A while ago I wrote about wanting to make a difference with my sewing, and how Fridays Off Fabric Shop happened to contact me about how they had become a drop off location for Conkerr Cancer pillowcases.
I was so excited when my sewing group decided to take a night to sew up a bunch of these pillowcases. We were especially fortunate to be able to use my friend Laura‘s winnings (from a contest with Stay Home Fabrics) to augment our fabric supply for the project. Each of us brought enough for two pillowcases, and Laura kindly donated enough to make 7 or 8 more! In the end we made 14 pillowcases. That’s 14 more kids in our city’s children’s hospital that will soon be sleeping on a colourful pillow, and hopefully 14 smiles to go along with them!
I decided to try this as a little sewing project that my kids could be involved in. Something simple to make that will help them to think about someone else, someone who doesn’t have it as easy as they do. We took a trip out to Sew Etc, one of my local fabric shops, and they were amazingly helpful. The kids picked out two fabrics each – no help from me. I love seeing what they pick when I have no influence over their choice!
I sewed up my oldest’s pillowcase for her – since she’s not as excited about sewing and I don’t want to force her to love it. My youngest however, is trying to be a little seamstress and insisted that she could sew her own “all by herself”. I did my best to help as little as possible. I love the note she wrote to go with her pillowcase. I hope we can make so many more!
There is much more information about ConKerr Cancer available on their site and so many inspiring photos. They have chapters located throughout the US, Canada, South Africa and the UK. I would urge you – especially with Christmas right around the corner – to take a little time and consider ConKerr Cancer as a great place to give to! The pillowcases are simple enough that a beginner can sew one easily – and they make such a difference to a child in the hospital.
There is talk of another pillowcase sewing night with my sewing group already! And I’m hoping to make more every so often with my kids as well. It’s a great way to use our sewing skills to make a difference.
Reader Feedback: Have you participated in a charitable sewing project?
What a great project to sew for. And a good idea to involve the kids in it. How cute is it to see your daughter sewing 🙂
Thanks Mirjam! I am so excited that she loves sewing – maybe we will have to get her a little sewing machine for her birthday next year?!
Just wanted to let you know how wonderful these pillowcases can be for hospitalized children. I used to work in pediatric Emergency Dept and when I met a child who was going to be admitted I was able to have them choose a pillowcase (and sometimes a blanket) to help brighten their stay. It was a wonderful way to allow them to have a choice about something (choices are often very limited in the hospital!), and help make their stay a little easier. Often these families arrived with very little from home (most hadn’t ever planned on being admitted), and -parents were always very appreciative! Thanks for taking the time and resources to support a fantastic initiative!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment Sarah! It is amazing to get first hand knowledge that these projects are making a difference. I so appreciate it!
I’m using your superhero cape pattern to make capes for cancer: http://www.happysoulproject.com/2014/04/kick-cancers-arse-capes.html?m=1
Thanks so much for letting me know Audrey! I checked out the project and I’m going to see if my sewing group would be interested in using a night to do this together – what a great idea!
Sherri, thanks so much for this posting. Kudos to your pals for making the pillowcases. Thank you as well for the Toronto contact. I am a ‘solo’ sewist in Ajax. I enjoy projects that I can work on at our office when I am not interacting with clients. The ‘Hotdog Pattern’ is so easy 😉
I love that you are so in tune to your daughters. The older one not interested in sewing at this point, the younger one, rarin’ to sew. The photo of her in front of the sewing machine is priceless. I hope it gets a full scrapbook page 😉
Enjoy the season with your family, we are counting sleeps till our Canadian Christmas with our son & family, then off to St.Louis for Christmas with our daughter & family. Merry Christmas 😉
Thanks Ann! I love the photo too. And the pillowcases are so simple – like you say, it’s a great project for at work! Have a wonderful holiday – sounds like fun! 🙂
I make quilts for the Pediatric Infusion Therapy Unit (kids’ chemo) at Mayo Clinic/St Mary’s Hospital. I deliver them when I go to Mayo for my check ups. It is my therapy as well as a way of letting those brave kids know they are loved. As a side bonus, my husband says nothing about my fabric-buying addiction since he knows a lot of the fabric will be for these charity quilts.
Just discovered your blog. I also am a nurse – pediatric oncology. When the kids have to go for a tough procedure we make their beds all tidy and put a new pillowcase on. What smiles we get when they return to their bed!!! It’s also a morale booster for the nurses who have such a hard job. The young man (teenager) who started this (and has since passed) was an amazing person and faced his lot in life with much bravery.
I have actually been involved in two different ones, the first project I made hundreds of baby blankets, crib size to raise money for MS.
The next project I was asked to sew youth blankets for a friend involved with the childrens Aid Society of Ontario, she would supply the funds and I would do all the sewing and each child that comes into the agency gets his or her own blanket to keep and they can take this from one foster home to the next if necessary. She said everyone was willing to donate baby blankets, but no one thought of the youth especially young males so I made over 100 blankets for them before I ran out of steam……..but it would be a great project that anyone could help with because there are so many different Children’s Aid groups across Canada!
Oh wow Katharine! This is amazing! What a great idea. I will keep it in mind for sure.