Erasmus+ experience: students from Latvia improved their technique of sewing shoulder clothes

Erasmus+ international traineeship at the Textile Department of King Mindaugas Vocational Training Center was attended by three students from Riga Style and Fashion Vocational School from February 24 to March 13, 2020. The future dressmakers – Anna Gaponova, Kitija Antoneviča and Evija Miltina – improved their skills in sewing shoulder clothes during the international traineeship, they sewed children’s linen dresses applying the chenille technique.

“It is gratifying that unique clothing collections are born due to international partnerships. Students from Riga, together with the first-year Tailor training programme students of our Center, have created a great project – a collection of children’s linen dresses. From the sketches, the choice of fabrics to the final result – everything was created, sewn and improved by the students themselves,” says Ms. Inga Butauskė, Head of the Textile Department of King Mindaugas VTC; she is happy with the results of the international traineeship.
“I am delighted with this Erasmus+ traineeship because it was an invaluable professional experience. It was new to us – both sewing children’s dresses and applying the chenille technique. We were also very surprised by the technical facilities, which are very modern and up-to-date. We feel that we have developed our skills and our love to the chosen profession has grown stronger,” says Ms. Anna Gaponova, a student from Latvia, being excited together with her colleagues. The learners also enjoyed the visits to companies – AB Audimas, which is the market leader in Lithuania, and UAB Omniteksas, a manufacturer of the highest quality knitwear products, located in Kaunas.
Ms. Rūta Urbelienė, a vocational teacher who introduced the students to the chenille technique, states that using this technique it is possible to produce a wide variety of textile accessories. Consequently, the students not only sewed dresses decorating them applying this technique, but also made great bags that would come in handy in everyday life. Playful, colourful and roomy reusable bags will remind the students the traineeship at King Mindaugas VTC.