Sewing in a jiffy!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a woman who works for MyRecordJournal.com.  This is an online news website that wanted to feature Dress a Girl Connecticut on their site!  She asked if I had any dates planned for a sew-a-long that she might come out and video record what we are doing and interview me.  A couple of days later called the administrator at our church to find that she was in Mexico for a week or so!  The deadline was fast approaching and I was under the gun to get a date on the books at Sal's House-a cottage for fellowship on our church property.  I intended to throw a few people together and do a mini-sewing event.  On Wednesday of last week, I booked a Saturday 9am-12pm slot to use the cottage.  I frantically advertised it on Facebook, emailed and talked it up.

Saturday morning came and I had 5 women all show up to help throughout the morning.  It was perfect!  Not too many and they came staggered so that I actually got to talk with everybody!  We even had two new people come help that hadn't before!  Some ironed labels on, another sewing instructor that has been sewing for us did some sewing too. 

As it turned out when I was setting up, I realized just how many dresses I already had completed that just needed to be rolled, bagged and packaged for shipping.  I set a big table up and showed a friend how to do just that.  We worked on opposite sides of the table and talked while we worked.  I am usually running around like crazy instructing, helping and trouble shooting and don't really get to catch up with people as I would like to at sew-a-longs.  This was really nice for me.  And, I loved the smaller setting of Sal's House!  We rolled and bagged hundreds of dresses that have been sitting in a giant covered plastic container on my deck for months just waiting for funding to ship!  I will be so glad to mail those dresses out!  These will go to David Wagner in Florida to be taken to Africa and South America this year on his missions trips.

Dresses completed & labels just sewn on

Sewing on labels

Supplies boxes

Rolling/bagging dresses here

Rolled and Bagged & Counted!

Cutting, Serging & Sewing Station

Sponsor a Woman, Host an Event, email sign ups, Slideshow and Pillowcase party info!

In mid-January, I spoke to a group of Delta Kappa Gamma's and they were so moved by Dress a Girl and what we are doing in Connecticut that they opened their wallets on the spot and donated just over $100!  Now that I have that money in hand, I can afford to ship some of the dresses!  How wonderful!

The video recording went well, she interviewed me and a few others as well.  She took video for nearly 3 hours.  The article will run on Valentine's Day and I am anxious to see how it comes out.  I hope this drums up more interest and excitement for Dress a Girl and that more people will want to become involved.  I also hope that a Corporate Sponsor will come forward!  Surely there is a company out there that would like to help a not for profit help bless little girls by helping with shipping costs and supplies costs?

Either way, my hope is that more eyes be opened to see what we are doing to help bless girls!

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!

Why do we dress little girls?

Why do we dress little girls? Well, it is the right thing to do.  When I heard there was a need for this, I was drawn to it.  It brings smiles to their faces, raises their self esteem and let's them know they are worthy and loved.  They feel the love of those that touched their new dress but also that of a love by Jesus.

I was listening to my bible reading today and a verse kept coming to my mind.  Do all things to glorify God.  1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I will admit-not everything I do is glorifying God.  I fall very short everyday.  But I am working on this.  This morning I started thinking that I want to make sure that my work with Dress a Girl is done to Glorify God.  So I did a little research on the subject of how Jesus felt about caring for children.  Here is what I found:

Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord (Ps 127: 3)i. We are responsible to care for them and to bring them up to be God-fearing and loving (Deut 6: 4-9)ii; (Prov 22:6)iii.
 

Jesus cared deeply for children (Luke 18 vs 16)iv. At the time of baptism we commit to bringing children up within the Christian faith. We need to ensure that they do not stumble (Luke 17: 1-3)v3. 

Our love for them is an expression of God's love through us (John 4:19-21)vi. We need to teach
parents responsibility and care for them as a precious gift (Jas 3:1)vii.
 

Our care should be not only for our own children but also the children in our community. Jesus spoke strongly about caring for others in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Children and others in need are those we are called to serve.

Well, in a nutshell, I think we are Glorifying God in our mission to Dress a Girl Around the World.  I will continue to work to do this everyday.  If you hear me doing otherwise, call me on it!  It will keep me on track!

Have a blessed day!

Blessed by Delta Kappa Gamma Lamda chapter!

Last night I was the guest speaker at the Lamda chapter of a Delta Kappa Gamma meeting.  DKG is a a group of key women educators impacting education worldwide.

Here is the link to find out more about this wonderful group: www.deltakappagamma.org/ct.

These are the purposes of the group listed on their website:

To unite women educators of the world in a genuine spiritual fellowship;
To honor women who have given or who evidence a potential for distinctive service in any field of education;
To advance the professional interest and position of women in education;
To initiate, endorse and support desirable legislation or other suitable endeavors in the interests of education and of women educators;
To endow scholarships to aid outstanding women educators in pursuing graduate study and to grant fellowships to non-member women educators;
To stimulate the personal and professional growth of members and to encourge their participation in appropriate programs of action; and
To inform the members of current economic, social, political and educational issues so that they may participate effectively in a world society.

This was really fun for me to share with them what Hope 4 Women International and Hope 4 Kids is all about and most of all...what Dress a Girl Around the World is!  It went well and was very well received!  Many of the women were moved to donate on the spot and I collected just over $100 to help pay for supplies and ship more dresses to David Wagner of Father's Heart Ministries in Florida! What a blessing as I have about 700 dresses ready to ship!

Even better, many took a copy of the dress instructions and seemed interested in making dresses on their own or with sewing groups they are part of!  I told them I would email them once we had our next sewing date scheduled.  Most women live fairly close to our town and many are in it!  I always need more help sewing so that would be really nice.

I so appreciate offers of help whether it is financial, offers of supply donations or help constructing dresses!  No sewing experience is necessary and I will help you if you need/want to learn how to use a sewing machine.  Please share this website and my Facebook page with your friends that they may also learn what Dress a Girl Connecticut is doing to bless little girls around the world!

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!

THIS IS WHY WE SEW!

THIS IS WHY WE SEW!!!

BEFORE...

A young girl who said she has been praying for a new dress as hers is ragged.

AFTER...

The same girl who was just blessed with a beautiful handmade Dress a Girl pillowcase dress.  

Pictured with Dress a Girl Around the World founder, Rachel in Uganda, Africa.

First Central Baptist Church blesses DAG CT with lots of dresses!

About a year ago, I became involved with Dress a Girl and was very excited to tell everyone about it.  I shared this with was my sister and brother-in-law.  Sandy & Dave are members of First Central Baptist Church in Chicopee, MA.  They suggested I share it with their church.  

Before I ever got a chance to do that, their daughter and my niece, Kate, created a PowerPoint presentation for her middle school and shared it with the folks at their church.  She gathered pillowcases for Dress a Girl and ultimately I was able to share more detail with their church about making our wonderful pillowcase dresses with them.  

They have a talented group of sewers there and set right to work making pillowcase dresses for us.  They quickly made about 60 and sent them with someone going on a Mission through their church.  Since then, their church has turned out 140 more dresses and continues to sew!!

Beautiful details!  Matching bias tape, trim, flower and pocket details!
(The wrinkles are my fault)

This is one example of how cute the dresses I received are!  They are simply beautiful!  Someone is making their own bias tapes and using matching fabric on trims and pockets!  Beautiful! 

So cute!  Lace trims really up the cute factor on this otherwise plain dress.

What a blessing and dream come true this is for me!  This is what I hoped would happen when I took this on as the CT State Representative for Dress a Girl Around the World.  An independent, competent, sewing group that really is self sustained!  I thank God for the sewers of First Central Baptist Church!  May God bless you as you do His work in helping us to bless little girls around the world.  

Thank you all!