Home Ec Skills|3.26

[bestcee]

So, in grade 9 I took a home ec class where we did cooking. Then, grade 10 I took a class where you helped those with disabilities, and she was in a sewing class.
I am lucky that I learned how to make bread from my mom and aunts. I learned how to sew from my mom and learned a lot more in that class! We made a winter coat.

Did you ever take home ec? Do you have skills that others consider old fashioned or out dated?

 

[HavaDrPepper]

Yes, I took it.

No, no skills here. I never kept up with them. I learned how to sew in home ec. That was the extent of it. We also learned basic cooking skills. I did baking as a teen but cooking, nope. Mom never made me do it and she hated to cook so really fixed very basic meals. What I do know how to cook, I basically taught myself when I moved into my first apartment. And, it isn't easy cooking for one person.

 

[Kiana]

I took it. I can bake and cook and sew some basics.

 

[IntenseMagic]

I don't remember taking it at all. I may have and just don't remember, it was a lot of years ago, but I don't think so. I can bake and sew, by hand and with a machine. Most of the skills I have my mom taught me. Now I teach kids to do those things through my program. I just recently showed a senior boy how to fix a tear in his hoodie and he did a great job. I think he was super proud of himself. They are all pretty good at sewing on a button

 

[rdjrneace]

I took 2 years and was actually the Vice President of the FHA (Future Homemakers of America) however I also took Bookeeping and Typing at the same time so I was studying to be a homemaker and a secretary at the same time.

 

[AJK]

Yes, Courtney! I am old enough ( or should I say fortunate enough?) to say that when I was in High School at least two years of Home Ec were required. One semester of each year was cooking, the other was sewing. I took 4 years. Didn't really learn to cook, back then I didn't see it as an art form like I do now. Food Network didn't exist, and neither did the term "foodie" LOL! About 10 years ago I caught on how creative cooking really can be. Husband and son (who frequently has requested dishes) are glad! No more tuna noodle casserole! ha.

My Mom really is the one who taught me to sew beginning at age 10. My Grandmother used to sew entire garments by hand, and her MIL was a seamstress. So I guess it isn't surprising that I am delving in to textile arts. I conceived the idea of a mixed media Art to Wear jacket two years ago. The concept had to incubate for quite a long time! I found a garment pattern, but after months of searching, no tutorials, no demos of how to begin. I gathered materials over 6 months; learning to dye fabrics and painting textiles to construct the garment pieces I have more mistakes than I care to count, but even more lessons for the next one! I am very thankful to all who taught me over the years! And I am glad to see so many young women turning to learn these skills!

 

[3BluEyedBabies]

yes, I took home ec...tech ed, too! I can sew a little, cross-stitch, crochet, and cook pretty darn well! I cook a lot of the things my grandmothers used to make for us ...PA Dutch cooking! Apparently, my cooking must have rubbed off on my daughter as she is going to a career and technology school for culinary arts for half a day next school year, and a full day her senior year if all goes well! Another thing I still do that my grandmother's (and moms) taught me was washing dishes by hand & how to thoroughly clean the house...as in wiping baseboards, doors, and walls with Lysol...all of which always make me feel like we are living in a clean, little cocoon right now! I'm sure there are plenty of other things but I can't think of them right now, but they sort of make me feel closer to my late grandmother and I teach my kids how to bake or cook or clean like Mom-Mom!

 

[bonnenuit]

I year of cooking and 2 years of sewing in junior high school. The cooking class was a joke. I learned to cook and bake from my mom (and my dad - he was a baker for many years before turning to home construction). During high school and college I sewed most of my clothes.

Other skills: Ironing and folding a fitted sheet.

 

[AJK]

I year of cooking and 2 years of sewing in junior high school. The cooking class was a joke. I learned to cook and bake from my mom (and my dad - he was a baker for many years before turning to home construction). During high school and college I sewed most of my clothes.

Other skills: Ironing and folding a fitted sheet.

IRONING! I am not sure how many young people have ever ironed. I had to learn because my work/study program gave me the job of assisting the University's First Lady. I had to polish silver, dust, vaccum, polish, and even set up a Christmas tree. But that was nothing compared to ironing the Presidents white shirts! I was always so nervous. She taught me just how he liked them done. Then I married a man with a soldier's heart, but rarely got to iron his uniforms because he too was particular about them. ha.

 

[crlin]

I had cooking and sewing in junior high. Took secretarial classes in high school and majored in Home Ec in Junior College! My minor was in Business (secretary) and that was what I used after I graduated. I did a lot of sewing when my children were little and lots of crafts. I never really did that good though - always had a problem getting sizes right! Oh yes, I had to iron all my clothes! I'm so lazy now! Ha Ha!

 

[Angela Toucan]

my mum taught me to sew, she was a professional seamstress.

 

[littlekiwi]

At intermediate school (the two years before high school) I took both sewing which I wasn’t much good at cause I couldn’t thread a needle or cut anything straight. I did do cooking too but can’t remember what I learnt.

 

[cookingmylife]

I did have some sort of home-ec in high school but by then I was a pretty good cook myself having watched my Nana all my life and then watching the brand new Julia Child shows on PBS. Both my Nana, who lived with us almost all my life, and my mother were excellent seamstresses. I felt I had no need to learn sewing as I had my clothes made 'on demand' at home. Yes, spoiled. I do recall the project in Home Ec being making an apron. ugh. I hated it as it was one of those silly half aprons you see all women wearing in the 50s 60s sitcoms. I knew, as my Nana taught me by example, that in cooking you'd best cover your whole front. Splatters do not stick to below the waist.

I did sew quite a bit in my years in England though so I must have learned much by osmosis. The two projects I recall the most were a Barbie pink satin pantsuit, with the tunic top overlaid with lace over the front and back. Oh to have a photo of that! As my 1st pregnancy advanced, I made a full length jumper dress, empire waist and scoop neckline of - gorgeous red plaid very fine wool. That bodice part was also on the bias. Can you fathom making this at 8 months pregnant? It was for a New Year's party and I had to cut the wool out by laying it on the floor and doing my best not to tip over with the big belly. As with that satin job, I only wore this jumper one time and wish I had photos of the process and my 'new' pregnancy cleavage bursting over the neckline. Oh to be young and wild!

 

[cfile]

Ha Ha Courtney.. Yup I took Home Ec in 7th grade... I learned to make the obligatory Tuna casserole with the canned tuna and the potato chip crust .. (I will never eat that again... I hate heated canned tuna! LOL) We also made a skirt with a zipper in it (the only time I put a zipper in anything!!) We got extra credit if we wore the skirt to school.. I actually liked my skirt!! BTW it was really funny last August at my 40th reunion the daughter of the Home Ec teacher came to the reunion and sat at my table... all the girls we all talked about her Mom to her (she - Jackie the daughter, moved before graduation so she didn't graduate with us, but came to the 40th to see us all!!) and talked about what we made.. one of the girls (wow we are old ladies now!) said she is still making one of the recipes her mother gave us (some sort of scalloped potatoes??) Anyway, Jackie was happy we talked so highly of her Mom as her Mom passed away many years ago and it made her smile we all remembered her. I laughed as we had tons of memory flashbacks of wearing our outfits for the extra credit!

I really learned everything from my Mom!

 

[BevG]

I took home ec in middle school and 1 year in high school. I learned some finer skills like how to cook eggplant, but really my mom taught me. I was the oldest of 6 kids so I become #1 helper very quickly.

My mom taught me to sew when I was 10. By high school I was making almost all of my own clothes. That continued until I had my children -- and by then there was not enough time - and sewing was more costly than buying pre-made. I even made two different winter coats and my wedding dress. I have sewed some in the past few years, but I don't enjoy it as much any more.

 

[HavaDrPepper]

Reading these replies it stands out to me that most of us either learned or didn't learn from someone in our daily life and not necessarily at school.

My mom was the 2nd daughter in her family. Her sister was 4 years older. So when my grandmother who was an awesome cook started having the girls help with chores the older daughter got the cooking lessons. Since Mom was younger she did most of the house cleaning. My aunt ended up being a great cook. My mom a very good house cleaner until her allergies/emphysema prevented her from doing it anymore. I learned how to keep a clean house and how to hide the clutter quite well! (throw it in the basement and close the door! but it is all cleaned out now)

My dad's mother was a seamstress and had her own shop. Her daughters all learned how to sew and have passed that on to their daughters. The boys... well, they didn't so it didn't get passed on.

My mom did teach herself how to knit which is something her mother never did. She didn't make a lot but she had an afghan pattern that she made over 20 of. I found the pattern a couple years ago with a list of everyone she made it for and in what colors! I've dabbled with learning to knit and would like to make one of those afghans myself. Hopefully some day. In my younger years I was majorly in to doing counted cross stitch. I would still love to do it but the eyes just aren't the same. It is hard to see those tiny holes. My mom never got into any crafts except knitting. Well, except for putting photos in albums with notations of who is in them... yes, she scrapbooked back in the 50's/60's. I never knew she had a wedding album until 6 or 7 years after she died. I found it when cleaning out a closet. It was falling apart so I transferred everything to a CM album. I wish I could have shared this hobby with her but I didn't take it up until after she died.

 

[AJK]

I took home ec in middle school and 1 year in high school.
My mom taught me to sew when I was 10. By high school I was making almost all of my own clothes. ...I even made two different winter coats and my wedding dress...

@BevG WHAT?!!! Your wedding dress??!! Wow!

 

[SharLamb]

I too am of the generation where home-ec was required. I’d already been sewing doll clothes with an electric machine, but in home ec they made us rotate thru, so I actually also learned to use a treadle machine! I remember sewing an apron with a towel attached, and a gorgeous green and yellow plaid dress. In my 40s I took a tailoring class at a community college...sewed a couple of prom dresses, and my opus, a tuxedo for my son. I’m not so ambitious any more. I spend way more time with digital art/computer than with my (incredible) Janome or Babylock serger. But today I WILL be breaking out the Janome and sewing a few masks for a nurse friend of mine. I’ve also learned to quilt (practical and artsy)...sewed bicycle clothing for DH and DS, a ski jacket or two (using Gortex), and several Raggedy Andys, which my son, Andy, gave to girlfriends! I got one of them back after a break-up. We’ve used cloth napkins for over 50 years, all sewn by me...made easier when the serger was part of my equipment. ...home decor...all manner of baby gifts. Can’t really think of much I haven’t sewn.

My mother was an uninspired cook and would rather do it herself than deal with the slow-down and mess a kid-helper would be. So home-ec cooking was helpful to me. I baked everything our family ate...cookies to the moon and back! My Montana Aunt taught me how to bake bread, and she talked me through preparing my first full meal when I was 12 years old. It was a HOT August day in Montana, and she was 9 months pregnant and couldn’t get off the couch! But I was never much of a cook until I took a few professional lessons. I still have always needed to have a recipe to follow, but my son and DIL have inspired me to wing it, and I have become even better. My favorite food I make is fish and chips. Well, the fish (cod). I’ve never mastered the chips. Once Dave ran to 5-Guys to buy the French fries we served guests with the fish!

My mom taught me the basics of knitting, and I was self-taught in other fine skills such as crocheting, needle-point, counted cross-stitch, macrame. Most of these are well in my past. Again...digi art reigns.

 

[AnneofAlamo]

My favorite class was home ec! I loved it so much! I would tell my counselors, I don't want to go to college, I want to be a mom and homemaker! I love sewing, cooking (and ironing...I used to take in other people's for pay) I can iron for hours...LOVE the smell!
Sewing is so expensive now. It is cheaper to buy new.
I enjoy cooking and keeping my home.

 

[amien1]

I think I'm about the same age as you Courtney- but we didn't have home ec. I wish! Thankfully, my mom is an awesome cook, seamstress, etc. so everything I know I learned from her! Thankfully, we're super close (even if we dont live super close) and I call her to ask questions all the time! Yesterday was her 60th birthday & I just cannot wrap my head around that! I guess that means I'm almost 40!