Stitches for Britches

Gallery: Stitches for Britches

‘Stitches for Britches’, a team of 12 women mainly from Taranaki, recently held sewing workshops for the women of Kharikhola village in Nepal, building on the example set by Sir Edmund Hillary who helped the Sherpas help themselves.

The Stitches for Britches team. (from left) Sally Masson, Julie Owen, Elle Bray, Marie Grace, Robin Drake, Isobel Rose, Kathy Farley, Rachel McKean.

The intrepid trekkers, aged from 50 to mid-70s, trained on Mount Taranaki before they took on the roof of the world and trekked 3 days through mountain passes to Kharikhola. Sherpa porters carried 10 electric sewing machines, haberdashery, fabric, threads, elastic and needles.

(Left) On the way to Kharikhola village. (Right) A Sherpa porter takes a breather.                                           

‘Stitches for Britches’ founder, Robin Drake, is an interior designer with a background in textiles, while Rachel McKean is a professional sewing teacher. They ran a workshop for ‘Stitches for Britches’ members before the team left New Zealand.

It's all go at the workshop - everyone welcome.

During her several visits to Nepal in support of Band Aid Box, which brings medical aid to Kharikhola,‘Stitches for Britches’ founder, Robin Drake, saw a need to bring practical skills to the villagers.

‘The people survive at a subsistence level’ she says, ‘they have knitted garments for the upper body but little for the bottom half.’

So the workshops concentrated on teaching the women how to sew trackpants – a simple garment, easy to sew – with a few bonus beanies thrown in.

Finished trackpants, bright colours preferred, pink is the favourite.

By providing practical skills the programme aims to be sustainable and benefit the whole community over time. The hope is that as their proficiency improves, the villagers will develop a cottage industry. Spectrum’s Jack Perkins dropped in on a gathering of ‘Stitches for Britches’, as they celebrated the already-established success of the trip.