Yesterday I sat for about an hour and a half to stitch
a Sari Fall. But many may prefer to give it to a tailor in the neighbourhood or
get this simple work done by someone else. There are some helping hands, apart
from helping the Memsaab at home, does these simple needle work and earn some
extra money.
I find no harm in getting a work done with some help.
There was a smile on my face to think I am lucky that I can do it. I recollect
my schooldays where we had one period in a week for Needle-work. There used to
be a teacher, who was so good and taught us so much. Simple stitches from Tacking
(long stitches to fasten), Hemming, Blanket stitch, Cross stitch, Chain stitch,
the Lazy Daisy, then there was the Feather stitch, the Fern stitch, Button-hole
stitch, and some embroidery work. I remember how we got square white cloth pieces,
the right size of a hanky, and worked on it. Little colourful flowers came up
with the help of Lazy Daisy stitch and the Stem stitch for the stalks of the
flowers. Such beautiful experience which is helpful till date.
If the school had not given us this chance of learning
the needle work, I think my Ma’s interest in this sort of creative work would
surely have made me learn it. The beautiful pieces of table cloths with all the
special embroidery on it, pillow covers had so many colours added to them with multi-coloured
threads, were works of my lovely Mother … worth appreciation. I also learnt
Crochet work from my Mother. Beautiful design laces were knitted with the
crochet hook and Bengali ladies liked the laces to be stitched to the length-drop
of their petticoats, something they were really proud of in showing off their
hand-made lace.
I remember, the first time when I tried with thread
and the crochet hook, it seemed so difficult. But the words, “Try, try, try again
and you will succeed at last”, kept ringing in my ears and I did not give up
instead learnt this (not so) difficult creative work.
There was a time when elders and children preferred
hand-knit sweaters, cardigans, shawls, mufflers, different design caps and many
more things. So in winter, knitting was something the girls at home learnt and
were good at it. That’s the reason I also knitted a lot and my children when
they were small they wore sweaters made by me. Till date my elder son likes to
wear my hand-knit sweaters apart from the ones bought from the market. It was interesting
to learn new designs and also rake up the brain to come up with something new.
Whenever I came up with something new and interesting I shared with friends who
had a knack for it.
In our house there was a Singer sewing machine which
worked on foot and also could be converted to hand-use also. Having interest in
working on the sewing machine, I started stitching my skirt at a very young
age. Skirts are easy to make but later on stitched many things and also for my
little boys…of course till they were small. I liked stitching my own blouses,
for they fitted vey well as I took pain to see the fitting from one step to
another for perfection. But if you ask me now, I simply say, the cloth goes to
the tailor to get the finished product.
I don’t know why I came up with this topic today…maybe
my mind wanted to share it with my Blog-friends. There is no boasting of facts
and I don’t want to credit myself.
Yes, now it strikes me to why I mentioned all this. All
because, these days very few girls get the opportunity or have crave to learn
all this. Everything is available in the market. Most ladies and girls will
say, “Why all the pain and waste of time.”
I feel learning never stops. Any small thing that is
learnt always yields good result. And the joy in seeing and wearing something
made with our own hands, putting time and patience together, is always a reward to one’s own self…the joy
and happiness speaks out later on.