T is experience prompted me to collect
sewing machines, fabric and notions and with the help of RV friends I was able to get six machines to Melaque in 2011 and several boxes of stuff. When I had my fi rst meeting in January
2011 to see who wanted to sew, I had nine ladies turn up. My student from last year came and brought her daughter and they shared a machine I had donated. Her machine of the last year had seized up permanently! Another young woman brought her own machine and one of the nine decided to wait another year. We started lessons January 17, 2011 in the Hotels garage with a variety of tables and chairs. I had all my lessons from the previous year translated into Spanish with the help of a computer program and the two hotel guests who did the typing. T e blackboard was large sheets of paper where I drew diagrams and directions. T ey again started on samples and learned how to operate their machines. By the end of the second week, we lost one lady
who could not master the skills of sewing while the rest had completed a tablecloth. We then started sewing fancy sarapes, which they modelled at a fashion show in the hotel and sold to guests and visitors. T e fashion show was a huge success and the pesos raised were divided among the sewers. T e increase in self-confi dence was evident to all! A fellow Canadian and sewing mechanic,
Dean Sawyer of Victoria, also an RV’er, serviced their machines. We then spent time on mending and repair skills, also on making a pillowcase with a zipper closure. I was assisted here by Arlene, from the Sunshine Coast of BC, and she continued to mentor the six ladies prior to her return back to Canada. Since my return to the Okanagan I have
had sewing machines, fabric and notions donated by generous friends. What I do need is RV’ers travelling to Melaque to volunteer to take a machine, box or bag and deliver to the Villas Camino del Mar in Melaque by January, 2012.
I will be teaching the ladies to make
clothing as I already have patterns at the hotel. Also I expect to again have a beginner’s class. We will produce a fashion show with accompanying sale. Look for the signs in Melaque for date and time. So I invite you to help partner with me
in making a diff erence in the life of several Mexican women. My e-mail address is
gncmcd81@telus.net and phone number: 250-707-3440.
Carol McDougall West Kelowna, BC
TIP: Newspaper Weeds Away Start putting in your plants.
Work the nutrients in your soil. Wet some newpapers.
Put layers of wet newspaper around the plants, overlapping as you go. Cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic but will not get through wet newpapers.
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RVT 143 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 13
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