Cooking is a delicious skill to have in your retirement years. Who needs to buy expensive pre-made dishes when you can make your own from scratch? Who needs to spend money on processed, pre-made and sodium-filled food when you can prepare healthy alternatives? In many cultures, food is considered not just a necessity of life or a tasty treat, but a whole social language. Meetings to arrange business, politics, and marriage are held over traditional dishes which seek to warm the heart, as well as the belly, and tantalize the emotions, as well as the taste buds. Family recipes are passed down from generation to generation, with everyone knowing that only this family can create that taste. Young people growing up in the family learn to make their …show more content…
But in our increasingly modern culture, they are not just activities for old ladies anymore. There is a growing trend towards the use of exotic fibers and fabric to make bags and a variety of other accessories that make fashion statements. The Internet is full of examples of the many things a skilled seamstress or seamster can make; from suits and dresses tailored to an individual’s unique flair to impressive creations of hats, bags, scarves, ties, hair adornments, neck pieces and earrings that complete an outfit. Sewing is truly a cost-effective way to create striking designs that can be worn by yourself and others. Our society spends a tremendous amount of money on clothes and readily discards them if they tear, don’t fit, or are simply deemed unfashionable. These discards can serve as raw materials to create new and fashionable items that are uniquely you. What of the blankets, throws, rugs and woolen knit jumpers that we discard and replace when seasonal sales beckon? These can be utilized to craft chic cushion covers and decorative pillow covers that accentuate indoor and outdoor furnishings by applying creative styling. Another novel idea is gathering clothing discarded by your kids or grandkids and making a commemorative patchwork quilt to gift on one of their significant life