Cathy TowtongieSA国际影视传媒檚 mother-in-law, Nakashuk Towtongie, used to always sew for her, making sure she and her young family stayed warm at all times.

So when she passed away some 30-odd years ago, Cathy was at a loss.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll of a sudden, I was faced with a growing family,SA国际影视传媒� said Towtongie. SA国际影视传媒淚 would always get kamiks from her, and my husband and my children traditional outfits, and I did not know how to sew.SA国际影视传媒�

She missed the warmth of her mother-in-lawSA国际影视传媒檚 traditional sewing, so she took up the craft herself to replace that new hole in her life.

Fortunately, her biological mother-in-law, Louisa Kaludjak, and KaludjakSA国际影视传媒檚 younger sister Marie Nattar stepped in to train Towtongie.

They taught her how to use her hand, knuckles, fists and forearms for measurements.

SA国际影视传媒淭hings you donSA国际影视传媒檛 forget,SA国际影视传媒� said Towtongie, who still measures by hand and custom fits any clothing she makes to the person because of that.

She learned how to make caribou outfits with the proper rules, of which there are many when it comes to the skin.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you start to cut the skin, you have to be 100-per-cent perfect,SA国际影视传媒� said Towtongie. SA国际影视传媒淵ou canSA国际影视传媒檛 just cut any old way. I used to cry when I would sew something and they would undo the whole thing, take all the threads off, start again.SA国际影视传媒�

Even a tiny hole would mean she had to start over, because it meant the wind could get in, and more than any fashion or art, traditional clothing had to be of the highest survival quality.

The pair of Kaludjak and Nattar also taught Towtongie about the white stomach of the caribou, used for designs to show how rich a man is SA国际影视传媒� not in terms of money, but in his ability to provide for his family and others.

For kamiks, the teachings were equally specific, and anything done wrong was undone.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey would tell me you have to take all the thread out,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hat was the way of teaching, for their specific type of sewing. Today, we sew like weSA国际影视传媒檙e running out of time.SA国际影视传媒�

Before her passing, Nakashuk used to advise Towtongie to disconnect if she was sewing something important, to go to the cabin and not let any cell phone or person distract her.

Towtongie is humble. She doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 think she is the best, and she looks up to several seamstresses in the Kivalliq. Two women Towtongie also credits with helping pass on these skills over the years were Amagoalik Nutaraluuk and Monica Sateana.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 still learning today,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淓very skin is different.SA国际影视传媒�

Many people ask her for patterns, but she doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 tend to share them, because she uses her hand measurements specific to the person she is sewing for.

She spends much of her time sewing for family, but she rarely sells anything SA国际影视传媒� only if she needs some upgraded sewing gear, and she admits that a high-quality German-made sewing machine is one of her weaknesses.

Now sheSA国际影视传媒檚 continuing to pass on the tradition to her daughter.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 like young girls saying, SA国际影视传媒楳ake this for me,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� said Towtongie. SA国际影视传媒淚 told her, SA国际影视传媒楧onSA国际影视传媒檛 beg. DonSA国际影视传媒檛 ask other people to do it for you.SA国际影视传媒� ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not the way our people were. They were dependent on themselves. I said to my daughter, SA国际影视传媒楲ook at this, look at how ISA国际影视传媒檓 doing this, look at how ISA国际影视传媒檓 stitching, look at the thread ISA国际影视传媒檓 using, look at the cut.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

She will forever remember her mother-in-law and how spoiled she was to know her.

SA国际影视传媒淪he truly loved her adopted son, and really loved me,SA国际影视传媒� she said.