Want to Make a Dress?

Let's interrupt the Alaska travelogue for a post or two.

When I'm away from home on vacation, I have a tendency to get reflective.

I had many hours of relaxation on my recent trip, and one of the things I reflected on was, "Do I give enough?"

Like most of the people I know, I give to my church and to organizations and charities that speak to me. I make quilts to donate to charity auctions and baby quilts for a project that provides layette items to new babies who are born into poverty. My little hand-sewing group usually does a charitable project each summer; this year, like last, we are making lap quilts for wheelchair-bound Veterans. But I wondered if that was enough. I didn't think it was. I prayed about this question, and just after coming home my wonderful niece posted on Facebook that it would be nice if people whose children were no longer in school might buy and fill a backpack for a child whose family is struggling financially. I was off to Staples in a flash where I had a great time choosing and filling a high-school age backpack that I'll give to Susan next week; she's a teacher in an area where, unfortunately, she'll have no trouble finding a recipient.

And now this! My friend Lori is going on her second mission trip to Central/South America this autumn. She wants to take a supply of "pillowcase" dresses with her, and invited her blog readers to participate. A little more than twenty years ago I had the opportunity to go to Guatemala with my church; our mission was building a playground on the property of a nutrition center for malnourished Ixil Indian children. For years I thought hoped I would return to Guatemala for a second mission experience. More and more it looks as though that will not be the case.

But Lori is going to Bolivia and I can go with her in spirit! I've committed to making and sending Lori a little dress or two. Do you want to?

Local peeps, those Near Philadelphia, if you make a little dress and get it to me by August 18 (yup, that's Guild night!), along with a one dollar bill for postage, I'll send a package out to Lori on August 20.

If you're not local, go visit Lori's blog and see if she'll give you an address to send to (I can't imagine that she won't).

Have fun perusing Pinterest boards and googling "pillowcase dresses" if you like. Or just go to one of these places and you can start your dress today -- I'm sure you have a yard of fabric just waiting for a wonderful use!

https://www.nancysnotions.com/text/pdf/LittleDressesforAfrica_pattern.pdf

http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/pillowcase-style-pattern

If you are going to be giving me a little dress, please leave a comment so I'll know what to expect.

Now I gotta go and start cutting . . . .