sewing patchwork bags, El Congo

Praying before the sewing class begins in the new church building.
It is unfinished at the moment, but was a lovely, airy space
for sewing.

 Our sewing project was a patchwork bag with a bit more style to it than the simple nine patch tote we started with last year.  


We do projects that women can make from scraps and remnants, so that the materials can be found in the home and community.  


Patchwork with a design is not a tradition in Nicaragua, although people will sew remnants together to make a curtain, and women have become inspired by the idea of saving scraps, or usable parts of worn clothing.                                                                         

Mirna, ready to teach in her new sewing apron

        

The idea of the patchwork bags is that you don't need a
machine to sew them..... however, since there was both a machine
and a seamstress.....! 

The women we've met love to work with what they call 'happy' fabrics.  We collect donated fabrics - using CHE principles, we look for the resources within our own communities.  Although, Heide is also always on the lookout for happy fabrics on sale!   As part of the sewing class at a local high school, girls make little draw- string bags which are filled with the necessary sewing notions, mostly donated by friends, and church members.  


  
At the end of the class, or soon after, the women have a bag they can use.  Later in our stay, we met several young girls carrying papers from an employment training in their bags.
The simple project is an introduction to sewing for some people, and the beginning of an idea for a sale-able item for others.


Darling, Nicaragua's Women of CHE trainer from the national team, says that the classes we offer give the CHE women in the communities something extra to attract women who haven't been involved in CHE,   and helps them make the initial connection with the other women.

This boy was great with the machine.  Heide is reviewing his work.

From that point, the CHE women will visit the new women, and encourage them with friendship, and the Good News.

Some of the women who come are very young, and we even have some children - 10 and over, who love to participate.