Handcrafted by me, probably in the late 1960's
Don't you just love it when you discover that your mother saved something that you made as a child? The pot holder pictured above was one that I made as a child. I remember receiving a kit with a metal loom, hook tool, and cotton loops. You stretched the loops over the metal frame and then using the hook tool you weave the loops going the opposite direction. When I first started making pot holders, the loops were cotton, as the one above is. Later, the loops were a synthetic fabric, maybe nylon or polyester. I remember going through a few bags of loops. I liked to color coordinate the pot holders as opposed to making them multi-colored.
I have always been drawn to any type of crafting. In addition to making pot holders, I remember having a pom pom kit (see picture above). You wound yarn around plastic molds, tied the center, cut the yarn. There were different sizes of pom poms you could make. I must have had pom poms on every thing I owned. I dabbled in hook rug making too.
As I matured (no comments here, please) I graduated to macrame, making Christmas candy cane and wreath ornaments. I still hang those on my tree now. Christmas crafts were always a favorite of mine.
I taught myself how to crochet in college. I am left handed and could never find anyone to teach me how to crochet left handed, so I did it myself. The first thing I made was a brown and tan afghan. I never could figure out how to knit though.
Another favorite craft of mine was cross-stitching. I loved to cross stitch. I use the past tense because I have arthritis in my right thumb and cross-stitching now is not an easy thing to do. I have made baby gifts, Christmas gifts, bridal shower gifts and many projects which I kept for myself. I have cross stitched pictures, Christmas ornaments, and pillows. I haven't given up on cross stitching completely. I started a lovely Christmas manger scene on linen and I plan to keep working on it. It is the most difficult project I have attempted. Ibuprofen is my new friend when I cross-stitch.
When I was deciding on a college major, I thought about what I enjoyed doing. I came up with cooking, sewing, working with children and crafts! Voila! A home economics teacher I became. Blending my hobbies with my career was great. Even though I am no longer teaching I still enjoy crafting-when my thumb cooperates! What crafts do you enjoy?
I remember making those pot holders too. I never made pom poms but at some point I started making doll house dolls. I also made a large loom out of curtain stretchers when I was in high school and made myself a poncho. I ended a fine arts degree with a concentration in drawing and printmaking.
ReplyDeleteI used to make those potholders too!I had forgotten all about them.
ReplyDeleteKristin, sounds like you had a creative and fun degree.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, glad I could help you remember.