There are a few things that could bring the way we live to a halt and flip our lives upside down for a while. Most people don't want to think about the possibility of that happening and I really feel that is a mistake. For those who are religious, you may argue the point that God takes care of the birds and so on, but then didn't He have Joseph advise the Pharaoh to store enough food for 7 years?
For the more science minded people, think about it on a more basic level of how much you use and what you have.
The main things to consider in an emergency situation is 1. shelter 2. water and 3. food. In that order. Part of sheltering is what you are wearing. Animal hair like wool may be the best thing you can wear. Cotton will kill you. It does not keep you warm if you get wet. If you look at knitting and crocheting as a hobby maybe you should look at it again. You should re-evaluate it's value. Your clothing can mean the difference between life and death when you are subjected to the elements. Frostbite or hypothermia could leave you either needing an amputation or severely incapacitated and unable to perform basic everyday tasks necessary to survive. Tell me when you are stranded in your car in a snow storm how much you value that $2,ooo stereo in you car over a warm wool pair of socks that you wouldn't even pay $40 for.
When there is no machine to make your socks, sweaters, hats or scarves how much will it be worth to you to have someone close to you that knows how to make them? Is your day's wage worth more than theirs when your life could be what is at stake? Will you keep buying cheap stuff that can kill you because want to save a dollar? Why not save yourself instead?
Thank you for reading my post.
Dee Dee
For the more science minded people, think about it on a more basic level of how much you use and what you have.
The main things to consider in an emergency situation is 1. shelter 2. water and 3. food. In that order. Part of sheltering is what you are wearing. Animal hair like wool may be the best thing you can wear. Cotton will kill you. It does not keep you warm if you get wet. If you look at knitting and crocheting as a hobby maybe you should look at it again. You should re-evaluate it's value. Your clothing can mean the difference between life and death when you are subjected to the elements. Frostbite or hypothermia could leave you either needing an amputation or severely incapacitated and unable to perform basic everyday tasks necessary to survive. Tell me when you are stranded in your car in a snow storm how much you value that $2,ooo stereo in you car over a warm wool pair of socks that you wouldn't even pay $40 for.
When there is no machine to make your socks, sweaters, hats or scarves how much will it be worth to you to have someone close to you that knows how to make them? Is your day's wage worth more than theirs when your life could be what is at stake? Will you keep buying cheap stuff that can kill you because want to save a dollar? Why not save yourself instead?
Thank you for reading my post.
Dee Dee
Just found your blog, & am bookmarking it. (Thanks for the washcloth pattern!) I learned to knit as a child, but never progressed beyond simple knit/purl afghans, etc. Now I'm learning to make hats, hope to progress to socks & mittens - for exactly the reason you bring up here. What if cheap machine-knit goods were no longer available - or no longer cheap? We need to keep the knowledge of how to do for ourselves. I'm looking forward to reading more of your posts.
ReplyDeletejodancingtree, I am so glad that you enjoy my blog. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI will try to post more patterns as I can.
You are so very welcome.
Dee Dee
Love it! Clothing is my weakness. I tried knitting before and was a total fail. I can work a needle and thread well enough to keep things from falling off, but I wouldn't list it as a primary skill, to be sure! I'm hoping if TSHTF, I'll be able to barter some of my culinary, cultivation, or herbal medicine skills for clothes if/when I need more. Or maybe that bitch necessity would force me to practice, practice, practice kniting and/or crocheting until I figure it out. I do own supplies for both, even though I can't really do either!
ReplyDeleteJust remember, what you do in a day is worth what others do in a day. That has been lost in our society. If you can stitch up a wound in an hour, is that worth more than someone that can make a pair of socks in two days that will last much longer? Yet they get paid for 100 pairs of socks. Is that fair? I don't think so.
ReplyDelete