News
Adult Basic Education Saskatoon Level 3 Class Ribbon Skirt Workshop
Jan 6, 2025
In December, the Saskatoon Adult Basic Education students had the opportunity to learn how to make Métis ribbon skirts with Amanda Fisher-LaFramboise and Brenda Hrycuik. Karon Shmon welcomed students into the GDI Art Gallery, and she shared some of the rich history of Métis ribbon skirts. Amanda brought in dozens of her handmade skirts including the first one she had ever made, and a skirt she made in tribute to Leah Dorrion’s artwork for the ribbon skirt exhibit last January. The students learned about different styles of ribbon skirts and had time to think about what they wanted their skirt to look like.
Next, the students measured their fabric length from maxi to tea length, and then they measured the waist and how much fabric they needed to take one big step. Once the measurements were chalked onto the fabric the students began cutting. Brenda demonstrated the first cut, and the students followed her example with lots of encouragement and advice.
After ironing the fabric, the students were set up at a sewing machine and given a demonstration on how to use it. The Institute owns several sewing machines that make these workshops possible. The students were nervous at first, but by the time I returned on the second day the confidence level had grown immensely with jokes and laughter filling the hall. The students from day one went onto their second and third ribbon skirts, while some late arrivals were working on their first. All the students left with the materials they would need to finish their skirts and ideas for more designs they would like to try in the future.
Some schools see Adult Basic Education only as only a means to an end, but for Dumont Technical Institute the ABE classes are about fostering cultural connections and community relationships alongside the standard curriculum. The students learn practical skills but also their history and cultural teachings that they can then bring back to their own families. Shawna Dubiel’s class is no exception with the students coming to the workshop to learn how to make a ribbon skirt and leaving with the confidence to start sewing businesses and make Christmas gifts for their friends. The students learned important life skills, but they also left with teachings and renewed ties to their Métis heritage.
If you are inspired to make your own skirt, you can pick up “sînapân kîskasâkâs: A Guide to Making Contemporary-Style Métis Ribbon Skirts” a step-by-step guide by Bonny Johnson and Leah Marie Dorion and published by GDI Press.
