Trade Skills

Recently, I've been enthusiastic about baking, sewing, tatting, and beading, and spent a lot of time at craft and hobby stores getting supplies to get started. In the past, I've crocheted, needle pointed, cross stitched, quilted, done macramé, learned cake decorating and unsuccessfully tried knitting and whittling.  

While funneling too much money into supplying and setting up my new projects, I wondered when all these things that used to be a way of life...one's daily work or a trade skill...became hobbies and crafts. Creating most of these resulting products was usually the woman's responsibility.  Some, like cooking, sewing, knitting, and quilting, were for survival.  Others were to make a drab life enjoyable by decorating one's surroundings.

I can't imagine spinning my own yarn or thread, or weaving my own fabric (as boring as one of my design's would be).  The possibility of having only one or two needles scares me because it's so easy to loose them.  My stomach turns at the thought of food prepared without my collection of spices from around the world and the convenience of my electric oven.

Then there's the whole range of outdoor tasks that have become hobbies like fishing, hunting, and gardening.

I'm glad I live in a time that I can do these things for fun and relaxation.  And when the spirit moves me rather than for survival.