“Oops! I think I sewed this to the wrong side!”
Ellen held up the LONG pillowcase with the cuff on the long, wrong edge. 
We all laughed with her as we admired what could only be used as a pillowcase for a body pillow.
We had all been there, though, sewing the wrong thing to the wrong side at the start of a very fun day of sewing pillowcases for charity.
Six of us – gathered with equipment and materials. Many of us brought fabric for the pillowcases. Some of the fabric had been specially purchased for this sew-in and some fabric was straight from our stashes.
But all the fabric was destined to be transformed into comforting pillowcases for our most vulnerable citizens – children who were being displaced from their homes.
Children are moved from their homes because of domestic violence, abuse, and similar situations. Sometimes legal authorities must move quickly for the safety of the child. Children are sometimes only given black garbage bags to pack their favorite toys, clothes, and other items before the sudden, traumatic move.
That’s where these pillowcases come in.
Our pillowcases will be donated to Child and Family Services so they can be used in place of those plastic bags.
In addition, our pillowcase numbers will be added to the “Million Pillowcase Challenge” begun in 2010 by American Patchwork & Quilting (APQ) magazine. APQ is also well within reach of its goal, having recently announced that it has passed the 800,000 pillowcase mark. Pillowcases made by groups and individuals around the world stay in their own local community – only the numbers are consolidated into one giant tally.
If you’re interested in helping out (materials or labor) come visit us at our next Oahu Modern Quilt Guild meeting on August 21, 2019; 6:30 pm at the Aiea Public Library in Aiea, Hawaii.
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