loved university where I could go dig in the dirt through my archeology degree. I had the opportunity to hold some of the bones of a famous SC Rev. general as we relocated his grave in the 1970s. I was later a bone lab manager and loved every minute. In my early years I was told I could be a 'mommy', 'teacher', or 'nurse'. Geez, I guess I became all those without a degree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Shop wasn't offered when I was in school either but am happy it is now. My Granddaughter is taking it this year. I encouraged her as she was thinking of being an architect. Don't know if she will stick with it as the schools have so many requirements she HAS to take like a foreign language that takes one of her electives and she is in Tennis too. Julie C. Hi, Julie! Are you a Big Spring native? I lived there as a child myself! Anyway-the state of Texas now requires 4 years of math, English, history, and science to graduate. And she will have to have foreign language to get in just about any college except maybe a jr. college. The tennis counts as her PE which she also has to have. NCLB has made it tough on high school students. As for sewing, I was a home ec major when I started college, before I changed to a dble major in art/home ec. I made everything I or my young boys wore except their jeans and coats, for years. I made all the curtains, quilts, upholstered antique chairs and even one sofa. I can't imagine not sewing, although about all I make anymore is quilts. However I never touched a power tool until I was in college art and had to learn to use a scroll saw-now I love it, my finishing sander, dremel, etc. But DH has every kind of tool-lathes, planers, etc, and I never use them. No reason, just don't have the urge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 You will if you get into making your own furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 TRue, Holly. I keep thinking about that lathe....we can add a mini lathe attachment to it for a pretty reasonable price. My son wants to get one anyway. He makes beautiful turned boxes vases, etc, and has figured out how to make a Lone Star in a turned piece....he could sell those faster than he could make them around here. Wouldn't a mini Lone Star vase be perfect for my farmhouse?? Anyway, you're right. Once we get the shop set up, I will have to get out there and see exactly what all is there...one machine that's about 8 ft long, I recognize the lathe on it, but not much else! I'm sure I could build just about anything with what's there, but they are all full size, not mini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Build a BIG doll house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nechee Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I took shop and home ec. Although it was Industrial Art and Social Studies where I went to school. My mother taught me how to sew so I took the cooking part when we took social studies. I still can't cook that great, although my husband has learned no critisism or he will have to cook and he hates cooking. I still have the wooden bank I made in the 7th grade. I tried to make a vase in 8th grade but it broke. Also still have the plastic ashtrays I made in 7th grade too. Although I think it was a prerequisite for shop teachers to not have all their fingers. I went to a different school in the 8th grade and my teacher only had 7 fingers. My 7th grade teacher at least had 9 fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The last printshop/ bindery I worked in my foreman was missing three fingers and most of his toes! The first piece of dh furniture I made from scratch was the kitchen table in the pub, with turned legs, and I turned them on DH's full-sized lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I am definitely going to get my son to teach me how to use the lathe! But I really want us to get a mini one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcmorrison Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Wow! You guys are really into the tool thing. I still have to learn to use my dremel, and quick. I really need it to work on the roombox that I still have yet to finish. I can do without it, but why? I have one, just need to learn to use it. I didn't take Home Ec or Shop in middle school. Didn't need the cooking part of it, Mom and older sis taught me to cook. I learned to sew in a class in hs and haven't used the ability much since. But, I do know how. And it's like riding a bike, to me. I haven't forgotten, even after 20 years. Corwin, Do the people you work for have ANY sense? Don't they know it's really cold outside? And very few people want to work outside when it's that cold? Sometimes you just have to shake your head and walk away. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Oh the people i work for have plenty of sense, it those big wigs that makes you wonder, when some one at work ask me where something is, rather than telling them I show it to them. Don't get me wrong I adore my job but sometimes I wonder why the company pays the people a couple more figures than i amke to plan the store. I mean really, I can see them wanting it to be alike however make some since about it, they do do some nice work, but a lot of time you stop and wonder why. One good thing did come of that I got a 150.00 pump for 25.00, we have three ponds so I bought the last two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiemae Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 In Israel girls and boys lean both woodworking mechanics and also sewing and cooking. This is to prepare them for their three years in the army. It has been this way since the 1950's. I went to high school in the USA. All girls. Like most girls in the 1960's I made an apron in sewing but we did have a wood shop and it was were I learned to use tools. First thing I built a loft bed for our dorm room. It was awful ugly, but it was sturdy. Mostly I used my skills dong large art projects even all through college. My husband went to public school and made a cutting board and a small box he calls a "trunk". He never was much good at DYI! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra from Olde Cape Cod Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 If anyone is hesitating to buy a cordless drill/screwdriver, just to let you know the new lithium batteries a quite a bit lighter that the old ones. Used one for the first time yesterday to hang curtains and I think I need to ask for one of my own for my birthday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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