A Homemaking Lesson Learned from Mother White

Library of Congress - Wartime conservation through home sewing in 1943

I learned to knit and crochet, as a young girl. One of my Aunts taught me some basic stitches. I continued to work with yarn on my own, until I was in my mid-teen years. . . By then I was too busy to bother with it anymore.

Somehow, I forgot how to do it. . .

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child. I was living with my husband's parents for a short time.  I spent each day, at home, with Mother White (my husband's mother). She was the classic housewife and kept a lovely home.  We would sit in the livingroom every afternoon and crochet while watching her soap operas.

I remember her re-teaching me how to work with the yarn. She would teach me a few stitches and then head into the kitchen to greet one of her visitors, or start cooking. I remember, repeatedly going back to her and saying, "What was I supposed to do?" or "How do I do that stitch again?" She patiently showed me, with a kind smile, and was proud of my efforts.

I never saw Mother White with a pattern, or book of stitches. She knew them in her mind, just like she knew her recipes.  Because of the stitches she taught me, I still remember exactly how to crochet her way. To this very day, I can crochet a baby bonnet, blanket, or scarf from memory without having to think about it. The pattern is permanently embedded in my mind, where Mother White carefully, and patiently, passed it on to me - just like a valuable family recipe.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Wisdom from Colonial Days  - To Earn and Not to Spend.

Some Help - The Secret to a Clean House.

Advice for Hard Times  - How the Old Time Mothers Survived Poverty.

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