Clothes—How Things are Made — NCERT Solutions

Given: We have learnt the running stitch and used it to join cloth pieces.

Answer: Running stitches can be used in many ways in daily life:

1. Repairing torn clothes — stitching a rip in a shirt or trouser.
2. Sewing on a button that has fallen off.
3. Making a simple cloth bag or pouch.
4. Joining cloth pieces to make a quilt or patchwork mat.
5. Gathering fabric to make frills or pleats on a dress.
6. Making bookmarks or simple decorative items from cloth.
7. Stitching a hem (folded edge) on a dupatta or curtain.

Conclusion: The running stitch is one of the most useful and versatile stitches in everyday life.

Given: We consider what happens when one thread in a running stitch breaks.

Answer: In a running stitch, a single continuous thread is used. If that one thread breaks at any point:

• The stitches on either side of the break will become loose.
• The two pieces of cloth that were joined may start to come apart from that point.
• The break can spread further if the cloth is pulled or used, causing more stitches to unravel.

This is why each part of the thread is important. A single break can undo the entire stitching.

Lesson: This also teaches us that in any connected system — whether stitching, weaving, or teamwork — every single part matters. If one part is weak or broken, the whole thing can fall apart.

Given: We are asked to think about how old clothes are reused or recycled.

Answer: Yes, in many Indian homes, old clothes are never simply thrown away. Here are some ways families reuse them:

1. Old cotton sarees or shirts are cut into pieces and used as cleaning cloths (pochha) for wiping floors or dusting furniture.
2. Small pieces of old cloth are stitched together to make a quilt (razai) or a patchwork blanket.
3. Old clothes that no longer fit are passed on to younger siblings or donated to those in need.
4. Old dupattas or sarees are sometimes used to make bags, cushion covers, or decorative items.
5. Thick old cloth is used as a mat or rug.

Conclusion: Reusing old cloth saves money, reduces waste, and is good for the environment. This tradition of recycling cloth has been part of Indian culture for centuries.

Given: We think about the role of each thread in stitched cloth or a woven mat.

Answer:

• In a woven mat: If one thread (warp or weft) breaks, the weave becomes loose at that point. The mat may develop a hole or gap, and with continued use, more threads around it may loosen and the mat may tear further.
• In stitched cloth: If the stitching thread breaks, the seam opens up and the two pieces of cloth come apart.

Why is each thread important?
Each thread holds its neighbouring threads in place. Together, all the threads give the cloth or mat its strength, shape, and durability. No single thread is unimportant — just like every member of a team is needed for the team to work well.

Conclusion: This shows us that strength comes from many small parts working together. Each thread, however thin, plays a vital role.

Given: We are asked to observe tools and machines at a tailor's shop or handloom store.

Answer (based on a typical visit):

At a Tailor's Shop:

1. Sewing machine — used to stitch cloth pieces together quickly.
2. Scissors — used to cut cloth into the required shapes.
3. Measuring tape — used to take body measurements.
4. Needles and threads of different colours.
5. Pins — used to hold cloth pieces in place before stitching.
6. Iron — used to press and smooth the finished clothes.
7. Chalk or marking pencil — used to draw cutting lines on cloth.

At a Handloom Store:

1. Loom — the main instrument used for weaving cloth by hand.
2. Shuttle — carries the weft thread across the loom.
3. Bobbin — holds the thread on the loom.
4. Comb/reed — used to push the weft threads tightly together.

Conclusion: Both tailors and weavers use a combination of simple hand tools and machines to create beautiful and useful cloth items.

Given: We need to find out the famous weaving or stitching tradition of our area or state.

Answer: India has a rich tradition of weaving and embroidery. Here are some famous examples from different states (students should write the one relevant to their own state):

1. Punjab — Phulkari embroidery, where colourful floral patterns are stitched on cloth using silk threads.
2. West Bengal / Odisha — Kantha embroidery, where old sarees are layered and stitched with simple running stitches to make quilts and decorative items.
3. Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) — Chikankari, a delicate white-on-white embroidery on fine muslin cloth.
4. Rajasthan — Gota and Banjara embroidery with mirror work and colourful thread patterns.
5. Tamil Nadu — Kanjeevaram silk weaving, famous for its rich silk sarees with gold borders.
6. Kashmir — Pashmina weaving and Kashmiri embroidery on shawls.
7. Odisha and Gujarat — Ikat weaving, where threads are dyed before weaving to create patterns.

Note: Students should write the tradition specific to their own state or region.

Given: We are asked to explain why old clothes should not be thrown away.

Reasons why we should not throw old clothes:

1. Reduces waste: Throwing clothes adds to garbage and pollutes the environment. Cloth takes a very long time to decompose, especially synthetic fabric.

2. Can be reused: Old clothes can be passed on to younger siblings, relatives, or donated to people who need them.

3. Can be recycled: Old cloth can be cut and used as cleaning rags, or stitched into quilts, bags, mats, or cushion covers.

4. Saves resources: Making new cloth requires water, energy, and raw materials. Reusing old clothes saves all these resources.

5. Respects the effort of weavers and makers: A lot of hard work goes into making cloth — from growing cotton to weaving and stitching. Throwing it away wastes all that effort.

6. Cultural tradition: In India, there is a long tradition of never wasting cloth. Quilts (razai/guddi) made from old cloth pieces are a beautiful example of this.

Conclusion: Reusing and recycling old clothes is good for the environment, saves money, and keeps our cultural traditions alive.

Given: Six jumbled steps of the life cycle of a silk moth are given. We must arrange them in the correct order from 1 to 6.

Concept: The silk moth undergoes complete metamorphosis: Egg → Larva (caterpillar) → Pupa (cocoon) → Adult moth.

Correct Order:

Explanation:

• The adult silk moth first lays eggs on mulberry leaves.
• The eggs hatch into tiny caterpillars (larvae).
• The caterpillars feed on mulberry leaves and grow.
• When fully grown, each caterpillar spins a cocoon of silk thread around itself and becomes a pupa.
• Inside the cocoon, the pupa transforms into an adult moth, which breaks out of the cocoon.
• The adult moth mates and lays eggs again, and the cycle repeats.

Note: The silk thread used to make silk cloth is obtained from the cocoon spun by the caterpillar.

Given: We observe different cloth pieces and record their properties.

Concept: Different fabrics have different properties:

• Cotton: soft, smooth, not shiny, slightly stretchy, absorbs water well.
• Wool: rough or fluffy, thick, not shiny, stretchy.
• Silk: very smooth, thin, shiny, not very stretchy.
• Jute: rough, thick, not shiny, not stretchy.
• Polyester: smooth, thin or thick, slightly shiny, stretchy.
• Nylon: very smooth, thin, shiny, very stretchy.

Sample completed table:

Note: Students should fill this table based on their own observations of actual cloth pieces. The above is a sample guide. Ask an elder or refer to the textbook to confirm the material.