I’m passionate that we as a society, should share our crafting knowledge with younger generations.
I’m referring to the fact that in this modern, fast paced, throw away world we live in, skills and knowledge of crafts and pastimes will be lost forever unless we make a conscious effort to preserve them and ensure we hand them down to future generations.
Early beginnings
I originally started this blog as an aside to my design business. Somewhere to share my creative journey, albeit at the time on a very sporadic basis.
However, since those early days it has become a more integral part of my business, a product in itself, if you like.
I enjoy sharing my knowledge not only on here, but also in classes and workshops with real live people.
Treasure the past
This “live” knowledge has a quality that learning from books or the internet lacks. It’s the human element…the sharing of ones time. Spending time with loved ones, whether that’s friends or family, actually creating something.
Creating something tangible like this, gives it a story, a memory. You’ll look back and remember so much more about the occasion than if you only ever watch random videos on the internet.
In the old days, you know pre-internet when the world was in black and white (as my boys used to think), people shared their knowledge in a way that is fast being lost.
Skills such as sewing, knitting and crochet were handed down or passed on from one person to another. I learnt to sew by watching my mother, nothing formal, I just took it in. I loved it. It was something that we shared, just the two of us. She also taught me how to *knit, and I remember those times fondly.
Learning these skills wasn’t always straightforward. I’m left handed and so when my sister-in-law taught me how to crochet, it was a challenge. One that we overcame together.
*For those who are wondering, I knit right handed!
Embrace today
Nowadays, people move around far more, for university, for work or simply to experience new cultures. Wonderful on lots of levels, but it does mean that families are not really multi-generational anymore. We simply live too far apart.
This is why we need to make the effort to share our skills and knowledge while we can with those we love.
This may be as simple as attending a class or workshop occasionally, rather than only reading books or watching the internet. Make the most of learning from other people, while we can, before it’s too late.
Until next time…
