by toogie 14 May 2017

Hello Cuties, As some of you know we make prayer blankets at church. Now our women's group are contributing pillowcase dress to those in need. Putting some in the Christmas shoe box. Others will be took by our own group that goes overseas to mission fields every year. In some remote areas children go undressed.

This was our first meeting for sewing the dresses in our
church kitchen. We got together from 9 am to 3 pm Friday. There were 3 of us that sewed all the time and 3 that didn't know how to make an item from beginning to end, but we managed to make 15 dresses and I think 6 or 9 shorts for the boys.
The first photo is a young woman who made her first pair of shorts. She came to show Brenda and me, so I took her photo. Look how happy she is!
Second photo is Brenda and of course, yours truly, me.
These are the dresses we had cut out and I brought home with me and made yesterday. They are so simple, they stitched up quick.
Hope you enjoy looking-Toogie

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by pennyhal2 21 May 2017

What a fantastic and generous project! I'm so glad to see something being created for the boys. The little dresses are so easy to create that I guess the shorts are a little trickier. Keep up the good work!

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toogie by toogie 22 May 2017

I wish I had brought some of the shorts home with me to make. Maybe next meeting I can...A lady came late this afternoon for me to help her with a pair. We had just walked into the house from a long day at the hospital. Bless her heart, she said she had ripped them out 3 times, when I showed her how it was done, she said she had that part right all along.

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by kathymourie 19 May 2017

These are sew cute. You are amazing.
Kathy

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toogie by toogie 22 May 2017

No, we just have an amazing group of women called to do His work. I do like these with the little 'flutter' sleeve though, don't you?.

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by heleninca 19 May 2017

These are darling and I know the little girls will be thrilled.

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toogie by toogie 22 May 2017

I hope so, they deserve happiness and to be clothed.

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by mops Moderator 19 May 2017

I hope it does not sound like swearing in church, but I never liked those pillowcase dresses with the ties. I must say these look so much prettier! Nice work, Toogie!
It must have been fun having that assembly line going, you doing the serging and your friend the sewing.

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toogie by toogie 22 May 2017

Yes, mops it was great fun. You can get a lot done when you work together. The women left all the food left from the previous night's meeting, so we had our lunch already prepared. Our pastor brought us the best chocolate chip cookies ever made, too. I think I left a piece on my saucer in the photo.

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by katydid 15 May 2017

I love it when all come together. So many don't learn to sew anymore.

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toogie by toogie 17 May 2017

I feel the same Kay and am so happy when someone does want to learn.

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by shirley124 15 May 2017

Well done to you all. I am back knitting beanies for the Shoe Boxes. I do them every year. Plus I sometimes get a few embroidered items done as well. Hugs Shirley

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

I wish I knitted. Have you put any of your beanies here on Cute, maybe under Crafts? I would love to see some. I have one more dress to make but no thread to match so it will have to wait until the next meeting.

shirley124 by shirley124 16 May 2017

Yes I think I did a few years ago. i will put up a picture again when i get a few more done. Hugs

toogie by toogie 17 May 2017

Wonderful!

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by dragonflyer 15 May 2017

What a wonderful undertaking...the dresses are darling and will be cherished...

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

It was all Brenda's idea, but she wanted me to help her organize it....I told her I must me OCD when it comes to sewing, though. I stopped one lady just in time, from cutting shorts upside down, on a one way print! I told her to look at the waist how it was laid on the fabric. Then look at the fabric beneath the pattern. She said she hadn't noticed that when she laid out the pattern. I explained if she would have cut it out like she had the pattern pinned on the fabric, all her little animals would have been upside down.

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by kustomkuddle 15 May 2017

Our church is having its first pillowcase dress sew-in next month too! Have never made these before but they look cute. Hope ours turn out as good!

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

You might find the little flutter sleeve easier to do, than matching and sewing all the bias. If you need the sleeve pattern I can email it to you when I get back. Send me a PM with your email, if you want it. I have it in sizes 3-8, I believe. Also, I have the elastic measurements, for the neck/shoulder casing.
What we do is everyone donates something... fabric, thread, elastic is all that is needed. When we were going to do bias and ribbon ties, we wouldn't have the right color to match the fabric, a lot of times. This makes it easier and the sleeve kind of gives protection from the sun on their shoulders, without being too hot, as they flutter just like the name says.

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by sdrise 15 May 2017

Well done!! Great effort on all of lovely people for helping ! I am sure he recipients will be thrilled

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

We had a lot of women the night before and got a lot of dresses and shorts cut out. Some of the women never cut out a pattern before (some even cut the pattern!-lol) The next day the ones that could sew and didn't work a job came and sewed. Unfortunately, there was only about 6 of us that came to sew but then we each brought some home with us. We meet just once a month, but I'm leaving for 9 days, then before I get back, Brenda is leaving for 7 days. I wanted to get these sewed up before I left so I would have them done for the next meeting.

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by jrob Moderator 15 May 2017

If we all only did a little bit for those less fortunate....... Thanks for your contribution.

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

There is always something we can do for others...might be just a kind word of encouragement or just a listening ear.

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by jenne 15 May 2017

we did that one year at church where I went, just love sewing these dresses and shorts for other countries , we have fun and also help others. your things look great .

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

Thanks Jenne and we do have fun knowing that you are giving wholeheartedly. Do you all still do it?

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by pennifold 15 May 2017

Bless you Toogie, you do so much for others. Love Chris

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

As you do too, Chris. You're one too, that jumps right in to help. We have special people here and I thank Miss/Mrs Veronica for providing this site for all of us to meet and share part of our lives.

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by Sewmum1 15 May 2017

That's a wonderful thing to do. They look fantastic. It's amazing how much you can get done when there are a few people working together

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

Brenda and I work good together. We are like minded and share if one has an easier way of assembling.She had made some before the meeting, with the bias armholes- and ties. She put elastic in the front and back neck casings and bias ties. When I told her my little grand daughter had a bought dress with a flutter sleeve, we decided to do them this way.
The purchased dress had the flutter sleeve set in the armhole, serged all around the armhole, then pressed back and top stitched the sleeve to the dress and the rest of armhole to dress. that way the elastic casing can go all around the neck and shoulder edge, eliminating the need for bias. She welcomed this idea and away we went.

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by twee 15 May 2017

You are one amazing lady.

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

(Blush Blush) Not really, I'm just me.
I have to tell you this about yesterday though. I had all 3 of my children here for lunch after church. Hubby grilled hamburgers and hot dogs so it was easy lunch.My oldest grandson asked me what I was going to be doing later. Now I have become a little hesitant to just say 'yes', before I know exactly what they want, since the time he and my SIL wanted to take my daughter duck hunting and I had to be at their house to babysit at 5 am!-lol
He just wanted a haircut. Whew, that's fine, I can do that.

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by crafter2243 Moderator 14 May 2017

Well done. Thank you for doing this. There is so much need in the world.

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toogie by toogie 15 May 2017

Sadly, you are right. I commend you too for all you do and you do a lot, making those beautiful quilts!

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