American Samoa Community College

Caption: A participant in the YWCA/CNR Sewing Project works next to a display featuring some of the clothing produced by her class. Seventeen participants received their Certificates of Completion from the Project last week. (Photo courtesy CNR)	YWCA Participants Complete CNR Sewing Project
	November 3 , 2006 James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer


	In the days when Tutuila had only a few stores, and even fewer sewing shops, you could always find individuals sewing their own clothes for themselves and their families. These days, most people sew their own clothes even less often than they grow their own food. After all, why go through all that work when you can easily pay someone else to do it for you, or you can just buy your clothes? On the other hand, consider some of the advantages of doing your own sewing. First, making your own clothes always costs less then buying them. Second, sewing can offer an opportunity to exercise your creativity. Third, whether you wear size XS or size XXXL, you won’t find your fashion options limited to whatever the stores have in stock.
Seventeen Tutuila residents will find all of these benefits and more available to them after receiving their Certificates of Completion last week following their participation in the Sewing Project organized by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of American Samoa, and co-sponsored by the Families, 4-H & Nutrition (F4-HN) Program of the Community & Natural Resources (CNR) Division of the American Samoa Community College. During the three months of weekly sewing classes held at the YWCA facility in Tafuna, the participants learned to combine basic patterning techniques with the use of electric sewing machines. Their instructor, Diana Tarrant-Gentles of CNR, guided them through various approaches to the craft, such as working from a pre-existing pattern, basing a job on measurements they take, and using an existing garment as a template. In her capacity as a CNR Family and Consumer Science Agent, Tarrant-Gentles provides training to the community in subjects ranging from Parenting to Domestic Finance Skills to Home Decorative Crafts. However, she says that requests for her sewing classes far outnumber those for any other of her areas of expertise. “Within a 12-month period, I might have as many as 15 different sewing classes going at once among various groups from churches, villages and schools,” she explained. “Some groups schedule the classes to once a week over several months, and others, such as groups in Manu’a, move through my course in as quickly as two weeks.” The cost of Tarrant-Gentles’ sewing instruction might account for its popularity. “I give these classes free,” she says, “and open them to anyone. The participants just need to supply their own fabric. CNR even supplies the sewing machines for the training. Having worked with CNR since she closed her own sewing shop in 1992 to share her skills with the community, Tarrant-Gentles has noticed some interesting trends among her students. “Here in Tutuila, mostly women come for the classes,” she reflects. “In Manu’a, however, I usually have a lot more young men signing up because they enjoy learning how to sew their own shorts. I think the Manu’a guys have less of a hang-up about having to appear macho and avoid doing their own sewing, which I find both amusing and inspiring.” At last week’s ceremony to mark the completion of the Sewing Project, speakers included local YWCA President Mrs. Upuolevavau Tasi Lili’o and CNR Extension Program Coordinator Aufa’i Apulu Ropeti Areta. Both Lili’o and Areta had high praise for the participants, and expressed their wish that more American Samoa residents will discover the economic and creative advantages of sewing. Summarizing the event, Aufa’i remarked, “We take pride in furthering the College’s mission of community service, as well as the CNR goal of helping our people achieve economic well-being.” <<< Back to Other News & Events