General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

There's no reason I can think of why girls don't have the option learn metal work, carpentry etc in school, and the boys don't learn sewing, knitting, cookery. That's so stupid, but that's how it was when I was at school.

Tom, I feel for you. I never knew how to use a sewing machine either as mum didn't sew but, when I got married, one of the first things I bought when I lived in Germany was a sewing machine. Hadn’t a clue how to use it, but I met friends of my husband, and the wife was a brilliant seamstress. She taught me how to use the machine and, after a few short lessons, I got it, and managed to make myself some nice things.

I was taught to knit by my grandma when I was around 6 years old. It was my birthday and she gave me a little pair of red plastic knitting needles and some little balls of wool. She taught me how to cast on and I was so pleased when I finally knitted a "scarf" about 3” x 6”. Ten years later I started to knit from patterns and made myself lots of jumpers using plain and a few different stitches. I haven’t knitted anything now for many years as my old fingers can’t work the needles any longer, but you keep at it with your sewing Tom. You’ll get there.