Jeyam Stitching Centre

You can find us at No. 1/232 in Kallankadu West, over in Lakshmi Nagar. The sound of sewing machines is pretty constant here from morning until evening. We have about four or five machines set up in the main room. There are scraps of colorful thread and fabric bits all over the floor, no matter how much we sweep. We handle all kinds of stitching, mostly blouses, shirts, and basic repairs for people in the neighborhood. It’s a small place, so it gets warm when all the machines are running at once. We usually keep the front door open to let a bit of a breeze in. There is a big wooden table in the middle where we do all the marking and cutting. We use old-fashioned chalk and heavy iron scissors. Some of the machines are getting a bit old and need more oil than they used to, but they still work fine. We don't have a catalog or anything; people just bring in their fabric and tell us what they want. It’s a simple way to work. We talk a lot while we sew, mostly about what’s happening on the street or what we’re having for dinner. Sometimes we’re a bit behind on orders when a lot of people have weddings at the same time, but we eventually get through the pile. It’s just us doing our work in Lakshmi Nagar. The tea lady comes by at four, and that is usually the highlight of our afternoon.