The Sewing Workshops in Alleys

Our school happens to be Luzhou Active Ageing Learning Center. Many elders come to this center to study some courses, including patchwork. The teacher was a retired director of our school—Ms. Jui-ying Hsu. We contacted her and asked her to help us find out whether there were students who had been in the garment industry. When she heard that our topic of this year’s Cyberfair project is sewing workshops, she told us immediately that there were a few. She invited us to come to the class and have the interview. Thanks to her warm help, we had a series of experience lessons.

We said hello to the students!

Ms. Hsu introduce about Zongzi

We had the lesson on how to make Zongzi

We listened carefully to the introduction of Ms. Hsu!

Ms. Hsu demonstrated how to thread the needle.

The teacher taught us how to sew the Zongzi .

The students offered their help!

We took photos with the Zongzis we made.

Po-ta Chen

On Friday, the teacher led us to learn patchwork in Siwei Building and have a first-hand experience about the work of moms.

Yi-ping Liu

On Friday, we went to experience the patchwork class in Active Learning Center. On that day we made Zongzi. The teacher said it would not be difficult and asked us to take note. But it was very fizzy to us. We only learnt it when the teacher had a demonstration. After some efforts we finally finished. I thought it would be easy to thread the needle. But as the hole of needle was very small, it took me a while to tread it.

Jin-yu Chen

This was my first sewing experience; therefore I was not able to do it. I could not make a knot. I had to turn to the teacher often. Most of the work was done by the teacher. Only the pearls were treaded by myself.

Chi-yuan Huang

We went to the Active Learning Center to learn patchwork with the aunts. We made Zongzi. This experience made me feel much fulfilled. I had not only learnt how to knot but also how to sew well.

Ya-guan Wang

Today we went to the first floor of Siwei Building and learnt patchwork with the aunts. The teacher taught us how to make Zongzi. It took us 3 lessons to finish the seemingly easy task. We came to know how difficult it is to sew by hand instead of using machine. It is very exhausting and hurts the eyesight over time.

An-peng Wu

It took us 3 class sessions to finish the seemingly easy task. We came to know how difficult it is to sew by hand instead of using machine. It is very hard work, and thus, we realized how lucky we are now with sewing machines.

Xin Ouyang

I did not have confidence in handwork. This was my first time to do it. Although I had some sewing skills, I my hands always got pricked. We first sewed and then put the cotton in. then we sew the hole up and treaded the pearls and Chinese knot. Finished! With gorgeous flower patterns, the Zongzi was very beautiful. The pearls and Chinese knot rendered them a traditional touch. It can bless you safety. It is very tiresome and eye-hurting to do handwork. It took us 3 lessons to finish the luck zong. In the past, there were no sewing machines and the workers had to work 8 hours a day. It must be much more painful than our experience. We realized how lucky we were.

Ting-yu Li

This time we went to Active Learning Center to learn patchwork with the aunts. First, the teacher helped us prepare sewing kit and told us to make pendants. I found the most difficult part in making Zongzi lied in sewing. I had to look at the sewing and the needles. My eyes got very sore. So I thought one had to have good eyesight. This made me understand why few people want to be in garment factories. It is because they have to use their eye for over long time and it hurts a lot.

Ya-ting Tsao

Today we went to Active Learning Center to make Zongzi. As I had taken sewing classes before, it was an easy case to me. When we finished, the teacher said that we could take the pearls back. As they were very beautiful, we brought them back with us.