Return of the 1950s housewife?

Return of the 1950s housewife?

KYLIE HANSEN

December 31, 2008 12:30am

SHE sews, cooks, knits, gardens and raises cooks. The housewife is back – with younger women embracing traditional domestic crafts in droves, new figures show.
Sewing machines have rocketed off shelves in the past six months, with Lincraft reporting a 30 per cent increase in sales.

"There has been a definite trend happening and we have also started to see an increase in dress-fabric sales," said Lincraft spokesman Jeff Croft.

"Demand for sewing classes has increased – and one of the biggest growth areas has been knitting yarn, with a 10-20 per cent increase in sales compared to this time last year."

Spotlight spokesman Steven Carey said DIY craft kits were its booming sector.

The new housewife also appears to be turning our backyards into vegie gardens, with sales of vegetables and herbs surging across nurseries over the past 12 months, according to the Nursery and Garden Industry Association.

Tomatoes are hot, as are beans, peas and herbs.

New data from social forecaster AustraliaSCAN shows home-based activities are the focus for people.

The survey shows a 5 per cent increase in the number of people spending time doing craft and a 4 per cent rise in people devoting time to home cooking, DIY and gardening.

"There has been a substantial shift in our mindset to a more old-fashioned, frugal lifestyle – that real waste-not-want-not approach," said social analyst and AustraliaSCAN consultant David Chalke.

"There are a confluence of forces - the global financial crisis, enviromental concerns and a new cocooning - which are pulling together to form the new homemaker.

"That's why we are embracing the domestic crafts again," he said.

[Sonsie]

Originally Posted by RadioPatrol

I don't know about the "50s" style thing but when my second was born and I retired and chose to stay home with my kids I discovered a whole world of mom's groups, gardening, scrapbooking, sewing, and cooking. Now our house is a home and not just a place we sleep at at night after a day of miserable commuting and daycare. We all liked the change! Now we don't waste valuable weekend family time with chores and cleaning and we actually get to do stuff as a family since all the errands are run and shopping is taken care of. It really works for us and brought a lot of peace to what had been a chaotic existence. I grow all my own herbs and this spring I plan to break ground on a new veggie garden, lords knows I have the manure to make it grow! I've even been eying quilting these days, I just need to find more time!

[sweetprincess23]

I don't can't speak for anyone else, but I am in my mid twenties and really enjoy the domestic things. I love to cook and watch foodnetwork all the time. When I first moved out on my own I was dating a navy guy and thought he would like some home cooked meals. My mother never taught me to cook so I just taught myself. I like keeping my house clean. While I haven't watched her lately I do enjoy watching Martha Stewart, I love to be crafty. Unfortuntly I didn't get the green thumb like my mom, so I keep a small veggie garden with herbs but don't do much yard work. I try every year to get in the garden but it just doesn't like me.

don't know about anyone else but the domestic things sometimes are soothing and get my mind off daily stress.

[HouseCat]

I work 8-10 hour days, 5 days a week, sometimes 6 and I still manage to come home and cook, do laundry, keep the house clean, and find time to work on my quilts and compose music. I just manage my time properly.

[jetmonkey]

I'll take one!

[nana]

I've been both the stay at home mommy (which was by far the most rewarding) and the working mom that I am now and even though I enjoy my job I will never regret the time I spent with my children while they were growing up and I believe that is why they are the caring self suffient young men and lady that I see now.

Would I have changed anything knowing now what I didn't then. NO WAY if you can afford to stay home while they are little do it trust me they will appreciate you all the more for scarificing(?) for them.

[Uncle Rico]

Originally Posted by HouseCat

I work 8-10 hour days, 5 days a week, sometimes 6 and I still manage to come home and cook, do laundry, keep the house clean, and find time to work on my quilts and compose music. I just manage my time properly.

You don't have kids, do you?

[pcjohnnyb (Premo)]

[Chain729]

Originally Posted by Uncle Rico

You don't have kids, do you?

I'll let her borrow my energetic, stubborn and recently moody 2 year old. If after a week she still manages to get anything done, I'll throw in the dog, cats and snake... That'll take care of it.

[StrawberryGal]

I'm a Stay at Home Mother, but I have always done crafts since I was a child. I just added my first garden last year.

I'm not a 1950's housewife, but a 2000's housewife. 1950's housewives didn't have computers, microwave, and all of those fancy technology that comes with bells and whistles to makes our cleaning and cooking alot easier. However, we still do traditional housewives household chores duty, cooking, taking care of kids, gardening, canning, etc.