Greetings from KARAJA #3

//

CURRENT LOCATION: Sumba, Indonesia

LOCAL TIME: 22h20

LOCAL TEMPERATURE: 25 degrees

CURRENTLY READING: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

//

Hi there,

Today’s newsletter was written spontaneously and quite unexpectedly after coming back from my last sewing session (for now) with the weavers. I’ve been visiting them since January 2024, learning little by little about the intricate weaving process by spending time with them in their village. Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to share my passion with them: sewing! And as I’m going home at the end of the month (finally!), a cycle of incredible exchanges and learnings is coming to an end. So I thought, that’s worth writing a newsletter about.

With the Karaja Sumba Team

Where it all started | A tribute to my grandma

I started sewing at the age of 9, together with my grandmother Agnes. I had shown interest in it for a while and had already managed to create a few small things by hand, but I really wanted to learn how to use a machine. My grandmother was very good at sewing, and since we didn’t have a machine at home, we planned my very first class at her house using her old one. We had one mission: teaching me how to sew.

I clearly remember that day, my mom picked me up from primary school and we stopped by the local sewing store (I didn’t even know we had one in beautiful Wevelgem, and neither did my mom, who never sews). I chose a white cotton fabric with pink and blue feathers on it. My project? A dress for my doll. Although I arrived in the late afternoon and we planned to start the class the next day, she called me into the kitchen after dinner: “Heesstteeeerrr, come heeerrreee, let’s already give it a try now.” And that’s where it all started, I pushed the pedal, sewed my first straight lines (let’s say they were quite straight for a first time) , and got hooked. Sixteen (!) years later, and I still love it.

Luckily for me, my parents have always been very supportive of my creative projects. For my 10th birthday, I got a sewing machine, a very simple one, but what a joy to receive it! I had my own sewing workshop (this was literally the small storage room where you could hardly stand up, see image above), I gradually continued learning new techniques, made accessories, clothing, gifts, and eventually learned proper tailoring skills during my bachelor’s. My internship sparked my interest in sewing sustainably, and that’s how I began developing my own upcycling techniques through patchwork, old garments, and repurposed materials. And I guess that’s how I ended up doing what I’m doing today.

Sharing the joy of sewing | One stitch at a time

And now here I am, sharing my passion with others. I first started doing sewing workshops for the NGO Reprise in Paris, where we ran upcycling sessions in a refugee center. I instantly fell in love with teaching, and it inspired me to keep doing it, always looking for ways to improve (as a teacher, you’re actually the one learning the most). Fast-forward to my volunteering experience in Sumba, where the SHF students were extremely motivated to master sewing techniques.

Since returning, I’ve developed a proper lesson plan and curriculum, teaching them all the basic techniques while focusing on an upcycling approach, the same approach I’ve used with the weavers of Karaja since January. They’ve been so quick to learn and incredibly talented. It’s amazing to teach someone how to use a sewing machine for the first time. I recognize my own excitement mixed with a little anxiety: “Will I mess it up?”, “Oh, too fast!”, “Nooo, I didn’t manage to go straight!”, “Oh no, where did my thread go?” Different parts of the world, different generations, but the same curiosity to master sewing skills.

Learning to be a teacher | One project at a time

From every project, class, and exchange, I learn something new that I can integrate into the next one. The key thing I’ve learned in Sumba is: “make do with what you have.” There are no fabric stores, not a wide range of trims, and no easy access to online orders. So you’re “forced” to create something from what’s available. These “limitations” really pushed me to sew outside the box, repurposing materials I would have otherwise never even looked at (yikes). We judge something as “waste” way too quickly.

I recently turned my well-worn vintage Levi’s jeans into a skirt after they ripped. An old striped shirt became shorts and a scrunchie. Old bedlinen was dyed with mahogany bark and transformed into a reversible, one-of-a-kind jacket. And when I wonder, “How are my actions having an impact?”, I can only think, by sharing my ideas and passion about upcycling, little by little, I’m creating a community of committed upcyclers. And together, we can have an impact that is felt.

With my long-awaited trip home fast approaching now (leaving on the 27th of June!), I can’t wait to share all my stories with my grandma. I love taking my new creations to her so she can check them, waiting for her approval (my heart always skips a beat) when she looks up and tells me, “Great job Hester, it’s beautiful.” I have her talent running through my veins, and just like she was so open to sharing it with me, I’m now passing it on to others. Another full-circle moment.

Lots of love,

Hestie -x-