Showing she cares with pairs of shoes
Source: Shanghai Daily |
January 29, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ON a chilly winter morning, a 92-year-old woman staggered to the neighborhood committee of the Gaoxing Garden residential community to donate 16 pairs of cloth shoes she made for poor people living in the complex.
When Bao Liangyu opened her bag to reveal the 10 pairs of shoes for adults and six for children, everyone at the center was deeply touched by her warm heart.
Bao made the shoes stitch by stitch. Accompanying them were two thick coats and socks.
"I hope to help needy people by bringing warmth to them and showing them that other people care," Bao said.
Bao's home is filled with her handmade cloth shoes. It's a pastime she enjoys very much and credits for her longevity.
"I make shoes every morning, which keeps my brain alert, my hands nimble and my body warm," Bao said with a grin. Even on the coldest days, she gets up early to make shoes.
It's hard to imagine that Bao is in her 90s when you hear her talk.
"I may suffer from Alzheimer's disease if I do nothing," she joked. Her eyesight and hearing are still good, thanks to her daily "exercise."
Making a pair of cloth shoes involves a number of procedures, including selecting materials, cutting uppers and soles, gluing soles, and sewing. The most complicated step is making the sole that combines several layers. Bao said the most difficult part is gauging the distance between each stitch to ensure that the soles are durable.
Bao doesn't rely on a sewing machine. Her simple tools are a thimble and a small set of pliers.
She is meticulous about her work. Once when her family members took her to Haimen, Jiangsu Province, for an outing, she bought piles of fabric and other materials at a local market to make shoes. She thought the materials were good quality at a good price.
Bao said she couldn't possible guess how many pairs of shoes she has made over the years. All of them were made as gifts.
"If others like or need my shoes, they can take them home," she said.
Upon finishing a batch of shoes, Bao presents them to her neighbors, particularly old people living alone and children. She said she feels happy if others like the shoes she's made.
When Bao was young and living in Haimen, she made shoes for the New Fourth Army, a unit of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China established in 1937.
As director of the local women's federation, Bao had also encouraged other women in the city to make shoes for the army. Bed sheets and quilt covers were used as materials.
"It was an unforgettable experience," she said of those hard times.
When Bao Liangyu opened her bag to reveal the 10 pairs of shoes for adults and six for children, everyone at the center was deeply touched by her warm heart.
Bao made the shoes stitch by stitch. Accompanying them were two thick coats and socks.
"I hope to help needy people by bringing warmth to them and showing them that other people care," Bao said.
Bao's home is filled with her handmade cloth shoes. It's a pastime she enjoys very much and credits for her longevity.
"I make shoes every morning, which keeps my brain alert, my hands nimble and my body warm," Bao said with a grin. Even on the coldest days, she gets up early to make shoes.
It's hard to imagine that Bao is in her 90s when you hear her talk.
"I may suffer from Alzheimer's disease if I do nothing," she joked. Her eyesight and hearing are still good, thanks to her daily "exercise."
Making a pair of cloth shoes involves a number of procedures, including selecting materials, cutting uppers and soles, gluing soles, and sewing. The most complicated step is making the sole that combines several layers. Bao said the most difficult part is gauging the distance between each stitch to ensure that the soles are durable.
Bao doesn't rely on a sewing machine. Her simple tools are a thimble and a small set of pliers.
She is meticulous about her work. Once when her family members took her to Haimen, Jiangsu Province, for an outing, she bought piles of fabric and other materials at a local market to make shoes. She thought the materials were good quality at a good price.
Bao said she couldn't possible guess how many pairs of shoes she has made over the years. All of them were made as gifts.
"If others like or need my shoes, they can take them home," she said.
Upon finishing a batch of shoes, Bao presents them to her neighbors, particularly old people living alone and children. She said she feels happy if others like the shoes she's made.
When Bao was young and living in Haimen, she made shoes for the New Fourth Army, a unit of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China established in 1937.
As director of the local women's federation, Bao had also encouraged other women in the city to make shoes for the army. Bed sheets and quilt covers were used as materials.
"It was an unforgettable experience," she said of those hard times.
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