Skip to main content

Femme dépareillée: Sewing and Painting

When she goes to the drop-in session at the meeting space on Mondays, Alice hears the sewing machines whirring non-stop. Three sewing experts, Claire Cloutier, Suzanne Lemay-Robitaille and Marthe-Élise Amiot are working tirelessly on collaborative projects that can be sold.

Four photos joined together. The first shows a rotary cutter, a pair of scissors, a thread cutter and a pin cushion on a mauve cutting mat. The second shows three pieces of fabric in shades of green and beige. The third and fourth photos show a person’s hands measuring and cutting out pieces using the tools.

Cutting out pieces to make pot holders

Four photos joined together. The first two show a woman’s hands embroidering the edges of each of the squares of fabric in pastel shades that make up a bib. The third shows the whole bib. The fourth is a close-up of the bib showing the type of embroidery used – featherstitch.

Embroidering a bib

Placemats, for example, are made in three stages. One of the Fermières uses the chosen pattern to cut out the pieces, the second one sews them together, and the third adds some embroidery for a finishing touch. So, the mats are a joint effort.

Sewing classes are also offered by Ginette Lemay, who has always been immersed in the world of textile arts – in fact, at one time, it was her mother who taught the sewing classes. She has found that what the women want to learn has changed a lot over the years.

Teaching sewing today (subtitles available in EN and FR). Watch the video with the transcript (EN).

Alice sees herself in what Ginette Lemay says. She has had to work on her patience since she became a Fermière. She has been able to improve through observation, listening and practice.

Sewing, weaving, crocheting and knitting have been among the activities at the Cercle de Saint-Eustache for many years. Painting is a different story.

The painting workshop (subtitles available in EN and FR). Watch the video with the transcript (EN)

Taking inspiration from other people’s designs or creating their own, painting workshop participants have a lot of projects on the go. Henriette is very proud to see how well they are progressing, and how they have developed their interest in art and their ability to observe their surroundings. Henriette says both nature and the people around us can be sources of inspiration.

Femme dépareillée: Weaving A Common Thread: Passing on Knowledge