Atlas Insider
Atlas Insider: Amethyst
Dear everybody,
With pride and joy, we welcome Natasha Andrews as our newest Atlas Insider. By day, Natasha is as inside as an insider can be, working daily miracles as MDK’s ecommerce coordinator. In off-hours, well, you’re going to be amazed by the incredible, artisanal, fashionable beauty that Natasha creates. The phrase multi-talented doesn’t begin to describe it. Welcome, Natasha!
—Ann and Kay
Participation in show-and-tell in my younger years was always full of anticipation and excitement … what would I show? In 4th grade, I showed my precious amethyst crystal rock formation and ended up learning a few valuable lessons: never allow yourself to be blackmailed, take your punishment like a (wo)man and keep your prized possession.
It’s been years since then and I’m almost over it, at least enough to show my newfangled amethyst: The Bodied Party Dress. Yes. (Corsets were known as bodies, among other monikers …)
The design process usually goes in steps. First step: Inspiration. That includes a mood board and all the other dreamy and technical stuff I cannot begin to name but within this phase an illustration is born, that’s what you see here. I created two variations of this corseted dress.
Tape Measure, clear plastic ruler, pins, snips, seam ripper, and thread snips. These are my main go-to tools when constructing a dress.
During the fabric cutting process, I use a larger shear and depending on fabric choice, pinking shears are an option.
Here is a center back pattern piece pinned to 2 lace layers, 2 cotton bobbinet layers and 2 can-can layers.
Patterning/draping are the most important parts to getting the fit absolutely perfect. Body or model form measurements are required to maneuver through this portion of the process along with some basic math and a few extra body curve rulers. In addition to the center back pattern piece, there are 8 other pieces to this pattern.
Here are pattern pieces separated (left to right): lace, can-can, cotton bobbinet and paper pattern.
Structure is achieved not only by the fabric choice and patterning but also by using horsehair and boning.
To achieve the look in the sketch at the very top, a certain framework has to be put in place. Reed Boning, German Plastic Bones and Spiral Steel Bones of varying sizes shown here. Boning provides strength and structure to the garment and can be applied almost anywhere on the garment but it is commonly applied to the seams.
The black and natural clusters are both considered Horsehair. Horsehair (in the past made from the stiff hair of a horse’s mane and tail) is a strip of nylon netting used to give body to the hem of the garments; it can also be sewn over seams, etc.
After creating a pattern, you usually will want to to test it for fit and this is also where you’ll adjust your pattern if need be. As you can see here there are still adjustment pins in this mockup.
The mockup is sewn out of muslin fabric with reed bones running vertically and horizontally throughout the garment.
After mockup, the real fun begins.
Creating the garment. Here is a finished piece from different angles (using different fabric from the lace shown above but the pattern is still the same).
Hope you enjoyed this show-and-tell!
A Giveaway
The publishers of KnitOvation Stitch Dictionary have three copies set aside to send out to lucky Atlas Insider commenters!
From the folks at Penguin Random House:
Andrea Rangel’s KnitOvation includes more than 150 brand new colorwork motifs to expand knitters’ creative possibilities and draw them further into the world of stranded knitting with clever, quirky, and beautiful motifs including botanicals, animals, and geometric patterns. The motifs are accompanied by a selection of accessory and garment designs to illustrate how the motifs can be used, and technical information on new topics including using charts and adding flourishes with duplicate stitch.
How to enter?
Two steps:
Step 1: Sign up for MDK emails, right here. External Link. Opens in new window.. External Link. Opens in new window.. External Link. Opens in new window.. External Link. Opens in new window.. External Link. Opens in new window.. If you’re already signed up, you’re all set. We have a new option for texting, so when you sign up for those, you’ll get a coupon code good for 10% off your next MDK order.
Step 2: Tell us about your favorite show-and-tell memory in the comments.
Deadline for entries: Sunday, November 5, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw three random winners from the entries. Winners will be notified by email.
Studio photos by Chris Sharp.
I took my pet frog for show & tell in 4th grade. Frog stayed at school overnight. In the morning, the teachers from the four classrooms on that floor were all in the middle of the hall, talking excitedly. Frog was on the loose! Half an hour into our school day, a very dusty frog hopped out from under the piano . . .
lol…that had to be an exciting morning!
Nothing even comes to mind.
Mine was a show and tell without the show: my six year old self telling my fellow students and teacher that I had a brand new baby brother.
My little hand knitted Barbie sweaters.
Hmm I have not thought of show and tell in a long time. I do remember taking in a Barbie one year. At the time she was the best gift had gotten. She was a Christmas gift from my grandmother.
I don’t remember too much of my elementary school show and tell. But, as a teacher for 35 years every day was show and tell. Whether it was in the math and physics classroom or starting a knitting club, I was living my best life sharing with all my students. Such a great career!
My girlfriend brought her brother’s pet snake to kindergarten show and tell (with his permission). It escaped during the night and wasn’t found until furnace ducts were being cleaned the following summer. My mother was friends with the principal and kept up with all the school news.
My favorite show and tell moment was 4th grade when I got to celebrate becoming a US citizen. I was so proud. Everyone in class congratulated me we had quite the celebration in class. I felt I truly belonged and still take my citizenship and responsibility to this country very seriously.
Catholic school—we didn’t have show and tell.
One of the courses during sophomore year of HS was speech. I was incredibly awkward and shy. I was dreading the day I would stand in front of some of my classmates and have to give a 6 minute presentation. Ultimately, I brought our black standard poodle, Augi, and did a demonstration of grooming and obedience. I loved Augi before that day. We were pals. But that day, he was my rock and taught me I could overcome my worst fears with love and support of a friend.
I was so shy, all my show and tell memories are stuffed too deep to access. My friends are graceful when share my knit FO’s.
I remember show and tell from my elementary school days. I was always shy and dreaded standing up in front of the class. My most favorable memory is when I showed a picture of my cat and told them his name was Riley named after the show The Life of Riley. I loved that cat!
Show and tell is for adults as well!
I had a job interview recently and brought “show and tell” to the interview…for example, copies of training manuals I had written.
They didn’t even bother with the typical, “tell me about yourself” interview questions, they went straight to, “when can you start?”
Honestly – my favorite show and tell memories are not from my childhood. Mine are from adulthood. I love showing and sharing my creative creations these days. I especially love showing and sharing my passion for free-hand embroidery. Of course – I also delight in showing off my knitting works in progress. I find these moments spark the coolest conversations. Sometimes with friends – but other times with complete strangers.
I loved it when people brought in kittens! This was many years ago. I suspect that wouldn’t be allowed today but it was great fun.
I remember demonstrating origami to my classmates – I made a paper balloon. It went great – I demonstrated a large (maybe 8 inch balloon) and gave out small balloons to my classmates. The only problem was my hands were shaking so hard because I was so nervous that my paper was rustling and quivering in my hand!
Oh and your dress is amazing!
Lol, thank you, Mia! I can still feel the nerves myself.
Welcome, Natasha!! This was fascinating. I hadn’t a clue about how corsets are/were constructed.
I just loved show and tell, period. I brought my goldfish in…poor fish!
Thank you, Kathleen…I hope your goldie made it through ok.
Welcome, Natasha! Beautiful, brave design! I would love to see the finished dress.
Show and tell…my tank of salamanders. I’m sure your imagination can fill in the blanks! My mother was a very indulgent, patient parent.
lol, thank you, Sandy…it’s nice to be here. I can tell you were a brave one early on.
The MN Knitters’ Guild has an annual show and tell in September after the State Fair, where people show their entries and share the judges’ comments.
MN is the land of 10,000 blue ribbon knitters, and competition is fierce, so even the entries that didn’t win anything are jaw-dropping. Always a blast.
in first grade, I sang a song about drug use that I did not understand. Parents had been invited. I’m sure my mom was mortified.
lol…your intentions were pure
Oh, please; I’d like to see this dress on you! It’s gorgeous.
Plus 1
Plus ME TWOOOO!!
I failed to mention anything in my post (bad bad me) but I love seeing Natasha’s process and was SO looking forward to seeing Natasha’s finished FINAL dress in black lace+, as well as seeing her model it because GURRRRRL… I KNOW you’re gonna ROCK it!
My fondest show and tell memory was when we were reading the “Children of Many Lands” books in 2nd grade — each kid was supposed to dress up as a character from the book they read for show and tell. I read a book about a Navajo child. We had family friends from the American Southwest who were Navajo. The mom loaned me an outfit — complete with gorgeous silver and turquoise belt and handwoven rug over the shoulder. The effect was probably diminished by the fact that I was a Swedish blonde. (In retrospect, loaning that silver belt to a small child was really a leap of faith!)
After I retired, I have lunch with friends and bring some of my recent knitted projects. None of these friends are knitters and it was fun sharing something new with them.
My friends and I bring all of our knitted pieces from the last year to Rhinebeck for show and tell during our yearly meet up.
I hated show and tell. Hated it. Still loathe it.
I have such bad memories of show and tell that I still hesitate to show finished objects. I can’t even keep track of FOs in ravelry.
Knit groups (and others crafty-type groups) are (and have been) supportive safe places. I may get over this.
My mother worked at the school. Without prior notice to me, she had me play the piano while two of my classmates sang. (Sort of a 3 for the price of 1 show&tell.)
It was awful (for me). I still play piano and I hate playing in front of an audience.
Show and tell always includes my dog! As a child she was Roxy, my only sibling, who was a dachshund.
I belong to a fiber arts group that has show & tell and lunch weekly. I love getting feedback about my projects and seeing what other people are doing.
Neighbors frequently bring visiting friends and family by to see my emus. That’s a show-and-tell in itself. The show continues when I bring out one of their eggs – beautiful teal green pebbly ovals that never cease to delight.
By the way, loved the letter above. It’s contributing to my growing desire to sew again.
I can’t remember for sure what I took for show-and-tell, but a good bet would be the chunks of quartz that fascinated me as a child and that I still have.
I enjoy show and tell in my knitting groups. The positive camaraderie as we share stories and experiences with our knitting is phenomenal.
So many-from showing my daughters the “hanger dance” my friends and I invented at a slumber party,to a demonstration of how to clean the bottom of an iron.
Not my story, but my son’s. Between PreK and 5th grade, my son had a dinosaur fetish. He could tell you everything about every species that was known to humankind. He received a fossilized tooth of some small-ish dinosaur as a Christmas present, and in 3rd grade brought it in to show his class. One of his “friends” didn’t believe it was real, so picked it up and smashed it to the ground. It shattered into pieces. He was utterly devastated. The friend apologized, but I don’t think he ever forgave him. (And strangely, no one ever replaced the tooth.)
Thank you, Natasha, for sharing your beautiful process and the tools that help you along the way.
My favorite show-and-tell was bringing my Mom to my 1st grade class so she could sing to my classmates. I was so rnoured of her musicianship, and loved listening to her so much. I loved sharing her with my class….
My elementary school (grades k-2) had a pet show and tell day. I brought our skittish cat.
This sounds like pure chaos and a terrible idea and I’d think it was a dream but there’s a picture in my baby book.
Natasha is my spirit animal!
I tended to be more academic than my peers and this was reflected in my show and tell. I would bring things from our family trips that were unusual and explain the how and why of those items. For example- instead of this is a pretty shell, I would explain how the shell is formed, the kind of creature that lived in it, etc.
I found the article on dress construction right up my alley. Keep those coming.
My dad was a NYC mounted policeman, so a photo of him on his horse Felix was a perennial Show & Tell (no matter how I begged, I wasn’t allowed to bring Felix).
Welcome Natasha!
My favorite show in tell was probably A report on Hawaii that I had to present to my 4th grade class.
My hair in a bun and A lovely yellow dress I rehearsed my speech and had plastic lays and beautiful sea shells , straight from A department store!
That’s leis not potato chips!
Show and tell with my sisters- does that count?
I am astonished by that gorgeous dress, and how matter-of-factly you describe the steps. I’ve been slowly learning to sew, but it doesn’t yet make sense to me in the way knitting does. Incredible.
Anyway. I don’t remember doing show and tell at school, but every craft group I’ve ever attended has that lovely time of people showing that they’ve made. And nobody appreciates that hand-knit sweater you designed yourself out of your handspun yarn like other crafters!
In third grade (more than 60 years ago) I took a paper mobius strip for show and tell. My dad was an aeronautical engineer and he had demonstrated the mobius to me and my brothers. He did lots of science with us and we all ended up with careers in science and tech, but I’m the only one who also became a knitter and now shows off my latest knitting project!
My sisters and I do show and tell on zoom each week to keep up with each others knitting, quilting, gardening, etc, projects.
Honestly, I don’t remember us having show-and-tell. Or have I blocked it all out?
Every Thursday I bring in knitting to show to my friend who brings in hers as well. If I don’t have a project then it is the yarn for the next project.
Has to be my latest .. I wore my Shakerag top to work and showed it off! People are always awed that clothing can be made with sticks and string!
old stamps and money from my grandfather who left Russia in the early 1900’s
Any time projects are shared now is a cele. In the past, trauma of speaking in front of class made them all a blur.
Showing my age here – we didn’t have show and tell. However, showing how to make book paper tree ornaments for the FOL tree was a lot of fun.
What a fascinating article about the construction of a corseted dress. I loved the mood board – I am amazed by creative brains that can envision and then create such things. Welcome Natasha.
One girl in my 3rd grade class brought in her “mother’s candy” for show and tell and it was birth control pills. Later, she stabbed me with a pencil, though those two things were not related. Rebecca S. was wild, y’all.
But how did you know back then what the “candy” really was?
You win! (Well, Rebecca wins, with her “mother’s candy”.)
As others have mentioned, my favorite show and tells have been with my knitting. Baby sweaters given to expectant moms, shawls given to non knitting friends, hats and mittens made for my granddaughter.
I love when I get together with my knitting buddies – usually once a week – and we share what we are working on, or when we’ve finished something. We are always learning from each other, and inspiring each other!
Also Catholic school, no show and tell, but making up for it now with my knitting friends who appreciate what I do.
Wow, I remember having show and tell but I have no recollection of what I brought. Probably things like shells and giant pine cones.
When I was 5 or 6 years old, every week for show & tell I would say,”In six weeks (five, four, three etc.) I’m going to take a train trip to Minnesota for Christmas!
The day I remember was when, in fourth grade, every girl in the class brought her Cabbage Patch doll. We got them out at recess and showed them off.
A rusty beaver trap. My dad acquired a bunch of them somewhere, even though he never trapped and had no interest in it. I took one to school when we were studying trappers and traders. It bought me a couple of hours of being cool and interesting to my classmates, something I always longed for and rarely achieved.
I took my pink eyed white rabbit Snowball in a cage to Show & Tell. Mrs Fox set her on her desk. All the kids wanted Snowball & then Snowball “wet” on teaches desk!
I made a paper mache dog for a dog show and tell and my father sat on it by accident, so it turned into a dachshunds from a terrier
I brought my aunt’s old majorette baton from the 1960s to show and tell in kindergarten and promptly got in trouble because we were “not allowed to bring toys.”
Sand from a beach trip my family took. The sand was so white, it looked like sugar! Some kids actually tasted it. Now, it’s knitting, sea shells, and orchids.
Show and tell with knitting friends is always fun !!
I think it was optional at my school, and being a very shy person, well…
I don’t remember any show and tell growing up. Now my show and tell is when I finish a knit and is shared by text usually.
Let me first say Natasha is amazing! Her dress is phenomenal.
I wish I could tell you my favorite show and tell from school years but we didn’t do show and tell in my school. We do show and tell at knitting guild and my favorite there was my It Will Take a Lifetime Cowl. I wanted to use up leftover balls of yarn and ended up spending a small fortune buying more yarn to complete it. It is huge and weighs a ton but I was really happy to show it off.
That’s how we ended up with a cat. My son felt left out when kids could brings their pets to school for show and tell! Best thing we ever did was invite a pet into our family!
When I was in second grade, my family took a vacation to the Caribbean and I had to miss school. My “assignment” to make up for the lost time was to give a slideshow presentation when we got back. I took it very seriously, and wrote up notes and everything. But in retrospect, I can’t imagine that the other kids were super thrilled to see all of our vacation pictures. 😉
My mom was a 1st grade teacher, and when I was an adult, I brought my cat to her class for show and tell- I got to tell the kids all about taking care of a pet.
That’s literally the only show and tell I remember
Not a formal show-and-tell, but on a road-trip through the Midwest when I was about 6, I held an empty bottle out of the car window to gather air samples from every state we passed through. I stoppered it and presented it with such pride to my uncle when we arrived at my grandparents’ house. He was so obviously confused and unimpressed; it was a lesson for me in picking the right recipient for such a precious, inspired gift.
I had to laugh at this one…my memory is not of school show and tell, but from the year after I moved from Chicago to rural British Columbia, and I sent jars of “clean, fresh B.C. air” to friends and family back in the city. My gifts received a warmer welcome than Sleeptalker’s, though.
Nice to know that some of us think alike about matters other than knitting!
I don’t have a show and tell!
I was the most shy and anxiety ridden child ever born and would rather have broken my legs than do show and tell.
My favorite show and tell experience is the regular sharing of current knitting projects during our knitting group meetings.
I have a show and tell with my knitting group every time I finish a knit (and often in progress!)! I also love seeing what others are making:-)
Ahhh… Show & Tell…
I don’t have ample abundances of happy school memories, including Show & Tell, which was most often a chance for open public ridicule by the mean girl/cool kids, no matter what I brought. My “best” S&T memories were of taking in our new puppy in 1st grade because… PUPPY!!! And also, Mom was there and between the 2, I could fade into the background and allow my S&T to take center stage and full attention. Yeah… Sometimes the best attention is no attention at all.
Bring n Brag is my favorite show and tell time. I show my finished knitted objects to my fellow knitters.
I wanted to take my dad to show and tell because he did bird calls but he didn’t cooperate!!!
My favorite show and tell was not my own, but a fellow knitter’s sharing of a beaded shawl she had just finished. It was truly spectacular and drew gasps, which delighted the knitter. So good!
In third grade, I brought a large selection of my stuffed animals wearing the outfits that my mom knitted without using patterns. I wish I knew how she did it – she passed away 30 years ago, long before I started knitting myself.
Welcome, Natasha! I love seeing people’s creative process, and yours is amazing! I would love to see the finished dress some time!
What a fascinating read, looking forward to more of the same!! My favorite show-and-tell was when I got to bring my beagle Rusty to school in first grade. I have no memory of what I said about him, only remember the excitement!
I’ve made historic corset/stays for costuming … it’s a ton of work. Used Reed and plastic boning.
Brava!
In third grade I brought my grandpa to show and tell. His early childhood was spent in forts in the West, before some of the places were states. He had first hand opinions of General Custer, tales of snow-blindness in the vast emptiness, learned to read at enamel topped kitchen table (which I still have)–a sort of Little House on the Prairie for boys. I was queen of 3rd grade for a few days.
Monthly Knitting Guild meetings, and seeing everybody else’s wonderful show, and tell projects a gold, mine of new ideas!
Beautiful design! But how did you get the shears through so many layers (2,2,2) of fabric? I recently worked on cap sleeves made with satin and also used the satin for the facing. Trying to cut through 4 layers (to save time and pinning) using pinking shears was near impossible! Congrats to you!
I don’t remember show and tell from childhood. But I enjoying sharing items I have made with friends. It could be knitting, crochet, sewing or even baking
I was never a show and tell fan, but the one that got the best reaction was 3rd grade when I brought in a photo of me riding a camel from a family trip to Israel. Just found said phot when cleaning out my parents’ house, need to have that framed.
My home is a show-and-tell museum! Art from all the museums I’ve visited, drawings from my grandchildren, masks, baskets, weavings, batiks, macrame hangings, photos, plants and pottery are “shown” on all the walls. I do the “telling!”
My vacation plane flight: 9th grade, in 2 nd semester Spanish class. I hope one of my classmates got the gist.
Love the corset look – and good for posture as well.
In grade 3 I showed/yelled my new haircut I did myself with my mother’s coveted sewing shears.
It was lopsided, but my mom didn’t show her horror or anger at my using her shears. Wish I had a picture
School was so long ago i don’t remember show and tell. However as an adult I would take my lace shawls and sweaters I knit to work and show them off. I even had people talk me out of a few.
Our Tea Society did Christmas in July several years ago. Each of us were given three clear plastic balls & asked to create Christmas ornaments to show and tell. It was a lot of fun & the women were so creative!
My grandfather was blind and had a little stylus and metal frame so you could write notes in braille. I was so proud that I’d learned the braille alphabet so I could write notes to him. No one else was very impressed but they are still some of my treated possessions.
We didn’t really, technically have show and tell after the first grade, but my sixth grade teacher caught me making origami, and made me teach it to the class. It was so exasperating! They couldn’t grasp the simplest directions, complete with diagrams and drawings on the board. My teacher said, “You see? This is what I go through every day!” It gave me a new admiration for teachers!
my favorite show and tell wasn’t done by me but of me. my little sister (12 years younger) took my picture to school in first grade to show and tell her big sister. I have no idea what she said about me but I’ve never forgotten how happy it made me feel.
Whenever I finished a knitting, sashiko or sewing project, it’s show and tell!
Wow, this was interesting and unexpected! How fun for a Sunday morning reading! My most memorable share was ine where I took my parents’ vinyl album of Flamenco music and dancers and lied that my parents were the dancers on the cover! I so wanted to be from an exotic place instead of our small farmland and oil town. I’m don’t remember being reprimanded for that but was disappointed it didn’t have the effect of intrigue and admiration I wanted. Alas.
I show rocks I had brought back from Maine. I thought they were really cool but no one else was interested. haha
Natasha defined: remarkable, creative and energetic woman!
This window into your creative process is an absolute treat. Thank you for showing up in my inbox. You made my day.
I catch up with a friend over coffee almost every week. We are both knitters. Always show and tell on WIPs and FOs and shared ooohhhh and ahhhhhas over new patterns and what to make next!
Wow! My favorite show and tell happens with every finished object.
Thanks for sharing yours!
My favorite show and tell moment was when I showed my quilt group the denim and strip pieced jacket I had spent weeks putting together. I was not sure what the reaction to this piece would be, but it was overwhelmingly positive!
So Much Fun! I’ve been sewing for nearly 60 years and learned about new stuff. As for show and tell… some 22 years or so ago I attended a retreat and shared my art quilt which was for a challenge called Staples (theme sparked by a conversation about stapled bindings where some confused actual metal staples for notebooks with cloth binding for quilts). After going to a Frida Kahlo exhibit, I did a 20×22 inch (or thereabouts) red quilt about how chastity belts were a way to staple women shut, men and society controlling women and their bodies. I shared that. To stunned silence. The following year when I got up for show and tell at the same annual retreat, a voice from the back hollered “you’re not gonna show us another vag*na quilt are you?” I just had to laugh….
My favorite show and tell memory is having my Father bring to my elementary school our Great Dane to show- he was bigger than most of the students and very friendly. He was a “huge” hit with the class, even though my dad and the dog really did all the work.
No show and tell when I was a kid so my show and tell happens as an adult. We do show and tell at my knitting group and are all appreciative of each other’s talents. No judgement here.
My favorite “show and tell” occurs when knitting (or any fiber craft) groups get together. We all look at each other’s project, talk about them, ask questions, and get to watch them actually become finished projects.
My school days pre-date Show and Tell! I remember some knitting Show and Tells. One from twenty years ago was a post on the Socknitters Yahoo group: a photo of an Advent calendar which was a wooden Danish-style Christmas tree, hung with 24 tiny stockings, all different. And another photo of knitting them three at a time on 2 circs. It got lots of comments.
Oh the show and tell days, thanks for the memories! One of my faves was in 2nd grade – showing off my Barbie doll in the skirt and top with matching scarf I had hand sewn. I guess I was always a maker!
Craft Show – Show & Tell! As a lover of all things hand-made, I went to a lot of craft shows when I lived on the East Coast. A bunch of us attended these shows, the group varying in size as schedules permitted. Afterwards, we all met at an agreed upon time/place to “show and tell” our purchases. That sometimes resulted in return visits to the show for treasures that were somehow missed during the previous visit! It was so much fun to see what “caught the eye” of my friends.
When I was in 3rd grade, I represented my school in a piano recital. I was the youngest so I went first. I was so little that. I couldn’t move the piano bench close enough to touch the keys. A nice man in the front row came up and slid it up for me so I could play “Parade of the Penguins”.
My love of all things needlework began early – when I was in 4th grade (1956) I took my great-grandmother’s crewel-work embroidery sampler in original shadow-box frame (20”x24”) to school for “show snd tell”. Getting there (we always walked the 4 blocks) was a production involving blankets and a wagon and all my friends as helpers. Not sure if the other kids appreciated it, but the teachers were impressed.
Thanks for the post on Natasha’s design process – I found it very interesting.
In 1st grade for show ‘n tell, I announced I had a new baby brother (he was born over night). My teacher asked, “What’s his name?” I stood stock still for 2 seconds and could ony reply, “I don’t know”!
Natasha, I studied fashion design in the late ’60’s,and fortunately we never used that stuff or I would have quit. You are amazing for giving it a go.
My knitted shawl for my knitting group.
I don’t remember any show and tell – if we ever had such a thing back then. But if we would have, I’d take my dearly beloved Grandpa.
I think we didn’t DO show and tell – at least I have zero memories. We were what would now be a Title 1 district on a reservation. Maybe the teachers didn’t think it would work. But just last night I brought a panel of the Alabama Chanin dress I’m working on, to show my aunt. Everyone else was watching UW football 😉
I can’t recall any show and tell episodes from school, but seeing Natasha’s tools and bonings and horsehair took me back to my days working in the costume shop of a ballet company. I was not a trained costumer, but I could sew and I was given responsibility for a mesh jumpsuit for a gas attendant role and got to make some design choices. So, I guess seeing the finished costume on stage for performances was the ultimate show minus my telling.
I have had many show and tell memories but they were stressful events and often avoided. I like to share my work with others but in a more private setting. I’m intimidated when on the spot I guess. Loved to sew from an early age and always enjoy learning new techniques. My motto in life I guess is to keep learning however you do it.
This was a very interesting article! Thank you. I do not remember having show and tell in school, however I was a teacher for many years and I did a lot of “show an tell” when I was demonstrating a concept.
I have been a teacher so I consider that daily show and tell. Students of all ages learn best from a Show & Tell style presentation.
I found it very rewarding when a students face would light up and exclaim “ I get it now”
My school didn’t do show and tell that I remember, but I had a Bernie Baby dalmatien named Spot that I bought to play with at recess at the time! It got very dirty over the year of building a house for it in the dirt under the play equipment
When I was in the fifth grade I took a city bus to school. One show and tell day I brought a large jar of polliwogs with me. I had a pre-show and tell exhibition with my bus seat mates.
In the early 70’s I took a beaded leather fringed necklace and bracelet I’d made from a kit my uncle gave me. Like Nancy, it gave me the cool factor I so desperately wanted at that point in my life (grade 3 or 4). All the “popular” girls lined up for a chance to wear the set at recesses!
Recent adult show and tell at both knit and crochet guilds when I inspired others to make hundreds of squishy mini-blankets called comforts for child flood victims in Kentucky.
In Kindergarten, I brought in a picture of Snoopy, the cartoon, that I drew. The teacher asked me to draw him on the chalkboard. I remember thinking that maybe she didn’t believe that I actually drew the picture. I was able to draw Snoopy on the chalkboard just like my picture. I always liked arts & crafts time in school.
One of my best show and tell memories was when a classmate, who was always very quiet, got in front of the class to tell us that her mom got married over the weekend, and she would finally have a dad. We were children of the Vietnam war era. She was so excited. Her entire demeanor changed when she shared her happy news.
I took my new snowglobe to show in first or second grade. I was simply magical to me.
Wait – what blackmail? Did the amethyst go home with you? The corset dress is astonishing, but you can’t leave me hanging like that!
(I went to Friends School a long time ago, don’t think we had Show & Tell.)
Welcome, Natasha! The only strong memory of show and tell I have is that I never felt like I had anything interesting or worthy enough to show my classmates.
Our group, The Fabewes, meet monthly and there is always show and tell from some amazingly skilled women.
You dsress is amazing.
My most memorable show and tell was as an adult, mid-40s. I had just joined a dance troupe for period dance (1865 in this case) and I made my costume from the skin out. Split-crotch under drawers, boned corset of the proper silhouette, crinolines, boned gown of gorgeous deep red fabric, with antique lace trim. The group was totally gobsmacked! No one else in the group had even tried a corset. It was fun and actually comfortable to dance in.
We do show and tell at our charity knitting group. It’s more fun than when I took my kiddy grand piano to kindergarten. (A leg broke off)
The only memory of show and tell was bringing my hula lesson “graduation” certificate from my first trip to visit family in Honolulu. (To occupy a painfully shy anxious ten-year old on the five day trip to the middle of the Pacific, obviously, send her to on-board hula lessons) I still have the certificate in my sewing/knitting room. The show and tell itself was not memorable, until the teacher asked me to do the hula…and everyone laughed. I still love hula, still love the music, and hated all of 5th grade…
That time I showed not just one, but THREE finished quilts at a guild meeting!
My favorite show and tell was the first time I stood up in front of my quilt guild to show a quilt I had made and tell everyone about why I made it and how. I was no nervous, but I did it and now I love show and tell!
My father loved to travel and planned our vacations down to the minute, but I still had the time to fill my pockets with whatever I found on the ground. I would then mail letters to my friends. There were small shells from the beach at Sanibel, bark from Yosemite and pebbles from Banff all glued in the appropriate place in my travelogue. A friends mom told me years later how these letters had been saved in a box until my friends death due to MS at 49. I had no idea she’d saved them all.
I only have two memories of show and tell in Kindergarten – and neither were very inspiring or interesting now OR then!
But my favorite ‘show and tells’ (or should that be ‘shows and tell’?) as an adult are the unexpected ones. The ones from strangers out in public wanting to know more about the knitted item I’m wearing.
My favorite show and tell memorie is when my daughter took her pet rat to school. The teacher was not amused.
I recently taught a class for my LYS about wool from different sheep breeds. I super enjoyed bringing in samples of the different wool, showing them to everyone, and telling them about the history of each breed.
I seem to have repressed my grade school show-and-tell memories completely.
Now I just show off my waiting room knitting when someone expresses an interest – lace and cables always attract interest. I’ve barely attempted colorwork but Andrea’s motifs are the sort of quirky fun that I love – might be a new rabbit hole to explore.
But I really want to hang with Natasha and have her help me create my dream corset.
I wish I could remember show and tell from school days—the memories will probably bubble up later. In more recent times I was able to share my version of Cecelia Campochiaro’s Color Explosion Throw at our Guild luncheon. Fun!
Welcome Natasha! You are talented indeed – corsets, sassy spreadsheets, and wedding gowns!
Hmmm…show and tell…I know we had it in elementary school, but I don’t remember what I would have brought. Today I am part of a knitting group that meets monthly. Not only do we show and tell our knitting projects, but other things we are working on. New passions are born from this sharing of crafts and ideas. Such fun!
I really disliked show-and-tell as I was not an outgoing kid. I do remember showing my brand-new Barbie (the original!) in 4th grade at age ten. My teacher was disapproving of the name. “You mean Barbara, don’t you?”
I hope you will carry this book in your shop. It looks fabulous.
My only show and tell memory is from 3rd grade. I had my first watch, and it was Mickey Mouse, with a red band! When I took it off to show them, I dropped it and the cover popped off! I dissolved into instant tears and sat down, sobbing. Of course, the teacher fixed it as the cover popped right back on again, but I was inconsolable.
Our first dog, a golden retriever puppy, was my daughter’s 8th birthday present from her aunt. I took the puppy to school for her to show and tell, then we went to my office so I could show and tell. Fun times!
At our annual family reunion, everyone is supposed to bring something cool that they no longer use but just can’t bear to throw out. The stuff gets auctioned off to raise funds for the next family reunion.
One year I brought a cheap little staple-less stapler, the kind that cuts a tab and a slot and then magically inserts the tab into the slot, all in one push on the stapler. When I did my show-and-tell demonstrating it, the place went wild. At least half my family are engineers of some sort: they all wanted to figure out how it worked. Bidding was ferocious.
It went for about twenty times the price I paid for it. I was bemused.
My one and only show and tell memory is when I was in 1st grade I took a stuffed bear that I got for Christmas and said that Santa brought it for me. One of the boys started laughing and said that Santa wasn’t real – it was my parents. And that’s how I learned there is no Santa!
Wait! What?
@Nan I know, right?! Super mean!
Over the years, I’ve had to do medical teaching demonstrations, more fun than you’d think
Sewing is not my thing but I admire those who do!
Brought in arrowheads that my brother had found over the years and also a set of arrowheads that my mother made by napping flint.
Natasha, I’d love to hear the rest of the amethyst story and to see you in your lovely dress.
Getting up in front of class for show and tell would have been torture for me as a child, which in no way explains how I ended up teaching college English courses as an adult. Never say never!
Ha! French Canadian catholic schools do not have show and tell- I was painfully shy at that time so it would have been a nightmare.
However, to make up for my lack of « show-and-tell in school » I am blessed with a sublime manager, also a fellow crafter, so our weekly 1-on-1’s have been renamed to « show-and-tell » where i show what I’ve been working on and vice versa. She is a newer sewist so i may also provide help, tips or fit suggestions. This is by far the BESTEST boss ever and the most awesome job. Besides, mundane things like « work » can best be handles outside our 30 ish weekly « us » time.
Natasha- I am in awe of your « Bodies » dress: itis just phenomenal!
I never had show and tell. My son did and when he turned 5 he got a dog and wanted to take it for show and tell. Needless to say it eas a hit!
Welcome Natasha,
I cannot wait to see the finished dress!
I do not have a show and tell story, so I will share one from my son. He wanted to bring his small lizard named Lucky to show and tell in first grade. The school did not want the animal in the classroom for the full day so I had to bring Lucky to school later in the day. I had to get him from his terrarium into the travel container without an escape. I managed to do so, but it was touch and go. My son was so proud and happy though it was worth it.
The Dallas Hand Knitters Guild does show-and-tell at our monthly meetings. My favorite memory was when I showed a new sweater and someone took a photo of me that I actually like!
P.S. It is possible to join us by Zoom!
My daughter took her kitten to school.
My favorite show-and-tell story is about a knitting friend who is also a quilter. During covid our knitting group met weekly on zoom, and my friend always had a different quilt in the background. We would ask her about her handiwork and admire her beautiful work. One time someone asked ‘who is that one for?’ and she said she didn’t know. I loved the colors and jokingly suggested she could give it to me if she needed a recipient. Eventually when we began our regular meetings again, she brought the quilt and presented it to me! I was thrilled and used it all last winter, and I’m ready to get it out to keep me warm in my knitting chair again now that the weather has cooled down.
Sharing my knitting monthly in my knitting group.
I show-and-telled my first knitting project, a doll blanket; I was something like 8 years old.
I brought the Piglet I made to show and tell in 8th grade. Could have gone poorly but people enjoyed it and laughed at the right places. Piglet was important to sensitive me.
It was optional and I opted out
My favorite Show-and-Tell is seeing the beautiful knits at my Guild meetings!
Truly, I don’t remember show and tell, but I remember helping my kids decide what to bring. Now, I enjoy showing off my latest knits. I just finished the Treeline Cowl kit and am looking forward to cooler weather to wear it with my coat.
Impressive, Natasha!
Thank you for showing and telling!
I had too much stage fright for show and tell. I did want to take my dog but, of course, not allowed.
Sadly, I have never had show and tell.
Wow! Natasha! As a sewist for decades, I really admire your vision & work. Hoping to see more.
As for show & tell, I remember taking a doll w/ my hand sewn clothes. Show & tell in my knitting and quilting groups are so much fun for both presenter and appreciative audience.
When my son was in Pre-K, he brought the same teddy bear to show and tell every Friday so he could sleep with it at nap time. He is 20 years old and I still have the teddy bear.
My most vivid show and tell memory is from when I was a preschool teacher and a child’s uncle brought a cockatoo to class! Birds indoors make me uncomfortable, so it was a challenge to remain calm while the large bird was so close inside our classroom.
My uncle, who served in the Vietnam War, brought me a beautiful Vietnamese doll, which I didn’t really appreciate at the time. Neither did my classmates when I brought it for show and tell.
No show and tell at my schools but if there had been like many others I was so shy, had no self confidence and would have become absolutely petrified on the spot if I had to get up in front of the class. I was a young sewist though and from age 14 made my own clothes including formals and prom dresses. Self taught with books from the library I made the boned and shaped bodices using Vogue patterns or my own designs. Always made the muslin garment first for fitting. 50 years later I had stopped sewing except to replace the occasional button. Today I don’t even know where a needle is (other than my yarn needles).
I took my pet snake to a first grade show and tell. I wish I remembered people’s reactions!
For ancient Egypt lesson I brought in a giant copper plate given to my grandparents by someone affiliated with the team that opened King Tut’s tomb. It was so many years later that I found the “made in Egypt” stamped into the backside, indicating its modern origins very clearly. sigh.
Once, when I got new glasses in sixth grade, Sr Mary had me show them off. I was very excited, because they weren’t cats-eye, & they were a beautiful translucent cobalt
I got teased anyway & ‘lost’ them
Now I wear purple ones, & no one teases me anymore
My college chemistry teacher did a “kitchen chemistry” demonstration using red cabbage as an acid dye indicator – he did the entire thing as the Muppets’ Swedish Chef, with bits of red cabbage flying around the classroom! Seeing this serious professor show his funny side made him one of my favorites forever. It was the quintessence of things I love about chemistry – real science, colors, and fun. I have used since used that cabbage lesson to introduce chemistry to all kinds of groups, from scout troups to grade school classrooms and even an audition for a demo job at the Science Museum (which I didn’t get. Bummer.)
When I was 4, I went to nursery school at our local Jewish Temple. It was in walking distance from our house. My cat had had kittens, and I remember walking with my entire class from the school to my house (probably 4 or 5 blocks) to see the kittens! It seems very improbable at this time, but this memory is still very vivid even after 54 years!!! Taking my whole nursery school class (and the teachers!) to see my show and tell!!!
My favorite, sadly only, show and tell story is that there is no story! From kindergarten to 6th grade, I attended four schools in two different states. There never was an occasion in any of those schools where we had show and tell. 🙁
I don’t remember having show and tell at my school. Somewhat similar, I guess: I remember was when I was in 5th grade art class, I made a Snoopy (the dog) head out of clay that a lot of my classmates admired -some asked me to make one for them. Interesting to see how many knitters mention being shy as a child.
And very interesting to see Natasha’s design and her process – such patience to make both a mock-up and then the actual finished product. Sewing is hard to me, I admire anyone who can do it.
I really want to know what happened to your amethyst. Really want to know.
I used to drag my siblings to show and tell as there were many of them and they were mysterious middle and high schoolers and really upped my cool factor.
I love show and tell with knitting and weaving friends. We all understand the work that can go into a piece and can really appreciate it!
Gosh! My Show n Tells were 70 years ago. I don’t remember any of them, but I do remember in my own career as a teacher when our principal asked us to bring in a Show n Tell from our summer vacation. We were surprised when one of our colleagues brought in his summer project; a new born baby!
My go-to show and tell was an ostrich foot! My Dad was overseas in the Navy when I was born and this was one item he brought back with him. The foot was preserved, mounted, and an ashtray added to the top. Mom hated it!
In my professional life, there was one time we had to do a power point presentation about ourselves (team building?) and I ended that “show and tell” with the ostrich foot, too!
My favorite show & tells are my knitting : ) Yesterday I was showing someone my socks & she couldn’t believe I could knit on such tiny needles. What’s become no-big-deal to me was amazing to her & it made me appreciate what I’ve accomplished as a knitter.
My show and tell is usually all the handcrafted items i make whether it be knitting,crochet,quilting(quilts),sewing(dolls,pillow covers) that when my kids wear or the people i give to as gifts receive so many compliments.People are amazed that i I made with my hands.
Thank you! for the Giveaway
I took my grandma’s pizzelle(an Italian cookie pressed on a waffle iron type machine) iron to class and made her pizzelles and gave them to my class mates. It was a big hit!
My favorite show and tell is when I appear at my knitting group wearing my newest creation.
Kindergarten was the only time we had show and tell – I just remember being way too shy to actually do it!
My husband’s siblings were 15, 16 and 21 y.o. when he wears born so he was very proud to announce he was an uncle to his kindergarten class and have Baby Jamie visit for show and tell.
I can’t remember show and tell details from my youth as it was always semi-traumatic talking in front of the class as introverted as I was. As a grown up, though, I am happily showing off my knitted garments to my family and friends and on my Instagram account LOL 🙂
First of all, Natasha, your work is exquisite. As for my show-and-tell, this week, our public library hosted a reception for a show of shawls by local knitters, including me!
Not sure I ever had show ‘n tell! But if I did it would have been a Barbie most likely. I had a Barbie wallet I was pretty proud of!
I end up doing show and tell while knitting in public. “Ooh is that crochet? What are you making?”
My favorite knitting in public show-and-tell was at Dallas airport and a couple walks up. The lady has two bags and one is quite large. She compliments my knitting and says “I’m a knitter too! This small bag is my clothing and this huge one is my knitting which I carry everywhere. My husband hates it. Huge eye roll from her husband. Too funny!
My dad worked in a lab developing epoxy (many years ago). They would Moen’s wire to form a name, place it in a paper cup, pour leftover “epoxy” samples over it, producing a paperweight. I took one to show and tell. As excited as I was, I think the other first graders just stared with puzzled expressions, not appreciating how often they would encounter this material in their futures.
Naughty spellcheck! That’s “bend” wire.
I am amazed and intrigued!
The show and tell I remember is when one of my students brought a garter snake to school. The shoe box seemed secure, but when I came back from delivering the students to gym class, the snake was wriggling in the corner of the hallway seeking freedom. It spent the rest of the day back in the shoebox with the lid secured by several rubber bands (air holes were plentiful). Our assistant principal was terrified of snakes, lizards, spiders, etc. This has been my secret for many years. 🙂
My favorite show and tell us every month with my knitting group when we share new projects and even better, share what folks are thinking about knitting but haven’t finalized their plans.
I have no memories of show and tell. My dad was in the army, so every year or two was a new place, new school. It’s interesting what is remembered.
My favorite show and tell is every month with my knitting group when we share new projects and even better, share what folks are thinking about knitting but haven’t finalized their plans.
Thank you !
I love learning about the process of making things!
I loved show and tell in elementary school, but found a renewed joy when I join the sewing guild fresh out of college, I could show and tell my finished objects and admire everyone else’s too.
My favorite show and tells are the weekly WIP Wednesday posts in a knitting group to which I belong. I love seeing what everyone is up to!
does showing projects at one’s current knitting group count? that’s always a good time 🙂
Picture this: A quite lovely Elementary school in Halifax, Nova Scotia…We did not have “Show and Tell”; we had, “Bring a Book” day. We were encouraged to bring something we were reading outside of class. I was a voracious reader, desperate to impress my beloved spinster teacher, Miss Chipman. I grabbed the book from my parents’ bedside table, read the first few pages and took it off to class. I must say, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” made quite an impression on the teachers…
My favorite show & tell is showing off any of Imagined Landscapes Gnome Mystery Knitalongs. I especially loved showing off Gnocchi — Make Gnome Mistake. It was my first attempt at colorwork!
Way back in the 50’s first grade was when students were taught to read. I was in front of the class doing my show and tell when the school secretary brought in a notice to be read to the class. Being a helpful child I picked it up and read it to them. I think it took my poor teacher a few minutes to get her chin off her chest. She had never had a student who could already read, so was rather surprised. And I no longer had to sit in a reading group sounding out Dick and Jane.
I can still remember the yellow and brown cobbler’s apron I made in 8th grade Homemaking class. It had a yellow body and brown 3 section pocket to hold my potholders. How proud I was of that accomplishment.
The only one I remember is one that didn’t happen – I was in kindergarten, had carefully cut out figures from newspaper ads, pasted them on cardboard and was carrying them in a paper lunch bag to school when I fell and they were destroyed in a puddle. My mother was relieved – all the figures were ladies in underwear ads. To me they were basic homemade paper dolls before adding the paper clothes on top – to Mom they were a little embarrassing. This was in the 50s, mind you. I was totally supported by my Mom but I know she was happy I wouldn’t be showing them to my class. And I’m sure I got a treat later to make up for my disappointment.
I brought my whole class walking about three blocks from school in 4th grade to see my menagerie of small farm animals. It became a regular thing for that teacher, for years after I moved on to much more sophisticated and less poopy pastimes.
I know we had show and tell but I may have been a bit too reserved to participate. I remember being proud of some garments my mom had made me, but I also seemed to know that most of the kids did not appreciate the handmade so would not have chosen to show those off. Now I proudly proclaim my handmades when anyone asks!
Show and tell wasn’t a thing at my school so I’m only familiar with it from Quilt Guild meetings. Everyone is encouraged to bring recent finishes to show to their quilty friends. It’s one of the best parts of the guild meetings but, Oh the pressure!
Wow! I wish I had your mad skills with sewing. Once my child’s school had a parent talent share day so I signed up and showed them a little crochet and some of the things I had made. It was so fun!
Fifty years ago in my Sophomore year health class, we had to give a presentation about something that helped calm us and give us peace. I have always disliked public speaking. So I brought my baby blanket! It is a plain white blanket that I had taken the satin binding off of because I did not like the feel of that. With a quivering voice I explained how when I was little, if I was sad or frightened, I always found comfort in my blanket. One of my classmates raised his hand and asked “Does it still work?”, to which I replied “Evidently not”. All these years later I still have my blanket and use it to cover my grandchildren when they are napping.
Although I am strictly a socks knitter, I always enjoy seeing what more courageous MDK ‘s are doing.
My mom had a pin made from a snail shell. It was painted in bright colors to resemble a parrot, complete with tail feathers. That pin featured in many show and tell times (I have several siblings and we all brought it multiple times).
Favorite show-and-tell moment–walked the runway at Vogue Knitting Live wearing a Calvin Klein sweater that I had knit from Vogue’s 1986(?) issue of Vogue Knitting.
In 4th grade my mom brought mom brought my 2 week old brother to my class for show and tell and I got to show how to hold an infant and give him a bottle…. Best day ever!
Show and tell, ugh! My semester of sewing class in high school coincided with the semester when the sewing teacher and assistant principal were having an affair, so the teacher was not even in the class most days! She left it to the girls (it was the 70’s, it was all girls in class) who already knew how to sew to give us pointers. That meant the only item I actually finished sewing was a “darling” pinafore top in a Raggedy Ann print. Even back then I thought it was cute and vintage-looking, up until the moment I had to walk out on the stage for the end-of-semester fashion show. I’m here to tell you that it is not actually possible to die of embarrassment or I would have at that moment.
When I was in the fourth grade my Dad went on a business trip and brought back Art Linkletter’s (then famous for his tv program House Party with its segment Kids Say the Darndest Things) autograph on a slip of paper. As the oldest of four, I got to take it to school for show and tell first. Somehow o forgot to bring it home and my Dad drive me back to school to look for it. We never found it and assumed it must have dropped on the floor and got swept up by the custodian. I don’t think I ever got “oldest first” privileges again!
My box turtle, Olive!
Best show and tell experience was actually recently during a work meeting… I showed off a scarf I had knitted that was over 72 inches long and could double as a lap blanket! I’m not the world’s fastest knitter but the fact that I had done it and could show my peers another side of my personality was pretty cool!
My friend’s three-year old LOVES show and tell at her preschool and she brings a potato every week. Except the week she brought an onion. She’s so proud and delighted to show off her potato. Delightful little weirdo 🙂
This isn’t a show and tell exactly, but this memory is very dear to me. We had a babysitter who used to teach us to knit. Many years later, I entered a sweater in the local fall fair. I got the blue ribbon, and this dear lady when tooting around saying ‘I taught her to knit’ repeatedly!
I was a facilitator of a 3-day learning opportunity for teachers that used Shakespeare performances as a focus for learning to use technology as journalists. At the end, the students (teachers) had to do a show and tell. One team, who were tasked with videotaping interviews with actors and directors, had the buttons on the camera mixed up. As they approached the interview subject we heard their preparatory chatter and had a great view of their feet. The camera would swing up and then—go black for interview after interview. The team was good natured and had all of us in stitches as they described all they had learned. We laughed until we cried.
None! We didn’t do “show & tell” where I went to school.
I belong to a quilt guild that has show and tell every month. My first show and tell with this new guild was a quilt I made for a challenge in 2019 that is one of my favorite quilts. They loved it too and I felt welcomed and appreciated!
As a crafter, I also love show and tell. Even in kindergarten I showed my drawing to the class.
Can’t remember what I brought to show and tell in the early grades, but I do remember showing off some late 19th/ early 20th century penmanship books belonging to the great aunts and uncles. Along with Sadlier’s Excelsior Geography Number Three, “by a Catholic Teacher” (1896). Also WW II scrip dollar bill my dad had from his time in the Pacific.
Bringing in my dog.
Not strictly show and tell, but I was knitting on an airplane returning from a conference. The passenger across the aisle from me was surprised to see me knitting without looking at what I was doing. I ended up teaching him how to knit before the plane landed.
Has to be 4th grade FFA show, with the dress I sewed that won a blue ribbon! Sadly, it has been all down hill from there. LOL
At my knitting guild, I showed off the afghan I made for my son’s HS graduation. I also showed the small baby afghan his grandma had made which was the basis of the pattern I used 18 years latter.
I never did a show and tell in school. I, however, do lots of it with my knits. It’s fun to style them.
I hated show and tell…
My favorite times for show and tell are with my local knitting group, they make me feel very good about what I’ve made. There were times in my past where some of my acquaintances were not as appreciative and they let me know it.
I don’t have any memory of show and tells from childhood, but my favorite knitting show and tell is the two sweaters I’ve knit out of local to me wool yarn.
I’ve been attending Meg Swansen’s knitting camps and workshops since 2007 and always enjoy show-and-tell there. The first time I was there, I brought an Icelandic sweater that I had made into a coat. Meg was so complimentary and I felt blessed. Another time, 10 years after my hysterectomy, I knitted a female reproductive system. The room was silent for a couple of seconds and then erupted into a roar of laughter and applause.
I am too old to have experiences with Show and Tell in school. It was not part of the curriculum. But I did participate in a fashion show at a retreat with Patty Lyons and the sweater I completed 5 minutes before the runway received some great applause. A very nice moment!
More recently, the day I finished two projects, which had been in my UFO pile. Woohoo!
I can’t remember why we would have had show and tell in the 6th grade, but I took in my neighbor’s samurai helmet from Japan. They were a well-traveled, wealthy older couple. Bob and I had a special bond, maybe because they were empty nesters with only sons. I was reading Shogun at the time and completely fascinated by Japanese feudal society. Why on earth he trusted me with the helmet, I do not know. He indulged my curious mind in so many ways, including tending and loving bees.
My orange corduroy skirt that was presented as several ethnicities
I loved seeing this garment come together! What will you wear over it? Show us more!
Grade school show and tell was a long time ago! More recently I did a drum carding demo at our local Fiber Fest and had a number of kids stop by.
My show and tell isn’t really a memory but a cherished activity in my knitting group. Each week we do a round of “show and tell’ about what we’re crafting. It’s always great to see and hear about what my fellow crafters are making and fun to share mine as well!
As a very shy child, I hated show and tell. I can’t even remember anything I took- I must have blocked it all out!
Show’n and tell’n is a fun game to play.
Did I bring a Barbie to show off? Hard to recall all those years ago and harder to claim one thing all to myself in a family of 6 kids.
Welcome Natasha
My favorite show & tell memory is when my daughter Sarah was 2 months old, we went to visit my sister & her family. My nephew was 4 and he had Show & Tell that day. It happened that he was supposed to bring in something that started with “S”. I think he had the best show & tell bringing in his baby cousin!
I still recall this show & tell memory with conflicted feelings about it: I was in 1st grade and needed to bring something to school for show & tell. My mom dug out this rather impressive looking skeleton key and told me to let everyone know it was to a treasure chest! I have no idea whether any of my classmates believed that or not (we were all a bunch of dumb 1st graders), but have to wonder what the teacher thought — was I one of those kids with an overactive imagination, or a big liar at a tender age (without knowing that Mom put me up to the lie in the first place)? Once I was old enough to know it was a lie, I’m hoping that nobody else recalls the key to the treasure chest!
My family’s favorite show and tell item was a human leg skeleton my dad acquired from art school. It was always a big hit!
This is not really a true show and tell story but…. When I was in first grade we were instructed to write a few sentences about any animal of our choosing. We had a dog at home named Tuffy. He was a sweet little pug. The teacher, Sister Thomas, had never heard of that dog breed. She thought I made that up so I wouldn’t have to figure out how to spell a longer word. I had my dad bring Tuffy by the convent to show that nun I wasn’t lying about my pug…. with one of those little books you used to get at the pet store about your specific breed. She never doubted me again.
I visited the old Nashboro village in the 70s for a school project. They had people demonstrating how work was done in primitive times. I spent a lot of time with the woman showing how wool was processed to make yarn and clothing. I made a poster board and drew pictures to show how they washed, carded and spun the wool to make yarn. Little did I know that I’d be interested in this topic 40 years later. Guess my younger self was showing and telling my grown self!
I don’t remember there being an organized “show and tell” event back in the 50’s but the day a classmate brought the head of a huge sturgeon that her father had caught in Washington’s Columbia River was quite memorable.
We were country kids and it took a lot to shock us but that came close.
My one show and tell memory was bringing my big orange and white cat, Whimpy to school for the day. He mingled with the other kids and sat on my lap. I’m not sure how he tolerated a bunch of excited 6 year olds, but he didn’t seem to mind.
I can’t remember my last show and tell moment- it must have been when I was in early grade school.
Gosh, you make designing look so simple!
As a shy child, Show and Tell filled me with fear (and, to be truthful, the dread of being the center of attention has followed me into adulthood, as well). If there ever was an occasion I may have participated in Show and Tell, I have blocked it all from my mind.
The San Diego North Coast Knitters Guild has a huge Holiday Luncheon every year at which dozens of knitters show something special that they knitted during the year. It’s an event I never want to miss, because the garments and projects are stunning! I shared my Claire de Lune by Carol Sunday. You can see it on my Ravelry page: lindahart
My first show and tell at our local quilt guild in 1994. I was so proud of my quilted Christmas wall hanging!
In middle school social studies we had to give a speech and presentation related to something we’d learned that year. I picked mummification, and wrapped a raggedy ann doll in gauze to bring as a demonstration prop.
Welcome Natasha & those Bodies are stunning. I grew up with sewists & really appreciate your painstaking process.
Oh geez someone below said her school had a “no toys” rule for S&T. Really?!? What else are kids enamored with? I mean besides Mom’s birth control “candy” & of course the pet Dachshund (her name was Lisa & she never went to school with me).
So I can’t remember what I took, but now I get to read poems I wrote to my poetry group. It’s can be a very intense Adult Version of S&T. I love it!
I brought my dog in. She was a Newfie, so kids were suitably impressed.
My preschool child at show and tell: “this is my handkerchief, it’s where I put my boogers.”
Show and tell in elementary school was a long time ago! Now show and tell is when knitting friends get together and show their latest FOs. I recently completed a shawl and one at yarn chicken, so that was what I showed out today!
I don’t remember doing show and tell at school, but I do remember someone bringing to class a doll house size log cabin-to show us how they looked and how they were made.
It’s been so long since show and tell at school I dont remember anything in particular. Show and tell at knit night is different! I can remember my first full skein of handspun yarn and how a particularly chossey knitter gushed over it. I felt very accomplished.
My fave show and tell moments are when someone says they like my sweater, and I get to say that I made it!
My first show and tell was a rock that I painted in kindergarten. I painted my dog but no one knew what it was!
Our knitting guild held a Show and Tell after every monthly meeting. It was inspirational to see and share all the creativity of our members.
My grandma had a 20 dollar gold piece. It was the tiniest coin, about 1/3 the size of a dime. I was allowed to take to show and tell in a clear glass pill bottle.
I took my dog to school!
I went to a very conservitive Catholic school and we didn’t have show and tell. So when I had my own family, I made sure to really encourage my son to participate in show and tell and the sky was the limit.
My knitting guild has a challenge every year. Part of the challenge is a show and tell of what inspired us, what was difficult, what colors we chose and so forth. Each year we all admire what each other made and say how beautiful it is!
My favorite show and tell is during our knitting group. We always share what we are working on, what we put in timeout and what yarn we accidentally bought. It’s inspiring.
I recently learned (via the Fruity Knitting vlog) that Australians say Bring and Brag instead of Show and Tell.
I also recently attended a social skills coaching session for autistic adults where they had been tasked with bringing a meaningful item to share with the group, with the goal being for the audience to engage and ask questions to seek to establish common interests as a basis for friendship.
My inner knitter was so thankful for the instant kinship and often deep bond that I feel with most other fiber enthusiasts that I get to meet.
My memory is actually one from my teaching experience, almost 20 years ago! One of my kindergarteners brought in his skink … and the crickets it ate. He’d put the crickets in a brown paper bag. They escaped.
Pandemonium ensued. Oh, to be a teacher.
Our school did not have show and tell. 🙁
It was the 60’s….was it not a “thing” then?
I’m with Cynthia – I did a show and tell in a job interview. I brought in a well-put together portfolio that had past company awards, letters of recommendations, and a couple project business requirements documents I’d created (I’m a business systems analyst). That’s what got me the job.
I don’t recall a show-and-tell event in school. Perhaps because I went to school so long ago! hahaha
I don’t remember doing show and tell in school, but I love show and tell with knitting friends!
My favorite show and tell is with my knitters’ group of 15+ years. I was finally able to share a lace scarf that I started about 12 years ago and just finished this year. Oof! WIP/MIA/UFO all in one – until I finished. I am a little lace challenged, but learned so much!
At age 11 I shared my 17 international coins I had been given. 13 made it back to me.
Not my own show-and-tell, but I loved reading about it in the Peanuts comic!
I don’t think my 16 years of private school ever had a show and tell. But if they did, I would have presented one of my handmade dolls. The bodies were made from wool, and the mouths and eyes were sequins cut in half . I sewed elaborate costume from scrap fabric. They were fabulous I must’ve made dozens.
Believe it or my, I’ve never participated in a show and tell!