A stitch in time

Apart from academics,students of Ahilyadevi High School for Girls are also trained in various creative skills like stitching and jewellery making so that they become more independent and market-ready.

At Ahilyadevi High School for Girls,Shaniwar Peth,education goes beyond books,lessons and the SSC curriculum. Last year,a programme to make students more market ready was undertaken by the school wherein all the girls are divided into groups and taught stitching,embroidery,painting,bag-making,apron-making,jewellery making and other crafts. All students are not alike. The Hasthkala Programme was devised for those students who are more inclined towards art and craft and for those who come from weak financial backgrounds. We want each student to be independent and ready to face the world, says T V Reddy,headmistress.

Students are taught each craft from the basic to the advanced stage. We teach the students how to buy raw materials like silk threads,fabrics and other things. We also help them in market research and show them where to find good quality products at lowest rates, says Ratna Bhosle,the stitching teacher. The students learn stem stitch,chain stitch,satin stitch,kadai stitch,long and short shading stitches,cross stitch,bead work,painting,mirror-work and embroidery on old sarees and gowns that are donated to the school by ex-students and parents. The girls make artificial flowers from paper and they use pieces of waste cloth to make handbags and doormats.

There are two periods of 30 minutes each in a week. Basic stitching is taught to students of Std V whereas embroidery is taught to students from Std VIII-X. Last year,we made rakhis from recyclable materials and sent them to Ramkrishna Math,Vivekananda Smarak and army camps, informs drawing teacher Vidya Jituri.

Kiran Aher,a student of Std X,practises the craft taught to her at home. I embroidered flower patterns on a table cloth at home. My mother was very happy with my work. She also knows stitching and embroidery but since we are given lessons in all the different patterns and styles of stitching at school,she is keen to learn more from me, says Kiran. Along with a passion for creativity and love for the craft,needlework also takes a lot of patience and precision. Tiny flowers are easier to make than filling in big flowers. Kachi-taka and kaza-taka are most difficult and so are other beautiful patterns,” says Rasika Deshmukh,a Std VIII student.

An annual exhibition of the students’ handiwork is organised during December. The students are trained to present as well as sell their products in a professional way. The products have a very nominal price. Making market ready products and not knowing how to convince the customer to buy is a bad situation to be in, says Jituri,adding,We teach the student how to price their products,how to talk to customers and negotiate on a deal.

Last year,the exhibition was a success as the girls sold 90 suit pieces along with most of the bags and aprons that they had made in school. The teachers put in a lot of time and effort for the betterment of their students. Shaligram Vijaya,a social worker,conducts jewellery making workshops for the students of Std VIII, says Reddy. The members of Deccan Education Society,School Committee Chairman,parents of the students and the teachers provide a strong backing to the project, she adds.

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