Workshop to develop tailoring skills in underprivileged women artisans

SETU constantly endeavours for women empowerment by way of developing livelihood generating skills, so that the women can become economically independent and can also contribute to their family income. In the series, a fifteen day long tailoring workshop, with the motive of inculcating stitching/tailoring skills in the poor women artisans coming from the underprivileged and downtrodden sections of the society, was conducted in Kaladera, Chomu.(65 kms from Jaipur) from 14th July to 29th July 2014. A total of 20 women artisans received training in the workshop under the expert guidance of Mrs. Santosh Kumawat, skilled tailoring instructor appointed by SETU.

The tailoring workshop started with an introduction about SETU Society’s livelihood initiatives programme. Mr. L.R. Kaushal from SETU Society made the participants aware about SETU’S livelihood programmes and how they can benefit from it. Tailoring Instructor, Mrs. Santosh Kumawat showed the women how to cut the pattern of the said garment to be stitched; first on newspaper. She explained this with the help of salwar suit cutting.

In the session, women learned how to stitch basic ladies garments like salwar suits, blouses, kurtis etc. Also, once done with the basic tailoring skills like cutting & sewing fabric, the ladies were encouraged and guided to try their hands on some designer stuff. Under the expert guidance, women artisans created some beautiful designs infusing embroidery and zardozi work in the fabric.

All the necessary stuff required in tailoring like fabric, rented sewing machines, thread reels, needle, chalk and fusing etc. was provided by SETU Society. The sessions started from 2′O clock in the afternoon and ended at5 in the evening for 15 days.

In addition to the basic stuff required for training, SETU also provided the artisans with fine quality block printed fabric to make the final dresses for themselves at the end of the workshop. The women became very happy on getting the fabric. They created beautiful attractive designs with the fabric and also wore them at the ending session of the workshop. The participants are overwhelmed with the workshop and want more such tailoring programmes to be organized in future.