We learned a new Somali word during our last English Conversation and Sewing Class.  The sewing project we were learning was called, YoYo Quilting.  It’s where one repeatedly takes circular pieces of fabric (about the size of a saucer), stitches all the way around the edges, then when all the way around, pulls the thread so that the fabric will gather into the shape of a small flower.  Once several of these YoYo’s are made a person can stitch them together to make a large blanket or stitch them onto other pieces of fabric making things like decorative pillows, unique clothing or decorative handbags.

This was a fun, simple sewing project and was perfect for our first lesson.  (I was the only one who kept getting thread into knots; our refugee friends have experience in sewing and picked up this project really fast.)  I am thankful to my friend Deborah who is creative and crafty for teaching us this new skill.

After showing our friends what a yo-yo toy is we learned what a YoYo was in another language. The word YoYo in the Somali language refers to those individuals who walk around with their pants hanging low, baggy tops and lots of “bling” around their necks.  When we told our friends  we were going to be learning to make YoYo’s their responses were interesting.  Once we learned what they were thinking, it was funny for us all.

The YoYo Quilting was the first of our English Conversation and Craft classes with our ladies.   Our conversation went well.  We each went around to tell what our name meant and what some of our hobbies were.  One of the students was fluent in English so that helped us all out a bit.  I think though that it may be best if we didn’t translate during these classes and we all attempted to struggle for a couple of hours pushing through it for our English practice.  I look forward to our classes in the future so that we can learn more about our friends.

While we were sewing, there were two Asha’s Refuge volunteers working in another apartment with preschoolers. The preschoolers seemed to enjoy their learning day as well.  They sang songs and baked a cake together to share for snack.  It was neat to see their mothers all come to pick them up after our English Conversation and Sewing Class to see that their children all helped bake a cake.  The mothers were all enjoying tasting the cake.  It was a good day.