Womanly arts

[Jackie7]

So aside from dressing, what is your interest in traditional womanly arts? Did you teach yourself, learn from women in your family, learn from your spouse, take a class...or maybe you have highly evolved avoidance strategies?

Do you know how to sew on a button, mend a hem, shorten a skirt? can you hand wash lingerie and sweaters, dry them properly? do you iron? Do you know how to fold linens? I've learned to do a lot of this and enjoy doing it, my wife is a great example and teacher, as was my mother.

Do you bake, cook, organize parties and events? My wife excels at all of this, whether en femme or en drab I am the kitchen minion, scullery maid, barbecue boy.

How about crafts like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting? My mother taught me the basics of these and other female crafts but I never did them seriously. These days my wife and I both find these crafts too ditzy to do, though we share deep appreciation for the beautiful results of others' labor.

Please share how it is for you.

[Cheryl T]

I can sew a little and mend a hem when needed. I do my hand washing and all the folding and some ironing. I'm self taught in those respects from years of being in the closet...that light was too dim to do anything great...lol.
I can cook a little (enough to survive and not kill anyone), but knitting and the like are not my forte.

[Kate Simmons]

If you are asking if I could hold my own with crocheting, knitting and sewing, the answer is nope.:battingeyelashes::)

[Lorileah]

Do you mean can I paint like Mary Cassat or Georgia O'Keefe, no I can't. Womanly arts? Welcome to 2013. I just posted in another thread about prejudice and intolerance and how "we" may be the ones who help instill it. My SIL is an excellent carpenter by the way, also good at cooking and cleaning.

[EllenJo]

I learned to cook, sew (basic repairs), how to do laundry properly, all from my mother who taught me before I went off to college. My first wife was an aweful cook so I did most of it, when she left me with two teenage daughters, I learned about women's sizes of clothes and how to hand was delicates, ironing, folding, ect... My current wife and I always shared household duties until she became ill 2 years ago. Now I just do it all and always love to do it en femme. I don't knit but have thought about it, I can embroider some and do enjoy it. For me housework actually makes the current situation more bearable and also increases the feminine feelings that I so enjoy.
Hugs
Ellen Jo

[anna kate]

Doesn't everybody get trained in basics by their mom? I was taught to do most basic stuff, sew buttons, iron, cook, etc. Made a dress for myself once. Came out good, but what a hassle, won't happen again. I'll stick to the basics and get my clothes from the rack.

[Beverley Sims]

Knitting, sewing and coking were my three arts.
I also helped my wife with ceramics often.

[reb.femme]

I help my wife with the ceramics. Well, I put the plates out and she puts the food on them :heehee:.

Actually, I learnt to cook with the help of my wife, couldn't fry an egg when we first got together. I'll attempt most recipes and make all my own sauces etc. Washing and ironing also picked up from the boss, so I'm very independent these days.

Anyway, we both work, so only fair I do something. I can't say I ever saw my dad push a hoover around the house. That said, I do all the DIY and she makes me tea with cakes/biscuits etc.

Rebecca

[suchacutie]

For years I (as a guy) seemed not to fit in the normal guy/girl separations. All those things listed in the op were just "normal" to me, but not things that I brought up in general conversation. If it was mentioned that I knew how to crochet, I'd always get strange looks. I just never admit I can knit (I'm not fond of it anyway). No one batted an eyelash when I got out the chainsaw or the tiller or the tractor to plow snow. Take out a needle and thread and (outside of my wife or mother) I get looked at like I have 10 heads :(.

So, is there anything that Tina can't do in the realm of what she would be expected to do as a woman? I don't think so, because I've been doing them in both genders for years. Since we discovered Tina it just doesn't seem odd anymore!

[aly01]

I learned from watching my mom. I can sew, cook, iron, clean.

[RebeccaLynne]

As the first-born with six younger siblings, I learned about household chores from my Mom. I did everything I could to help out, which included house cleaning, dish washing, laundry, ironing and sewing.

I would hesitate to designate the things I've listed above as "womanly arts" in my own case, though. They were necessary in the course of managing a rather large family.

Never learned to knit, crochet, embroider, or quilt, as my Mom didn't do any of them. She didn't have time with seven children! :eek:

[KayleeTaylor]

I can sew, cook, clean, iron, etc, etc. I do it all :) Probably because I am a single father raising a daughter.

[WandaRae2009]

I can sew, my mother showed me when I was young and it stuck. If something needs sewn in the house it would be me. I don't think my wife would know how to turn on the sewing machine. Also, cooking, and baking falls on me as well. It is me that does the holiday baking in the house and trying to pass that down onto my daughter. My son has no interest. I guess my tendencies may be what sparked these interest and desire to learn from my mother. Not my wife's fault but that type of stuff was not handed down in her family.

[wilt575]

I don't necessarily see some of these as womanly arts, when living alone some things are just everyday things. Cooking, cleaning, laundry etc that we learn at home. After marriage kept doing my share and enjoy doing so. I worked on an assembly line for years so doing things with hands, such as crafts in free time was natural. Hobbies are crocheting, crossstich (counted), crocheting, latch hook rugs etc. Something to do with hands in evenings and spare time. Weather dressed or not, love hobbies.

[robindee36]

I don't consider them womanly, perhaps more the androgynous skills. Cooking, sewing, house cleaning laundry, ironing. All self taught with the help of many cable programs, the internet, trial and error and some helpful girlfriends. Am I really good at any of these, likely not but certainly passable ;)

In todays topsy-turvy world where traditional M-F rolls are blurred or even reversed, I consider it pretty normal. My lingerie is clean, skirts and blouses pressed, house clean and kids nicely clothed and well fed (healthy and nutritious too).

Only missing part is most of this is done in drab, but what the heck.

Hugs, Robin

[binx]

Really, yall? Feeding yourself, cleaning up after yourself, keeping your clothes presentable, or mending minor clothing issues are not "womanly arts." Those are some of the most basics tasks in life. It's called being a grown up, not a womanly art lol..

I guess I could see how some of you would view things like knitting as womanly... I could say that ballet, cheerleading, and good taste in fashion are "womanly arts" but that would be quite the stereotype, yes?

The way to break free of your own gender stereotypes is NOT to jump headfirst into the stereotypes of another gender.

[Lilith]

As a GG this strikes me as a little sexist. "Womanly arts"? Really? It is no longer the 1950's where women are trained to be housewives. We are human beings who learn skills from both our mothers and fathers and we pursue those which we find interesting.

[robindee36]

Careful Binx, I was a cheerleader just not the skirted type ;)

Hugs, Robin

[binx]

Robindee, that was exactly my point lol! Former cheerleader to former cheerleader, I salute you!

[Lorileah]

I could say that ballet, cheerleading, and good taste in fashion are "womanly arts" but that would be quite the stereotype, yes? :yt: Tell Baryshnikov, Nureyev, the men on most of the Nationally Ranked cheer squads (look at the women they get to hang out with...pretty macho if you ask me), Yves St Laurant, Lauren, Versace...

I saw something the other day about women and what they can/cannot do and the person posted "I dare any of you to take a lap with Danica Patrick."


The way to break free of your own gender stereotypes is NOT to jump headfirst into the stereotypes of another gender. Funny how that works here isn't it?

[darla_g]

I create jewelry. I don't exactly think that it is a "womanly" art, but I fully acknowledge that probably more women than men do that.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

I Love to Bake and enjoy playing "June Cleaver" in the kitchen. Then again I was in love with her outfits as much as the cooking.

I can sew a little and have my own sewing machine but never seem to find to time to learn how to properly use it. I've done some simple work under my wife's instructions but am no where near ready to tackle a project on my own. I do hope to someday make my own skirts and blouses.

I iron and do the laundry and prefer to be enfemme when doing that although that is always the case.

[Lynn Marie]

I learned to do laundry and iron quite well in Junior High School while living with my father. I wanted to look good! I learned to sew after the Army, I was a sport parachutist and needed to be able to keep my gear in shape, I own a Pfaff. As a matter of basic survival, I cook well enough to feed myself and occasionally host a friend over. I learned to organize events for my CD girlfriends every week simply because no one else was doing it and it's easy for me.

[Ceri Anne]

I learned to do most womanly arts when I was young either on my own, from my mother or in Scouts. My mother didn't sew, so patches and buttons were for me to figure out. I learned to cook from my mom, and in Scouts. When I got married, I taught her to cook. I was in the Navy and perfected the art of ironing and laundry, although I did laundry growing up as did my kids. In fact my son and daughter both learned laundry and cooking. Both are excellent cooks. I am the party organizer, and host. I also set a table the best butler would be proud of. I also picked out the china patern. I do the majority of decorating and flower garden planning. I've made jewelry, furniture, cut custom mats for pictures. I don't mind cleaning bathrooms, but will do anything to get out of dishes.

[lovetobedani]

Growing up my mother required all the kids in the family to help in the house. I naturally gravitated toward cleaning, vacuuming, laundry and cooking. I never thought of these tasks as gender specific. If they are in fact more fem than so be it.

[Candice Mae]

Womanly arts = sewing and cooking? Its not 1950 anymore, this is kind of sexist...

[lingerieLiz]

I can do most of the things that women do. Sew, yes several things from dresses to nightgowns. Today it is cheaper to buy. As for cooking I'm addicted duplicating gourmet recipes. I do laundry, can iron and clean too. But, my wife does all of the above too. Been told I would have made a great wife for someone.

[julia marie]

I don't consider ironing my clothes or sewing on a button as "women's work". They are part of life, and they are my responsibility when it comes to my clothes. I've been ironing my own clothes since junior high (and doing my own laundry almost as long), which I guess was 50 years ago. Doing a hem? I'll go to the cleaners/tailor for that. It's not a gender thing, but what they are good at. Sewing, as in making clothes from scratch? My mother did that for a while for my sisters, but I think she reached a point where she realized the time involved, combined with the cost of patterns and materials, wasn't worth it.

[AndreaSC]

I cook and bake...7th grade Home Ec...Still love doing BOTH!!! I use to do needle point, I can sew on a button, just about anything with sewing. Learned how to iron from my dad.

[Robin777]

I learned to cook and bake when I moved out on my own. It was either that or starve. When I was younger, I was into crafts. Did macrame and hooked rugs when I was a kid. Something most boys would have never done. I still have the rugs.The macrame I sold. My mother tried to teach me to knit,but me being left handed I could never pick it up. I clean and do laundry,mainly to help the wife. My mother taught me to do laundry when I was a kid.Did a lot at home. I don't consider most of this to be womanly duties. I consider them to be sharing of responsibilities of maintaining a household.

[Violet-13]

I can't cook unless it's from a box. I do laundry when I can class keeps me busy

[Jackie7]

Very interesting range of views, thank you all!

And yes of course, laundry and cooking are essential skills for everyone. At the same time it's not sexist to note that they are traditionally considered to be in the female realm, alongside the traditional female crafts. Probably 90% or more of the customers at stores that sell sewing and craft supplies are female.

The question behind the post is whether one's interest in dressing spills over to other "traditionally female" activities or not. As the replies make clear, it varies a lot. I'm going to start a similar post on the other side of the coin.

[michelle60]

I guess I would have to say I do most of the housework washing cleaning making the beds and about half the cooking of meals I guess I was lucky been taught to cook and do all of this when I was still at school by my mother so it just became natural for me to do all of this and I do have to say I do not mind doing it

[LPark]

I'm the family cook. My SO is just for back-up cooking. But She's the family cleaner-upper. I can't meet her standards.

[NicoleScott]

Yes to cooking, cleaning, sewing, setting a proper table, washing and drying clothes with attention to proper care, and ironing. No to knitting, crocheting, and embroidery, which I don't see as essential skills. I have made a quilt (it's sewing). I don't see any of these as womanly arts. They sure came in handy when I lived alone and now am married to a woman with few of these skills (other than laundry and cleaning). Just as I don't see raking the yard as a manly art.

[cardigansissy]

I've done a little cross stitch, which I really enjoyed. I've been subscribing to several needlecraft magazines, and my wife's willing to teach me crochet(though she's not generally very happy with my girliness!). So it ends up not just being clothes, at least in my case.

[JenniferLynn0370]

I grew up doing cross-stitch and needle point with my Mother and I enjoyed crocheting, cooking, sewing, etc. I do dishes, fold laundry, sweep, vacuum, some cooking and baking, and share a lot of house work with my spouse, but I often am credited with being "very domestic". I often say I am just trying to earn my maid's uniform :-) Some day I hope to actually wear a maid's uniform whenever I clean our house! I learned a lot from Mom who was, and still is, my role model!

[Amanda M]

Not so sure about the womanly arts thing! I do sew, and I'm the cook in the house

[sometimes_miss]

Learned how to do basic sewing, cooking, laundry, cleaning because mom worked full time. Learned all the sexual girl things in a less reasonable way. So yeah, I would have made someone a good wife, I was just the wrong gender and sex for the part.