Hope Chests: fading ?

[Yvonne N.]

In earlier centuries, every bride was expected to have a hope chest or dower chest. Girls living before 1900 were expected to start weaving and sewing sheets, towels, tablecloths, lace, quilts and other textiles to be used when they married. They were helped by their mothers, sisters and other female relatives.

Samplers were originally samples of the embroidery skill of the girls. The skill was important because every piece of fabric in the chest was monogrammed. Textiles were among the most valuable assets in the home. It took weeks to spin, weave and sew a linen or cotton sheet or towel.

The wooden box-like chests were usually decorated with carving or painting. The hope chest was kept in an important spot in the house of the new bride and was used for storage.

(Homes)

Are our youmg ladies learning any of these skills even just for enrichment? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[tsophra]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

i hope to god not [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70384-praying.gif[/img]

fyan pon de sexist hope chest bznzz

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
i hope to god not [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70384-praying.gif[/img]

fyan pon de sexist hope chest bznzz

[/ QUOTE ]

Den missis, you noh have tray cloth, tea doilies, crocheted centerpieces, tatted lace collars, embroidered face towels... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[kia027]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

oh gosh no [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[tsophra]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

seriously Shandra..I'm kinda clueless to this stuff. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].why do yu think its enriching? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CeaBee]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
tray cloth, tea doilies, crocheted centerpieces, tatted lace collars, embroidered face towels

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70456-eyebrows.gif[/img]

[julie*mango]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

Pshh [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70400-talktohand.gif[/img] Mi wi teach mi dawta fi go a store an buy dem tings pan sale...if she waan tek up class fi do dem deh tings a fi har business dat.

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
seriously Shandra..I'm kinda clueless to this stuff. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].why do yu think its enriching? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

They can serve as hobbies: therapeutic, calming and fulfilling. Sense of accomplishment.

Have you ever woven a floor mat, for example? Simple, repetitive skill but nobody could ever pay you for your time and energy; it would best be served as a gift of love to a friend.

When you really examine this thought up close, you'll see that the business of hobbies (aka making doilies et al) has been replaced by... nothing...or very casual/recreational sex...hence the boredom that many young people complain about after the fourth straight day at the mall.

Stay home and crochet a bedspread! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] arrange your stamp collection or makje some clacker blocks for the neighbourhod school.

[tsophra]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

OK..I'm thinking about it...

what about the boys?

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
OK..I'm thinking about it...

what about the boys?

[/ QUOTE ]

Stamps and clacker blocks. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I remember my brothers making bicycles from scratch, per se. They collected all kinds of parts from wherever to put a bicycle together. Every little boy seemed to have done that back then.
When they got older, they truly appreciated the fancy bikes...and they could fix anything that went wrong. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Nowadays, demanding pickni want everyting 'fresh' an' new from di word 'go'. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Compry]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

I had a "hope chest"...more like boxes. At sixteen, I started to work part time. I made a promise to buy something and put aside for when I leave my parents' home. I didn't leave until after I got married at 25 so you can only imagine the stuff I had to move out with.

This is something I will encourage my son and my daughter to do. I know they can save to buy "stuff" when they move out but there's something special about accumulating over the years.

[tsophra]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
seriously Shandra..I'm kinda clueless to this stuff. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].why do yu think its enriching? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

They can serve as hobbies: therapeutic, calming and fulfilling. Sense of accomplishment.

Have you ever woven a floor mat, for example? Simple, repetitive skill but nobody could ever pay you for your time and energy; it would best be served as a gift of love to a friend.

When you really examine this thought up close, you'll see that the business of hobbies (aka making doilies et al) has been replaced by... nothing...or very casual/recreational sex...hence the boredom that many young people complain about after the fourth straight day at the mall.

Stay home and crochet a bedspread! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] arrange your stamp collection or makje some clacker blocks for the neighbourhod school.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shandra..conceptually I understand what you are saying..however these days there are more enriching/empowering hobbies for young women..thankfully

and I find the idea of a hope chest just plain disturbing and archaic..sign of a by gone era when marriage was womens highest aspiration..unless its a hope chest filled with non marriage items...(ie..places to visit, things to do/learn, etc.)

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
seriously Shandra..I'm kinda clueless to this stuff. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].why do yu think its enriching? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

They can serve as hobbies: therapeutic, calming and fulfilling. Sense of accomplishment.

Have you ever woven a floor mat, for example? Simple, repetitive skill but nobody could ever pay you for your time and energy; it would best be served as a gift of love to a friend.

When you really examine this thought up close, you'll see that the business of hobbies (aka making doilies et al) has been replaced by... nothing...or very casual/recreational sex...hence the boredom that many young people complain about after the fourth straight day at the mall.

Stay home and crochet a bedspread! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] arrange your stamp collection or makje some clacker blocks for the neighbourhod school.

[/ QUOTE ]

Shandra..conceptually I understand what you are saying..however these days there are more enriching/empowering hobbies for young women..thankfully

and I find the idea of a hope chest just plain disturbing and archaic..sign of a by gone era when marriage was womens highest aspiration..unless its a hope chest filled with non marriage items...(ie..places to visit, things to do/learn, etc.)

[/ QUOTE ]

The definition can be flexible...it's not etched in stone...


There's no competition on as to how much or how mire enriching the hiobby might be...I just want to see them being involved in hobbies...rather t han saying they're 'bored'.

Give me an example of the type of hobby a normal child has nowadays.

[Yvonne N.]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
I had a "hope chest"...more like boxes. At sixteen, I started to work part time. I made a promise to buy something and put aside for when I leave my parents' home. I didn't leave until after I got married at 25 so you can only imagine the stuff I had to move out with.

This is something I will encourage my son and my daughter to do. I know they can save to buy "stuff" when they move out but there's something special about accumulating over the years.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm risking this but there is a saying that childrem nowadays know the price of everything...they can buy whatever they want...but...sadly, they know the value of nothing.
There's definitely value in preparing for the next step...whatever that step is...and however you take it.

It's not called a 'hope chest' for nothing; without hope we are lost.

[Compry]

Re: Hope Chests: fading ?

[ QUOTE ]
unless its a hope chest filled with non marriage items...(ie..places to visit, things to do/learn, etc.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Definitely Arjen. My hope chest has dishes, cups, glass, pots, iron, place mats, TV, etc., etc. and accumulating for marriage never even entered my thoughts. I was accumulating so when I moved out, I had the basics and that's the message I want to pass on to my children.

Great ideas above. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]