My friend Linda, who owns Patchwork Fabrics in Slave Lake, Alberta posted something on Facebook that brought tears to my eyes. Click on the link and read the words......
Trash bags? Yes, they are given trash bags. What message is that sending to a child.
There is a video but I can't figure out how to upload it here. It shows a young girl going from home to home, family to family, bedroom to bedroom always carrying a trash bag!
Linda asked her followers if they would put together a "huggable" quilt and a pillowcase to give to a child that they could carry their belongings in. Unfortunately for me to send a quilt west is -- shall we say -- expensive? I decided to make some pillowcases and on one beautiful Saturday when the temperature was in the 70's and the sun was shining brightly, I went downstairs and made 4.
The first one I made was the one on the far left. I had recently purchased the co-ordinate for the fabric I had for the cuff. I needed to add something to separate the two pieces so I opted for a navy blue that was sitting on the cutting table.
I serged the pieces together. The whole pillowcase was put through the serger. I didn't touch my sewing machine at all.
When attaching the cuff to the body, I laid the cuff on the table with the narrow band "up" and the right side facing me. I then took the body and right side down pinned the two pieces together.
I rolled up the body and then pulled the cuff up and over and pinned the layers together.
When I pulled the body out of the cuff, this is what I had. A perfect cuff! Well, I think so.
The next two steps are the same. Fold the pillowcase right sides together and I opt to sew the top seam first. I start at the open side and go to the fold.
Then I sew the long side from the cuff to the top.
When I was done, I had this........
I follow the instructions that I have found work for me on All People Quilt. It is simply called "the roll up pattern". Nothing fancy unless you choose it to be.
Using my serger I can make two pillowcases from start to finish, including the pressing at the end, in less than 40 minutes. I know because I timed it while my dryer was giving our towels a nice "fluff up".
I have two more to go. I'm not sure how many I'll send to Alberta. I am nearly at my goal for donations of pillowcases for the year. I would love to give 12, if I can afford to give more, I will.
There are now 8 on the pile......4 to go.