How simple machines at home inculcated respect for manual work

Memories of growing up years are forceful and unfaded, they are not like the instant pictures of today that we keep deleting to manage space on multiple digital devices. One such memory has left a lasting imprint on my mind and subconsciously reminds me of the importance of skills that empower us - a machine that was so ubiquitous, that most of us, as children, had our first education about how machines work in the comfort of our homes.

Like most households, we had a hand sewing machine, a basic one – Usha, it was a priced possession of my mother, since it was presented to her at the time of her wedding. The machine was with us for decades and it was used well regularly and we made lovely memories around it. Often, as kids, we used to help her in winding the hand wheel or sometimes just try our hands at holding the cloth, fitting the bobbin in the right place or many other small things that fascinated us.

For a long time our home wear clothes were stitched at home. The sewing machine at home was regularly oiled and maintained well by my mother. Occasionally, few special dresses used to be stitched by the tailors, either for festivals or when the cloth was ‘special’ or it had to look 'fashionable' and professionally done.

Making our own dresses was real fun! While in college, few of us used to take pride in designing a skirt or a kurta from scratch and stitching it too.

However, gradually, I lost touch with the machine as the comfort by purchasing ready-to-wear was catching up. Though the machine remained with us for long, I hardly opened the cover. It was getting jammed and it was difficult to use it.

But the skills of making a dress, a bag or a simple top remain till today. Often, the sight of a sewing machine tempts me to buy it, just to enjoy the creative experience.

Machines are our extensions. They help us in realizing our creative potential and our talent. The sewing machine was not just a piece of machinery or a tool. Each time we saw our mother using it, me and my siblings would go sit near it, watch how it works, and sometimes try to meddle with it till she forcibly pushed us away fearing a hurt. I guess that’s an education in itself, watching how things work from the comfort of our home was the first step to respect manual work.

My mother always resisted the idea of giving it away to someone who needed it; for her it had a lot of sentimental value and hence the machine was kept on the loft but later we parted with it.

Unlike the sophisticated devices of today, these machines had a bit of that original raw feel and they were really heavy! Though the oiling task was messy, it still brings back memories of ‘machine oil’ that we used to keep at home. The joy of servicing it and maintaining it well brought a feeling or pride that the machine ‘still looked like new’, after many years.

Our home was where we were introduced to a skill – a manual skill – sewing in this case. The awareness of the value of skill, something that is achieved by doing manual work, also instilled in us the value of work and its dignity.

Today, when I look back at the journey of NSN and how I’ve had the privilege of meeting many women and few men who are empowered by this machine, I feel lucky to have featured few of their stories. It may interest you to read interviews and stories from Apparel Training Design Center (ATDC) https://www.nationalskillsnetwork.in/atdc/ and engage in further conversation.

I would love to hear from you about your first experience of working with a machine.