ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES: INNOVATION THROUGH HAND STITCHES

Hand stitching, a craft that was practiced for constructing garments in ancient times has lost its demand due to the advent of machines. More and more people get engaged in the use of machines rendering hand-stitching obsolete, as it is strenuous and time-consuming compared to machine stitching. The handcrafted garments do hold a good potential with the use of the right techniques to assemble and embellish them. This research was taken up to examine the fundamental qualities of hand stitches and their use for creative clothing seams, surface ornamentation, and decorative elements. Running stitches were explored at length for variation to be used for both decoration as surface ornamentation and seam construction. The researcher also trained the women without formal education in three sessions so that they could convert the skill for economic independence. The results were so encouraging that self-help groups for women were established where they learned the variety of basic hand stitches for ornamental purposes, which added to the value of the garments. The reversible elements that can be worn on either side of the garment were designed. As the extension of the work, designs (motifs) were prepared by the researcher and developed by the trainees, which were prepared to keep in mind the commercial market.