This month, my church launched a new sewing class in order to provide more opportunities to invite new friends to church. Even though the focus of the class is pattern drafting, rather than the physical act of sewing, this was still something I really wanted to learn. Still, there was a slight plot twist – all the lessons are to be delivered in Cantonese!

• Paper
• 0.5mm H Pencil
• Ruler (longer rulers are better)

Lessons by Ms. Lo

So despite my initial hesitancy in joining the class, I loved the whole experience. The teacher and other aunties in the classroom were so welcoming, and even though I have no real sewing background, I was able to keep up. So far, we’ve talked about how to customize a pattern for a sewn sleeveless top.

I really like this class, because it doesn’t just teach you how to make one item based on the pattern. The motivation behind this class is to teach you how to think about a garment so that you can modify it and customize it to fit any specific body.

This class has done wonders for my Cantonese, as I rarely have so much focused exposure to it. It’s reassuring to know that I understand so much of it, and encouraging to know that I can learn more easily when given the opportunity.

On a similar note, I have a lot of strong feelings about generational learning. It’s obviously important for knowledge to survive and endure, but the opportunity to learn directly from a parent or auntie/uncle makes it more intimate. I’m sure that I could learn similar things from a book or on the Internet, but when someone can teach you out of their own personal experience, it feels particularly enriching. Their own stories, mistakes, and successes are also passed on, rather than just the objective concepts. Maybe that’s why recipe blogs always include that life story before getting to the good stuff – we are driven to impart our personal narrative along with the lesson, and we’re not used to missing out on that opportunity. Do you have any experiences or stories like this?

Until next time, happy crafting!