My first poll! It is like the new free and fair elections in Sierra Leone or somewhere similar featured very very very heavily on the frightfully worthy World Service. Throwing off the cruel shackles of a long-standing despot etc etc. The people have a voice at last, and they are invited to give a big shout out for Christmas decorations.
o. Would anyone like to buy some handmade Christmas decorations, made by the sewing class at the school? I promise they would be tasteful and not hideously bright African kitsch. I have already had some mending and alterations done here and they did a really good job.
An aside
For those of you who like ironic kitsch and are getting excited, I really, really wouldn’t recommend said kitsch, although I am definitely planning to buy a big plastic clock with a picture of Jizzus. I am very fond of dreadful souvenirs and the exuberant art of different cultures (hem hem) but every day here my senses are assaulted by the vilely gaudy knitted and sewn items people spend so much time on. This week, I saw a nun (Sister Clementina) doing some delicate and time-consuming smocking. So far, so good. Lovely to see craft taken seriously, thing of beauty, last for decades etc etc. But on bright yellow slippery shiny nylon! Why would you? How I long to see upholstery and blankets of beige, cream, off-white, mushroom and taupe. And perhaps a few artfully scattered cushions with the merest touch of accent colour.
Back to decorations
I am thinking of two basic designs: a simple Madonna and Child shape embroidered onto a circle of fabric, and a star shape of fabric with contrasting stitching. Get me! Both of these would have a loop of ribbon for hanging on your Christmas tree.
I know it’s a long way off, but things take some organising here, especially if you are still learning kiSwahili and sign language. It is quite a challenge to explain everything. I need to get an idea of whether anyone at all is interested. Then I will buy materials, do some test designs with the class and make sure they know exactly what to do and don’t suddenly start madly crocheting fluorescent orange versions. (a la my dear, much-loved Nan, thinking that a bit of colour / lurex never goes amiss.)
They’d be approximately £5 and £7 for two, including postage, and I’d get them to you by early December. Obviously all the money will go the school: some to the sewing girls directly and some for school-wide fundraising targets. I do hope you’re interested, although I fear many hours hunched over a spreadsheet and then laboriously addressing envelopes for me if you are!
As always, here are some nice snaps of individual gels in the class and then all of them together. The sewing machines are not electric. And a good thing too with the power cuts – I wrote most of this by candlelight in my cell in the convent. It is lucky I can touchtype. They use their feet, apparently. It all seems most tiring. The second picture is a bit blurry because they were waving so vigorously and also because I was momentarily distracted by seeing a big lizard race across the wall in my peripheral vision. Sorry.
Look at those teeth! Fabulous. To think of the years I spent in braces.
Please say you want some I already have a glorious dream of becoming an importer of Gorgeous Lovely Things to a super little Dulwich shop and not having to go back to my proper hard-work job.
NB I know I promised a post about What Do I Actually Do?? I am, er, still thinking about it.
3 comments:
In case you hadn't noticed, people in hot, sunny countries always seem to like bright gaudy colours and all those subtle colours you want are invariably frantically expensive, And give your grandmother credit, she seldom, if ever, used fluorescent orange. You haven't mentioned sequins in your frightfully tasteful designs, I notice. Big mistake!!!! Lynn
Umm, on mine I definitely want something that signifies that it's not just Pottery Barn's normal seasonal crap... you know, something like "© Mzungu Industries, Tanzania, 2007", or, "Looss' Dar es Salaam Xmas sweatshop". Something tasteful and embroidered, I think you get the idea. And I'll take one of each, they both sound dreadful, I mean, delightful.
We'll have 3 lots of the stars - I can't quite visualise how the madonna & child will turn out - so thought we'd go for the safer option.
They'll be great stocking fillers for the parents - my mum will no doubt slag them off but it will give her another topic of conversation (it might steer her away from the physical disabilities of people she has met at the swimming pool). Jono's folks will love them but they are Christians and much nicer than my parents.
I would like sequins please.
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