Bookbags

Siblings, Yazmin and Yoni were all smiles when they finished their bookbags just in time for the new school year. Aug. has become my yearly sewing course focused on creating organizational tools for school including bookbags, backpacks, and pencil cases. It is also a time when I have more newbies in the 10-12 age range. Yazmin, Yoni, and a neighbor that they invited did great with their first projects, started with hair scrunchies then onto their bookbags.

Electricity Support

Machine motors were whirling during my two weeks in Mexico during July. My calendar was filled with ladies coming and going all day to both cut out and sew new projects. Two of the ladies do not have electricity in their homes. So, when I'm in town they make the most of their time and my electricity to move forward on creating products to sell. It gets a little cozy in our house with two tables set up for cutting as well as 2-3 machines for sewing.

Table of Honor

One never knows what you'll be asked to do. The plan was to sit in the crowd that had gathered to celebrate the graduation of three courses, tailoring, cake decorating, and hair styling. Five of my sewing students had completed their classes and I wanted to cheer their accomplishment. Upon arrival, the government official requested that I sit at the "Table of Honor" to accompany the instructor of the tailoring class being I have invested years of teaching the ladies to sew before they entered into the tailoring course. I thought, guess I can do that. Little did I know that the official, Ramon, would also ask each of the teachers to share in front of the group about their experience and about their students. I'm pretty comfortable speaking Spanish one-on-one or in a small group (if I have time to prep), but, just cold, not so much. Stretched again! It was wonderful to be able to hand out certificates to all the students and congratulate them on their perseverance. Glad I wore a skirt and collared top.

Graduation of Tailoring Class

How exciting to see 5 students from my sewing classes graduating from a first level tailoring class held in San Vicente. Several months ago, I became privy to a government program that taught the basic skills to sew simple clothes without the use of patterns. It has been my desire for the ladies involved in the micro enterprises to learn this but, wasn't in my knowledge base. After talking with the DIF (a program for families) official, I was able to secure spaces for the ladies in the 15 classes. Well, in June the completed their classes and received their certificates with lots of excitement. I'm so proud that they made the commitment and followed through.

Fathers' Day Gift/ Tool Caddy

Fernando came by the sewing class each day after school to complete this Tool Caddy as a gift for his Dad for Fathers' Day 2013. He has attended several of my classes during the last year and is progressing nicely with his sewing skills. I enjoy having a few teenage boys learning to sew. Most of them do well as they have often learned to drive a car at a very young age. The skill of driving (pedal work) tends to give them a feel for running the sewing machines. Oh, by the way, the caddy pockets were created with discarded blue jeans. Thanks to all who donate their jeans for recycling.

T-shirts

The June sewing class week was an opportunity for the ladies to try their hands at sewing with knit fabrics to make T-shirts of all sizes and colors. Adriana and Reyna choose to sew tops for their husbands in celebration of Fathers' Day.

Others in the class sewed tops for themselves and/or for their children. Over 25 tops were created during the week long class.

Norma's Creativity

It's wonderful to see the creativity that my sewing students exhibit. Norma buys blue jean mini skirts at the local thrift store or swap meets that come weekly to San Vicente. Then she cuts up another skirt and sews it to the bottom of the mini skirt and adds accents with the left over fabric. Norma creates these one-of-a-kind skirts as gifts for family and friends. What a great up cycle.