Dresses Going...

Yesterday Lucille came by and picked up 276 dresses that will be leaving soon for Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  They will be going with missionaries from Crossroad's Bible Church.  The ladies at Crossroads will be adding more dresses to these and the total will be going in mid September!!

This is what 276 dresses look like.

They are all packaged by size.

Thanks sew much to all the sewers that have been busy creating in Washington State, Alberta and British Columbia!!  You are doing a great work!!!

April Dresses

I set a goal for myself to make 20 dresses this April... and I have made it!!  Here are a few of my favorites!

I am having sew much fun!!

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Bonnie

I received a wonderful box full of brightness and love last week from Bonnie.  Her dresses are made from such beautiful fabrics with adorable accents.  There are going to be some very happy little girls!!

Thank you Bonnie!!!

If you would like to help email me at

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Children Sewing for Children

There is an after school  and Saturday sewing program called Sew Maris.  The program involves both boys and girls in grade school.  They decided to make dress for little girls in need around the world. They chose wonderful fabrics that are bright and heavy enough that you cannot see through them.

Perfect!!

Didn't they do a wonderful job!!!

Thank you sew much the the students and teacher of http://www.sewmaris.com/

Fabric Donation

Bonnie stopped by and brought beautiful dresses

she always adds such cute accents... like the yoyo's on the pocket and at the neck!

She also surprised me with three bolts of coordinated fabric from a friend.  This fabric is a polished cotton in the most beautiful pale blues, pinks and greens.  I have given the fabric out to several sewers and here is the first dress that I made using all three fabrics...

Thank you to Bonnie and her friend!!

If you would like to help please email me at

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Dresses for India

We have been asked to provide dresses for India.  And we will be making t-shirt dresses but the person that wants to take the dresses doesn't want cap sleeves on the t-shirts sew that makes it harder to find suitable t-shirt.  Yesterday I was at Hancock Fabrics and they had their patterns on for 99 cents.  I found a pattern and spent this morning adjusting and simplifying it to work for India.  Here is the dress I came up with.

This is a size 14 and is a little longer with more modest sleeves.

It takes about 1 1/4 yards for a size 14

I will be making the pattern up next week if you are interested

And if I get some questions about it I will do a tutorial.

Thanks to all the wonderful sewers that make dresses!!

Vintage Dress

I love using vintage pillowcases with hand embroidery to make dresses.  As I was making this one my mind was wondering to the lady that embroidered this pillowcase... what was she like... who did she make this pillowcase for... and what would she think of a dress for a little girl in need out of her handiwork.  I wish that I could show her!

Often with Vintage pillowcases the fabric is too light for modesty.  I make a tube of the same width as the pillowcase... add a ruffle that will peak out at the bottom.  I cut off the top of the pillowcase and match the tube and the pillowcase at the top... I cut the armholes while they are together and press and sew the casing as if they we one piece of fabric.  But I allow the side seams to be separate.  I attach the pocket only to the top pillowcase... not to the lining.

Here is my latest creation... I am really into pink lately!!

Isn't the embroidery sweet!!

And a little pocket matching the two shades of pink to finish it off!!

Rainbow Box

I received a wonderful box from Laura... it had such beautiful, colorful dresses!!  

Here are some of the dresses.  I love Laura's choice of fabrics!

I loved the combinations of fabrics and bindings!!

 

And adorable accents!!

 

Here are the larger sized dresses

 

And here is my favorite fabric.  

Thank you Laura for all of your wonderful dresses!!

Many girls with be smiling very soon.

I have already sent one of these dresses out with the dresses going to Cameroon

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

A Dreary Saturday Afternoon in Seattle

What to do on a cloudy and cool Saturday afternoon... how about sewing!!  Today, I made four dresses for little girls.  The first two are made out of wonderful fabric donated by Bug Fabric, an online fabric retailer...

This fabric is bright and has an adorable gecko pattern... coming in several colors including the cream that I used for the ruffle, pocket and straps.  Speaking of other colors I also made one in green...

Since the geckos are in several colors I had my choice of contrasting rick rack, lace and bias tape.  For this dress I chose blue but I also have other green gecko dresses in the works with yellow, orange and red contrasts.  After I finished these two dresses I decided to challenge myself with a solid colored pillowcase.

Purple was my color of choice and I decided to pair it with a white eyelet ruffle, pocket and bias tape... simple but hopefully special for a little girl!  Next I used up the last of a sheet to make a 

soft burnt orange dress...

These four dresses are going, along with sixteen others, to Cameroon.  This is the first time that dresses from Washington have gone to Cameroon and I am sew excited to have Lois taking them in two weeks.  

Thanks to all the people who have made recent donations.  I was talking to one of my sewers this week and she said that she thinks she is addicted to sewing dresses for little girls.  I have to agree that helping these little ones is sew much fun and yes I am also addicted!!

Another Lovely Day

Yesterday, Loretta delivered 101 adorable dresses to my house.  They are so bright and beautiful.  Several of them are already packaged and ready to go to Sierra Leone.  Perfect timing!!  Thank you sew much Loretta for all of your sewing!!  There will be many little girls with dresses because of you!!

Loretta also included some bears and necklaces

The dresses range from sizes for babies up to size 10/12

Some of the dresses are made from pillowcases and some from fabric remnants

And these dresses are in every color of the rainbow.

Ladies we have a need for 500 dresses to go to Sierra Leone in June so please keep sewing...

We also have a need for larger dresses size 8 and up.

Linda

We just returned from a wonderful week in Palm Springs.  It was warm and we went to Joshua Tree National Park, up the Palm Springs Tramway and to several farmers markets and craft fairs.  When I arrived home there was a package in the mail.  What fun!!  Linda has sent me four adorable dresses!!

Thank you Linda!!

There are four little girls who will be thrilled!!

You ladies are sew wonderful!!

And there are over 100 dresses all packaged to go to Nicaragua!

Today I will be packaging 100 to go to Sierra Leone!

And I was just contacted by a lady that would like to take 20 to Cameroon!

There is so much need out there... if you can help please email me

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Christmas is a Time of Giving

I know that people are busy this time of the year and I must say I have been very impressed with all of those giving dresses for girls in need.  I have received quite a bit of fabric and several packages of dresses along with emails saying that more are coming.  Just last week I received an envelope from Chaeli and here are the dresses that she sent.

I love the softness of these colors!!

Thanks to all for their generosity!

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Sometimes Fabric Speaks to Me

Patty came by last week and she brought 6 shopping bags full of fabric.  Wonderful cotton fabric and it was large pieces of fabric.  Patty had a friend that was moving into Assisted Living and she would not be sewing anymore.  She was excited to hear about sewing dresses for little girls

and gave all of her fabric to us.  

As I was washing the fabric one particular piece jumped out at me.  I often see fabric and it just speaks to me... it says use me!!!  use me!!  I am perfect.  And I need to use that fabric to make a dress.  Well that is what happened to me and I just love this bright and bold sunflower pattern!

This dress is all finished...

This is the t-shirt dress that I made out of the same fabric, but it isn't quite done.  I have a friend, a quilter named Anne, and she will take this dress and appliqué  a cute heart or flower or maybe a rabbit and then it will really be finished!!

Thanks fabric for talking to me... I do love sewing!!

Talking to Myself

I have had fun sewing this last week or so... I have made quite a few dresses.  Someone asked me how I make sew many dresses?  Well, I think that I am a fairly fast sewer and as I am sewing and choosing fabrics I talk to myself and challenge myself to make more dresses for little girls and to make the cutest dresses I can... quickly.

If someone gives me fabric or pillowcases I want to get at least one dress made so they can see it. 

This dress is made from a set of pillowcases a stranger bought for me in Ross Dress for Less last week

If I have scraps or smaller pieces I challenge myself to put them together to create a dress

These pieces came from a donation after an estate sale

another dress from the estate sale donation

mixing and matching what I have

If I have fabric that normally would be not be used for little girls I challenge myself to make it cute

Black is always a fun challenge

And more black

If I find a good price on a sheet or bedskirt I challenge myself on how many dresses can I make

8 out of this $6.99 sheet

7 out of this $4.99 bedskirt

And discount t-shirt

Finding them is a challenge

$0.50 from thrift shop

$1.50 from Ross

$1.50 from Ross

Sew this is what I do...

I talk to myself and I sew

If you would like to challenge me to sew with something you have just email me 

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Sewing Fridays

Today we are sewing.  You do not have to be an experienced sewer!!  You don't even need to sew!! We have jobs for everyone... from cutting to ironing to packing dresses or we will teach you to sew and then you can make these adorable dresses.  We were sew fortunate to have Bug Fabrics http://www.bugfabric.com/ donate some beautiful fabrics and we have made these cute dresses.  There is a little one out there just waiting for you to join us and help us make a dress for her!!

suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com

Whidbey Island Sewing

We have a group of ladies sewing that live on Whidbey Island.  They just sent me pictures of the 57 dresses that they have finished!!  Aren't they adorable!!

There are going to be many little girls knowing that they are loved and cared for because of these wonderful ladies!!  If you would like to learn more about this project just e-mail me at suzannesewdelightful@gmail.com