My maternal grandmother used to tailor for income as well. My grandfather worked for John Deere repairing farming equipment at a local shop. He and a couple of my uncles would go hunting to put food in the freezer. They had a small garden as well. And this was in the 70s.

Even then people were trying to survive.

My paternal grandmother sewed just because that’s what you did. Both grandmothers canned what they grew and what people gave them. They both had attics in their houses and that’s where the jars would go until needed. The closest I’ll ever get to that is if I finally break down and buy an Instapost and start bagging up meals in bags to heat up at a later date…

I don’t recall either of them knitting or crocheting though. I believe at least one of my great grandmother’s did, however. I learned to crochet in school. I taught myself how to do needlepoint.

Cousins and hand-me-downs. Yep. All too familiar with that concept as well!!