What a month it has been!

I am so grateful for all that has happened in this past month!  It has been a mega month for Dress a Girl Connecticut!

Thanks to Farrah Duffany of MyRecordJournal.com's article and video news report on Dress a Girl Connecticut, this ministry has gone viral!  The Associated Press picked up the article and it has run in a viral manner throughout New England in major and local newspapers!  It still continues to run a few weeks later!  I have been completely overwhelmed and swamped with calls, emails and requests to help from all over New England! 

You can view the article and pictures here:  MyRecordJournal.com-Dress a Girl Connecticut.

In addition, I have been contacted by the owners of an upscale store in West Hartford Center about partnering with them to celebrate girls and women!  Two big events are in the works!  What a blessing this is!!!  I don't want to go into details yet as we are still solidifying plans but trust me, it is REALLY big & exciting!

I have been contacted by so many people!  Everyone wants to help!  So wonderful!  We really need more help and here are ways you can become involved-even if you can't sew!

DONATE !!!

We need PILLOWCASES of all sizes and colors.  We just ask that they not be see-through!

We can use lightweight cotton and cotton blend FABRICS in larger pieces.  If you are/were a quilter and have fabric left over, we'd love it-just no tiny pieces please!

Pretty, patterned, colorful TOP SHEETS make a good starting place for dresses.  Please NO white sheets.  We'd have to dye them first...

DOUBLE BIAS TAPE 1/2" wide in all colors.  This gets quite expensive to buy-however- it is easy to make if you are interested!

3/8" BRAIDED ELASTIC white or black works.

 GROSGRAIN RIBBON in any color 1/2" to 1" in diameter.

GALLON zip-lock bags (any brand) for packing the dresses in for shipping.

June Tailor DARK T-SHIRT TRANSFER PAPER for label making.

CASH !
Always needed for purchasing supplies and shipping dresses!

DONATE TIME & SEW!

Stay tuned for more information about Dress a Girl Connecticut and what we are up to!

Join us to sew, pin, cut, iron and package dresses:

Saturday, March 31st 

9am - 1pm
Cornerstone Church
1146 Waterbury Road
Cheshire, CT 

Join Us to Sew (No experience necessary!)

"DRESS A GIRL AROUND THE WORLD"

 Imagine a World Where Every Little Girl Owned at Least One Dress

 
 

Join Us!
The Dress a Girl Ministry is meeting
this Saturday, February 18th
9:00am - 12:00pm

Cornerstone Church Sanctuary 

1146 Waterbury Road

Cheshire, CT  06410

Whether you sew or not, we need help cutting, ironing, pinning, 
rolling & packaging dresses for shipment to David Wagner of 
Father’s Heart Ministries.  These are very fun, easy to make &
will make a huge impact on the receiving girl!

Please come, bring a friend if you like, be involved!  

You’ll be helping to bless a little girl who might not have ever owned 
a pretty new dress if it weren't for your kindness and generosity. 

 Any questions, please contact Janine Mahan, Dress a Girl Connecticut at dressagirlct@gmail.com.

Hope 4 Women International's "Dress a Girl Around the World" has blessed over 61,000 girls with their own pillowcase dresses in 56 countries including the US.  Volunteers are sewing dresses in all US States, Canada, Uganda, the UK, Philippines, Australia, and Hong Kong. 

****Please donate new & gently used pillowcases****
All colors & sizes welcome!

Financial donations can also be made to:
“Cornerstone Church-Dress a Girl Ministry”, 

1146 Waterbury Road, Cheshire, CT  06410

 

Together, we really will dress girls around the world.

Girls blessing girls!

Last year, New Hope Anglican Church in Watertown held a Sew-a-Long and I met a bright young lady by the name of Sara LePine there.  She contacted me near the end of last year wanting to organize a Sew-a-Long event with her Girl Scout Troop to help her achieve her Silver Award.

Well Sara and her troop put in about 70 hours and made Dress a Girl 50 pillowcase dresses!  They are beautiful!  I am so touched that a young lady would be so moved to want to do this project to help other girls!  Girls blessing girls with new dresses!  Awesome.

Sara was a bit camera shy tonight but did give me permission to use her name in my blog.  I think it is worth sharing however as today's youth are sometimes sold short.  It is inspiring to me to meet one who cares enough about others to DO SOMETHING!

So a heartfelt thanks from me to Sara and Troop 85501 in Connecticut!  I am sure all the girls who receive the dresses will feel blessed by them!

It's a New Year!

Happy New Year!

Christmas & New Years are behind us and I am looking forward to all 2012 will hold for Dress a Girl Connecticut!  What a wonderful year 2011 was for us and I just know God has great things in store for us this year!

I am looking forward to a busy year in sharing what Dress a Girl Around the World is doing and how people in Connecticut and nearby can help with Dress a Girl Connecticut in blessing girls with their own pretty dress!

I am starting to plan events for the year as well.  If you'd like to plan one of your own, I am happy to help!  Just contact me at dressagirlct@gmail.com for more information!

I am always looking for people who are traveling to countries where there is a need for these dresses.  Maybe someone from your church is going on a missions trip?  We can provide you with as many dresses as you can carry with you!  All we ask for is that you take photos of the girls receiving or wearing the dresses so that it can be shared with those that sew.  It is "SEW" inspiring for us all!  It brings us great joy to see the smiles on the faces of little girls whose self esteem has been raised and spirits lifted to simply receive a pretty new handmade dress of their own.

If you would like to help but don't know how to sew, there are many other ways you can help.  We always need donations of supplies.

Here is a list of items we need constantly:

• Double bias tape:  We use 1/2" width double bias tape.  Each dress requires 2 pieces of 1 yard each for the straps.  This gets very expensive to buy and I always welcome donations!  We love colorful double bias tape!

• Elastic:  We use 3/8" braided elastic in the front and back of the dresses.  Each dress requires two 7" pieces.  We can use white or black elastic.

• Pillowcases:  New or used but in good condition.  Standard, Queen and King sizes.  Any colors and patterns.  We prefer not to use white as it can be see through and we want the girls to feel secure and safe in them.  However, these can be dyed or tie-dyed!

• Fabric in large pieces:  Lightweight cotton and cotton blends of fabrics in any color or pattern so long as it isn't see through.  Keep in mind that most of these dresses end up in very warm weather places so heavy fabrics or materials that aren't appropriate for these conditions aren't the best choices.

Of course, monetary donations are always welcome as I am often buying supplies in stores and in bulk on the internet.  A roll of bulk elastic costs me $25 and will make about 370 dresses!  A bulk of double bias tape costs me $50 and this will make about 70 dresses!  Please see the link to donate at the top of this blog-(a yellow button) through my Paypal account.  100% of your donation will be used for Dress a Girl Connecticut supplies for dresses!

Perhaps you'd like to come to a Sew-a-Long and learn how to cut, sew (It's really easy),  pin, or iron.  Let me know and I will do my best to include you in an event!

A girl in Uganda was just told she'd be receiving her first new dress!  Look at that smile!

Think about the smiles on the girls faces, as above, when they learn they are about to receive a gift of a brand new dress-handmade with love!  No more rags-just a pretty new dress!  Awesome!

Thanks for listening!  Hope to see you at an event this year or perhaps hear how you'd like to help us bless little girls!

May your 2012 be a very blessed one as well!

Looking for opportunities to host a sewing event

HELP WANTED !!!

I have a request from a woman in Manchester, CT.  She is looking for an opportunity to help sew at a sewing event in her area.  If you live in or around Manchester and would like to host an event, I can offer you your first helper!  

Also, I am always looking for opportunities to share Dress a Girl Around the World with organizations.  I would love to come and speak to your group, church or gathering of friends and let you know what is fasting becoming a charitable epidemic!

Please contact me if you can help.  Thanks for listening!

Join us!

Saturday, August 27th

at Cornerstone Church in Cheshire, CT

  9am to 3pm

for a

Dress a Girl Around the World 

~ Sew-a-Long!

From ordinary pink pillowcase-to adorable dress!

We will spend the time turning ordinary pillowcases
into beautiful dresses 

for little girls all over the world!   
No experience is necessary.  

Come for the whole time or just stop by anytime
to see what we are doing, 

drop off a donation, learn how to make the dresses
or just say hello!  

Bring pillowcases 

(new is not necessary-look through your linen closet 
& ask friends to do the same)

& sewing machine 

(if you have one)!

Questions?  Email me at dressagirlct@gmail.com.