Kiwanis Threads across the Pacific

17/06/2026

Tonight the latest newsletter from the NZ South Pacific District of Kiwanis has arrived. Danielle, from New Caledonia is the newsletter editor. She has been on a couple of our threads workshop trips.
Page 4 of the newsletter is devoted to Threads and shares highlights of last months trip to Vanuatu.

12/06/2026

Our newest sewing group in Santo have been busy making girls dresses with commercial patterns for the first time.
Well done Mary and team. The 2 matching dresses, remind me of a woman at an early sewing group 10years ago who excitedly said to me ‘now I’ll be able to make my twin girls matching dresses for the very first time’

08/06/2026

Before Rowena joined us in Port Vila last month, she spent 2weeks in Nacula an isolated village on the northern Fijian island of Nacula.
I gave Rowena a machine we’d been donated, which was received with great enthusiasm. Well done Rowena, teaching with just one machine and some sessions at night too. And as if that wasn’t enough, Rowena then taught knitting in the village hall.

Even the village policeman came and had a go at sewing !

Greetings to Anita and Mark from Blenheim, who invited Rowena and are doing their best to improve the skills and life’s of the people of Nacula.

04/06/2026

In Port Vila there is much enthusiasm for the soccer World Cup. Delrie was commissioned to make these dresses for a parade in Vila this weekend.

31/05/2026

Today’s post is especially for Graham and Lois , Yvonne and Barry, Megan and others who came with us many years ago.

Yesterday Marie Bador took us down a
back road to the airport just for a change. Suddenly I recognised where we were I got her to stop outside Vila North school which I hadn’t see for many years .

When our group of kiwi women did a sewing workshop here in about 2017-2019, the kiwi men wanted something to do too.
Soon it was organised for them to help the school handyman create a small gatehouse to keep the students safe.

How neat to see it is still standing and looking great.
Well done guys.

29/05/2026

29/05/2026

Yesterday our flight to NZ was delayed for 2 days. So today has been a day off. On my 16th trip at last I had time to get to the Museum. We loved the sand drawing with stories and Edgar played the Vanuatu and NZ national anthems for us. I bought his Bislama sand drawing book and then later in the afternoon I delivered him a copy of my ‘Threads’ book.

28/05/2026

As we left Santo we saw the airport shop Sanma Creative Hub, where the Santo sewing group sell their products .
The small shop is shared with Weavers.
I nearly got out the door but a lovely turquoise handwoven hat jumped out and said ‘Buy me, Buy me’

26/05/2026

Here I am with the 7 members of the Santo Sewing group, our 10th ‘Threads’ sewing group, after I presented them with their 8 new machines.

26/05/2026

Today we formally handed over 8 new machines to the Santo sewing association.
The new Kiwanis Santo Satellite group was well represented with four members present. Also a representative from Sanma Skills Partnership.
All the Sewing women stayed up late last night to make new dresses for the occasion. During the afternoon fresh flower leis were made for all the guests.