On Home Crafts

I hear all the time people saying, "a single household can't be self-sufficient" as if they are implying "so why even try?" What a logical fallacy that is! Might as well say "you should live in your bathroom since you're going to have to go in there every now and then anyway."

My wife likes to work with her hands as well and she keeps us in beautiful hats and socks. Could I buy a cheaper, artificial fiber hat made by some unseen Chinese coolie? Sure. But why?

I think sometimes she's sad that the boys and I prefer dull earth tones and she looks forward to some future time when little River Lily gets older and likes pinks and purples.



I can (and do) raise sheep. What a perfect animal they are! From grass they produce meat, milk, and fiber for clothing! A blessing from God! But I digress when talking about sheep ... I can raise the sheep and shear the sheep, but I lack the ability (so far) to clean and spin the wool into usable fiber. I also have no idea how to dye the wool into more pleasant colors than white or black. But I'm learning!

Should we abandon the process because we don't know how to do all of it ourselves? Should we never seek to do anything for ourselves because the corporate-industrial factories can do it cheaper and more efficiently?

Which sounds better coming from a child: "Momma made me a hat!" or "Momma bought me a hat!"