It’s December, and a mom is having her early morning quiet time by her young son’s hospital bed as he sleeps. They have been at the children’s hospital intermittently for nearly the whole year. She thinks of all the things that have been given to her son, a cancer patient, to help ease his stay—from colorful pillowcases to snacks to a cloth mask. “How can I give back?” she wonders. “What has he not gotten that I can offer?”

Then she realizes how many pairs of lounge pants she had made for him with matching cloth masks. Why did she make so many? Over the course of the year, she wanted to bring comfort, color, and a smile to her little boy as he was confined to the hospital for weeks at a time. When it came to an illness that required such an extended stay, she was constantly thinking of how to make it better in any way possible, however small. That December was the beginning of a larger effort with a broader scope.

That mom’s experience was the start of one person’s sewing philanthropy, focused on a single child’s illness, in just one place. That story is my real-life story.

 

“Anyone can create, sew, and give where they see a need. The need is all around. Oh, that we would have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the openness to do what we can to be of help or service to others.”

—Michelle Loggins, Reese’s LairWear

Recognizing a need

After doing a bit of research, I discovered a wide range of needs at every sewing level. To list a few: newborn babies without the essentials for care; children with an extended hospital stay who could use some cheering up; breast cancer patients; cancer patients who have lost their hair and would like a colorful knit hat; sanitary purses for teenage girls to continue school in spite of their monthly cycle; gowns for ill babies who don’t survive to go home; stuffed bears to bring a smile and comfort to a child with a rare illness. The list goes on and on.

Sharing a skill

The needs are heartbreaking, and it’s easy to feel helpless in the face of severe illness, loss, or difficult living conditions that we have little control over. What we can do as a sewing community is offer comfort, soften someone else’s pain, and possibly encourage hope, by hand-creating something tangible that shows we care. This kind of gift is made with skill, time, and love, which the recipient will realize and cherish. Though we may never meet the person we sew for, we can be sure we did a positive deed, and the recipient will be grateful to know that someone, somewhere, was thinking about them.

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Organizations that Care

There are many nonprofit organizations that ask for donations of either money, supplies, or time. These are just a few options. Search in your own area and online for groups that share your values and can use your time and skills.

The Angel Gown Program (NICUHelpingHands.org)

This program provides custom-made burial gowns for babies who have passed away. The gowns are made from donated wedding dresses by volunteer seamstresses across the United States. Your sewing can provide meaningful support during a family’s bereavement.

Chemo and cancer support

Google “sewing for cancer patients” and you’ll find a plethora of options for making chemo caps and turbans, other comfort clothing, and accessories that help manage medical devices such as ports. At Patient-Innovation.com, you can download instructions for Pretty Pockets, pouches that cover and secure drain bulbs worn by breast cancer patients who have gone through a mastectomy.

Pillowcases galore

Pillowcases used as fabric or made for needy recipients are popular group sewing projects. At OperationGratitude.com, you can make and donate pillow-cases for American troops, who are often deployed without bedding. The pillowcase dress project is where you can use pillowcases to create dresses for girls in places such as Haiti or African nations.

There are several organizations that specialize in this project. LittleDressesForAfrica.org offers patterns for different styles of dresses, and will collect and ship the finished dresses to communities in need. They also request shorts for boys, skirts for women, and washable period pads. Note: Most of the patterns can be made with fabric rather than pillowcases, so these projects are excellent stash-busters.

Enchanted Makeovers (EnchantedMakeovers.org)

This organization caters to women and children who have become homeless. They transform long-term shelters into places that encourage the residents to dream, heal, and find their voices. A few of the ongoing projects are Capes for Kids, Doll Adoption, and the Traveling Pillowcase. The Capes for Kids program even involves schoolchildren in creating capes.

Professional apparel

Leslie’s House is a local charity in my hometown that houses displaced women and helps them learn new skills and get back out on their own. There is a need for interview-appropriate clothing. A simply made skirt and blouse would do. Similar organizations, such as DressForSuccess.org, request donations of work-appropriate clothing. These can be gently used or sewn by you. Dress for Success operates in many countries.

 

Organizations around the world

In Canada, look into HandsUpCanada.ca, to donate handmade baby items. In the United Kingdom, check TheSewingDirectory.co.uk/sewing-for-charity to find local organizations. In Australia, SewingForCharity.com provides a list of projects geared toward infants, children, the elderly, cancer patients, and those experiencing housing insecurity.

RARE Bear Program (RareScience.org)

RARE Science is a nonprofit that focuses on finding therapies for rare diseases, many of which affect children. The RARE Bear Program asks volunteers to make stuffed bears from scrap fabric for child patients. The more color, the better. Visit the site to find out how you can contribute. 

Sewing Machine Project (TheSewingMachineProject.org)

This group accepts used sewing machines. After checking out the machine, they pass it along to groups committed to learning new skills, building self-confidence, and enhancing their lives through sewing. Margaret John Jankowski, the founder, has written a book, Common Threads (Little Creek Press, 2023), which traces the history of the project.

Snuggles Project (SnugglesProject.org)

If aiding shelter animals is where your interest lies, visit this website to learn how you can recycle sweaters, blankets, and more to create comforting beds and mats. Patterns are included on the site for sewn, knitted, and crocheted items. Each toy or “snuggle” helps the shelter to better care for and calm a scared animal coming into a new environment.

The Sewing Project (TheSewingProject.org)

Based in India, this initiative empowers women in financial literacy and feminine health management. It’s a small organization that teaches sewing and embroidery, as well as other vocations, helping women to successfully earn and effectively handle money.

 

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Create Your Own Program

You can use your sewing skills to help, without joining or subscribing to a group. The need is out there, everywhere.

There are no limits to what you can do or offer. I made about 20 pairs of pants for my son’s 18-month and 6-day journey with cancer. After his passing, I thought I was done with making his loungewear pants. One month into my grief, I realized I was not.

I’ve continued sewing, in an initiative I call Reese’s LairWear, which includes pants, masks, and knit hats. The garments I make for other hospitalized children receiving cancer care are also part of my healing and a way to honor my son, Reese.

For the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals’ Day of Sewing for Charity in 2023, members sewed pants and hats for Reese’s LairWear during breaks between classes at our annual conference. The items were delivered to Children’s Hospital Colorado, where they were received with gratitude.

“Listen to the sound of inspiration inside yourself. I’m talking about that voice that guides you to put your goodness into the world. Listen to that voice and then follow, for just a few steps. Follow and see what happens.”

—Margaret Jankowski, Common Threads

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A Call to Action

Consider these ways of getting started in your charitable sewing practice. Decide whether you want to work in a group or on your own.

• Organize a sewing event. You can go through your church or work with local clubs. It doesn’t have to be a sewing club; cutting, packing, and shipping are also helpful services.

• Take action on an individual level through your own research. Find a charitable organization that resonates with you. Sign up for their newsletter to find out what they need. Look up local charities in your area. Decide what you want to do, whom you want to help, and gather the necessary supplies and materials.

You can put action behind your intention and go make a difference with your heart and sewing skills. I believe you
will benefit as much as the recipient of your work.

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Michelle Loggins is a custom dressmaker based in High Point, North Carolina. MDressmaker.com

Photos: courtesy of Michelle Loggins, except where noted.