Sewing-up skills
A stitch in time is still a very valuable skill to master in the modern era, especially if you happen to be Inuk.
Kukik Okalik, 27, has been sewing for the past 10 years. Her good friend, Nina Illnik, taught her how to use a sewing machine and Okalik came full circle this past month as she and her co-workers with the mental health team organized a month-long sewing program to pass their skills on to others.
Okalik said the idea to put together a sewing program came about mainly because she had never seen a summer-themed sewing program advertised in Rankin Inlet before.
She said another reason for the idea stemmed from the fact the weather seems to be warmer than usual in Rankin this year, and she thought it would be nice for people to have summer-themed items to make.
“Our very first participant seemed to really enjoy it,” said Okalik. “She had never been part of a summer-themed sewing program before and she’s new to town, so she found it pretty cool.
“My co-workers and I had a few patterns cut out. We had a dress, a mini messenger bag and shorts. It’s kind of a new thing for us to do, so it’s our first time making these things. So, in that sense, it’s really kind of like a pilot program.
“Everyone taking part so far seems to be really enjoying it.”
Okalik said she believes that sewing is still a very valuable part of Inuit life.
She said there’s so much that can be made, both by hand sewing and using a sewing machine.
“There’s an unlimited amount of things we can make with either, but I feel there’s, really, more things we can make with a sewing machine.
“I think I’ve become pretty OK with the hand sewing, but, really, I still pretty much consider myself kind of a beginner.
“I really don’t know, yet, what the hardest thing to learn on the machine is because I’ve only made a full-length parka, which I really didn’t get to finish, before moving on to the dress and shorts. So, out of what I’ve made so far, the hardest thing for me is definitely a parka.
“Sewing is something I really enjoy. I like learning new things. With the dress and the shorts, my co-workers and I started learning how to make them so we could use them as part of the sewing program.”
The sewing program is scheduled to wrap up during the evening of June 26.
Okalik said as far as cost is concerned – the cost of sewing something yourself as opposed to buying it at a store – it really depends on what the item is, how much it’s being sold for, what kind of material is being used and how big the project is.
She said the parka stills presents the biggest challenge to her, personally, while her co-workers are pretty skilled at making them.
“The smaller, more intricate stuff really isn’t as hard as they can seem to be.
“I’m just a summer student for now and I’m only here until mid-August. But I wouldn’t mind coming back here and continuing with different types of sewing programs.
“It’s a skill that we can all benefit greatly from by learning.”
Darrell Greer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Kivalliq News
