Pulling on Her Skirt

DATELINE: August 1, 2013
Patricia E Lyon

Deanna and are enjoying our new teaching assignment at the Siem Reap Teacher Training College. More students come each day...I think we have about 30 in each class. Mine are spread out on the dusty floor in a U-shape inside the rows of sewing machines that we are not using.

The students arrive early, sweeping the floor and organizing their supplies. They are so happy and excited to see me.

The two young men in the class are very enthusiastic despite being out-numbered. We have begun the tie purse, but new students line up at my desk for the supplies they do not yet have. One tie has holes, so I replace, but not as good.

Their sewing is exquisite. A young woman shows me a sturdy back stitch down from under the pocket so you cannot see any stitching.

Mony goes back and forth between Deanna's class and mine. We can teach, but not explain concepts. So I wait to do "lecture" until Mony can translate. When he walks in the room, I have drawn an example of a meter of fabric with selveges. I want to explain bias and the straight grain of the fabric. The tie they are using for the purse has been cut on the bias.

I suddenly remembered seeing selveges on the edge of a navy uniform skirt. I ask to see the woman's hem to explain selvege. Mony noticed I found an example and came in front of me to see the writing on the selvege. He held the fabric in his hand and called the rest of the class to see her selvege. I hit at his hand to let go of her skirt and he realized that he was pulling on the skirt of a young woman and raising it higher for the other students to see. The class rocked with laughter. Mony put his head down on my arm with embarrassment.

I think they will remember "selvege".