Crafts

Tuesday, October 5th
School was slightly better today but still not great.  What was nice at school is that our new teacher, Lisa,  arrived.  In August one of the teachers who was here last year and was supposed to be returning just didn't show up.  They spent a week trying to reach him but he did not answer his phone or return a single e-mail.  I am shocked by the rudeness and thoughtlessness of people.  His selfishness has meant that we have been one teacher short all year.  This teacher was supposed to set up the computer lab and run computer classes so we haven't been able to do computer work with our kids yet.  So now they have hired another teacher and she arrived last night.  She seems very nice and is housing just doors down from us instead of way up on the other side of the school.  So first off I am excited about computer classes starting soon but also Kathy and I were chatting with Lisa and she was very enthusiastic about doing things which got us thinking it was time to go to crafts rather than just talk about it.  "Crafts" is what happens Tuesday, Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons.  The women get together and sew or bead or work on whatever project they are working on.  It used to be that everyone worked on the same type of project at the same time but things have changed (not for the better according to some).  However the three of us went down to the community center and were more than welcomed.  There is a woman who runs/coordinates things who was very helpful.  (She is also the elder who is coming in to work with my students.)  There is another woman who is the 'helper' and then we were helped a lot by another young woman who put down her own beading project to help us.  They all cut clothing from the same patten which is cloth.  They adapt it as needed.  For example I am tall and so they cut an extra 3 or 4 inches at the bottom.  Things are very fluid and you just change, add or sew whatever you need.  There is a lot of chatting so things move at a languid pace.  There are three layers to a parka and once you cut out the lining you use that as a pattern for the next two layers.  I got two layers cut out as I started first.  Lisa got one layer cut and Kathy didn't get started.  But now that we know how things work I think it will be easier next time.  They say it doesn't take very long to make a parka so I am excited about wearing it soon as winter is coming! I am using my parka for practice before making an Amauti but I also saw a pattern for a tiny little parka.  Maybe Lily will get my second attempt.  I need to get some clarification about materials we use but my understanding is that the group provides materials for anything we make there.  It has to stay there until complete (no bringing it home to work on) but when finished we get to take things home.  We could also take in our own projects and work there and at home.  It was also mentioned to me that I may want to bring down my own sewing machine as there are not enough for everyone to use.  I may do that as there seems to be a safe place to leave it.  I have to say too that it is nice to be doing things with my hands again now that my thumbs are healing.  I like getting to know other people in the community.  School has been busy and it is nice to have something else to think about...
-Margot