Be One in a Million - IF You Can Sew a Straight Line!

Have you heard about the One Million Pillowcase Challenge? It's a wonderful nationwide initiative to sew and donate one million pillowcases to charities. As the sad story about the devastation in Haiti unfolds, it's overwhelming to reflect on how one little person here can help. While the pillowcase project isn't designed to assist in that type of emergency, it offers a small way for us to reach out to someone locally. Here's how the sponsor, American Patchwork & Quilting, describes the project:


Calling all quilters, sewers and crafters! American Patchwork & Quilting is challenging you to join our efforts to Make a Pillowcase, Make a Difference. Every pillowcase can make a difference in your community. A pillowcase can provide comfort for a cancer patient, hope for a foster child, encouragement for a battered woman, or beauty for a nursing home resident.

From the project website, you can locate a participating sewing shop in your area. Then you simply make your pillowcase, take it to the closest donation center and it will be delivered to local participating charities. The website also lists charities that need pillows and a link to request that your charity be added to the list - so if you work with a group that could benefit from some beautiful, handmade pillowcases, check it out!

And to spark your creativity, there are great patterns to download - remember, you don't have to be an experienced seamstress to make a basic pillowcase! However, you may be inspired to make several pillowcases during the year, increasing the difficulty as you become more comfortable. New patterns will be added each quarter - so it's a great way to expand your repertoire. And, you can add some great new pillowcases to your own linen closet while you're at it - it won't take much more effort to make two while you're sewing! One local quilt shop is offering pillowcase workshops one day per month - fabric kits, instructions, and the use of their machines - all for $11 for two pillowcases. Look for similar workshops in your area!

I'll keep you posted on my pillowcases and would love to hear if you're involved in the One Million Pillowcase Challenge!

All photos courtesy American Patchwork and Quilting.