Home Ec for Everyone: Practical Life Skills in 118 Projects: Cooking · Sewing · Laundry & Clothing · Domestic Arts · Life Skills

by Sharon Bowers, David Bowers

Did you remember your scissors? Discover the tremendous pleasure of learning how to do it yourself how to cook, sew, clean, and more, the way it used to be taught in Home Ec class. With illustrated step by step instructions, plus relevant charts, lists, and handy graphics, Home Ec for everyone offers a crash course in learning 118 practical life skills-everything from frosting the perfect birthday cake to fixing a zipper to whitening a dingy T-shirt to packing a suitcase (the right way). It’s all made clear in plain, nontechnical language for any level of DIYer, and it comes with a No matter how simple the task, doing it with your own two hands provides a feeling of accomplishment that no app or device will ever give you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help, Crafts, Cookbooks, How To, Food

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 27, 2021

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Just nope. The idea is great, but this book is burdened with so much privilege and is so out of touch that it’s not even good as a gag gift.

The good:
* There are some good cooking/baking basics in here for folx out there just getting started.

The bad:
*More than half of the book focuses solely on basic recipes- There are plenty of resources for that already. It would have been helpful to have tips on how to substitute budget friendly ingredients or time saving methods to common recipes instead of assuming that someone reading a HomeEc book would have access to a stocked spice cabinet and all fresh ingredients.

*The sewing/clothes repair section is full of a lit of diagrams that don’t really show *how* to do things. The descriptions are really only readable for those of us already skilled in textile arts.

*In case you wonder which demographic this book is written for, it contains instructions for laundering a down comforter and how to save a shrunken natural fiber sweater. There is more privilege in this book than you can shake a pumpkin spice stained Birkin bag at.

*In the domestic arts section (which is somehow considered separate from all of the previous topics?) this book advises that if a pet leaves a poo on your floor, you will need: *Rubber Gloves*, A Dust Pan, A Scrub Brush, and a Paint Scraper or Spatula. Basically treat it like radioactive actual holy s—t? Are we too bougie to get an old grocery bag or some paper towel, put it over our hand, and just pick that crap up? Seriously?

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique book that attempts to boil down what you might learn in a typical home economics class into 118 projects. The book is divided into 5 categories - cooking, sewing, laundry, domestic arts, and life skills. I did take home ec in high school and really only remember covering cooking and sewing, but the other areas covered in this book are helpful. I think this is more geared toward a young adult or someone moving out on their own for the first time, but I still felt like it had good information in all the areas covered. Things like "how to spring clean" in the domestic arts section are helpful for anyone. Overall, I liked it and felt like even someone well into "adulting" could find something new or helpful in here.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a good book for a teen or those bound for college.

[BethFishReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was in junior high and high school, girls too home ec and boys took shop. At my school, home ec focused on cooking and sewing and not too much on the other adulting skills.

The book's subtitle tells you what to expect: "Practical life skills in 118 projects." The major topics are Kitchen, Sewing, Laundry and Clothing, Domestic Arts, and Life Skills.

Each short section explains a specific skill or a useful household bit of knowledge. For example, in the kitchen chapter, you'll find information on equipment and appliances, on basic cooking skills, on how to properly prepare and store food, and even how to clean your kitchen. The laundry chapter includes a chart for deciphering laundry labels in clothing and helps you figure out whether your "dry clean only" shirt can actually be thrown in the washing machine. Besides recipes, activities include simple sewing projects, how to remove stains, how to make a household budget, how to make a household first aid kit, and how to fix a broken zipper.

Whether you're an experienced domestic god or goddess or you're new to taking care of yourself and your living quarters, this book deserves a place on your bookshelf. It's a great resource to have on hand next time you have to hem something or need to launder a down comforter or your curtains.

I have to note, however, that in the 21st century, much of the information in the book can be found via a quick internet search. Still, I like the idea of having a basic print resource.

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for something to help me figure out how to teach my kids to cook--and I found this gem at the library. I skimmed it in one day, and ended up learning a bunch myself! It helped me understand some of the 'rules' about cooking and cleaning that I hadn't previously understood. Also, I was exposed to new things that I now want to try--such as blanching veggies--which wasn't a part of what I learned or was exposed to growing up. I was looking for a book that provided a broad overview of basic cooking skills, and this provided that and more. It covers a lot of basics quickly, so is a good book to introduce topics related to cooking and household care.

[Rev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spotted this at the library while getting a bunch of gardening books, and thought it'd make for an interesting read. A lot of what was in this book were things I knew how to do in a kind of abstract way but wasn't entirely sure how to break the process down into steps. The instructions were concise and clear. I did find it funny that around half the book alone is dedicated to cooking, but I also think that there's a lot of people who just don't know how to cook in the slightest, and they could probably benefit from reading this book. I read it more for the other How Tos such as sewing, laundry, and cleaning, which is something I struggle with far more than cleaning.

[tiffany barton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to work 3rd shift tonight, so brushing up on some home ec items was a surprisingly okay way to pass the time. (These were the only books I brought). A lot of these items were helpful refreshers on simple items, and instructions for running a smooth system and staying organized at home. Not too bad a read either. The Spring Cleaning section was my favorite part, because I am about to start early!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a crash course on adulting. Most of the book is cooking and sewing, but there are some other household chores, budgeting and general manners in here too. I'm not the target audience, but the advice is sound. This book would make a great gift for a college grad or someone moving out on their own into their first place (or a new homeowner). It would be a handy reference.

[Pegi Ferrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crash course on adulting includes at least one glaringly incorrect tip: do NOT rely on your car alarm if you believe you have an intruder in your house.
Some things needed illustrations but did not get them (how to fold a suit).
Otherwise, it is basic and approachable -- except most people do not start out with such an extensive kitchen.

[Samantha McGraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains so much useful information that I refer back to it again and again. There's something here for everyone. Lots of good tips and information on how to do things that we should all know, but maybe never learned.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Workman Publishing in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavily focused on cooking. There's no photographs and only a minimal amount of illustrations. Using the term projects is misleading--it's more like a hodgepodge of "here's how to cook rice" and "here's how to sew on a button"--than what I'd consider projects. I was hoping for a book of little projects to try but this feels like stuff I'd be better off googling.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this was a library book, it was a lot of skimming. Lots of important things that you should know how to do, and the descriptions all seemed well done! I’d say this would be a good book to gift someone moving out on their own for the first time. A great reference book for adulting 😉

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of really good guidance and explicitly instructions, but the projects are definitely rudimentary. If you're just setting out as an adult whose upbringing didn't include hands-on home ec, this is a great place to start.

[Lcharlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I will be buying copies to give as gifts!

[Kimberly Mccune · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too basic for an experienced home-maker but a solid reference that would make a great gift for a recent graduate or first-time homeowner.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Good basic information on how to run a household.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful home ec info. I enjoyed it.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

some of these were a little too elementary, which makes me sad because I'm sure most adults don't know the simple basics.

[Julie Sulc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm using this with my teen. It is a good prompt for me to cover what I know, and to explain things I know but can't quite convey.

[Yycdaisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overall, especially worth looking at for those young people starting out. It's sort of a reference for some things that would be hard to remember like the Guide to Laundry Labels. Much of the rest of it seemed to be things maybe your family should have taught you but didn't. Some of the instructions were a bit vague, like the ones for fixing a zipper.

[Renee Boucher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty helpful if you don't have the internet...

[Cindy Mac Jac · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book, when I think back to high school I wish I had learned some of these skills.
*Canning
*baking bread
*stain remover

This would be an excellent book for any graduate who is wanting to leave home.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know someone moving into their first apartment? Are you a little concerned that they might not know where to begin? This is a great gift! It includes 219 skills, everything from how to boil water, to how to make a pot of chili, to how to thread a needle, to how to make a budget. It’s fully illustrated and written in a very conversational, inviting manner. Even if your young person knows how to do some of these things, I can guarantee they’ll find lots of skills they don’t know how to do. It’s divided into five chapters, and includes a comprehensive table of contents, index and a very helpful conversion table. You might even find some helpful tips. I know I did!
Many thanks to Workman Publishing for the review copy of this book.

[Rosalind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what my brothers need.