Sewing the seeds of Love

I fell in love a few years ago with the idea of sending the oldest girls a sewing kit!! 

 I love fabric like my Mom does.  I frequent Hancock Fabric (close and convenient) and look for bargains and cuttings for pillow covers and napkins and table runners.  I think young girls would love fabric too!  Sewing kits are from $1-$3 at Dollar stores.  You can even buy each element and make your own.  See some fun Pins here and here and  here and here.  I love to get remnants or cuttings when they are 50%, like they do at Jo Ann's occassionally.  The above was found 25% off remnants on a side cap in Wal-Mart right after Christmas.  I try to pick fabrics that could be a head wrap, skirt, blouse or bag that they may want to make.  I like to do 1-2 yards.  I like to give a few different fabrics to each girl.  Last year, I used gallon zip loc to secure the entire kit.  Sewing is a great skill for them to learn and can lead to a trade.    Look at this great Pin on what another shoebox stuffer loves to send, here.  My mom thinks they need patterns but I imagine they can eye ball and create.  What do you think?  I am adding fun buttons this year and trims.  I got the huge bin of finger nail clippers on Amazon this year.  See pin here.  I think I am gonna add a set to each sewing kit.

Here is a sock monkey I got at Stapes after Christmas.  It was for you to put a bottle of Sparkling Wine into to gift. All I have to do is stuff him and hand stitch up the top.  I really want a book about making stuffed loveys out of socks and gloves!!  Amazon has it here.  

This gets me starting in that direction.  I have 2 teenaged boys and lots of barely used 1 sock wonders around here! 

I am willing to think outside the box too for boxes!!  

These awesome fleece lined tree skirts were anywhere from 75% off down to 25 cents depending on when I got them at Dollar General Christmas clearance.  The fishy fuzzy fleece, harder to work with, I got on clearance last year at Hancock Fabrics.  I have a few boxes in mind with an ocean theme.  The green camo can't be used for OCC boxes...too much of a reminder of child soldier activity.  I didn't think about it when I threw it into the cart, I was just thinking boy!  (lesson learned)

We made 3 ponchos with the pink and sent them to Romanian orphans...we have lots left and I will make mittens and caps with all that. 

Mom and I have lots of projects and left-overs from projects!  This is flannel from pj pants she created for my youngest son.  We had plenty to make 4 scarves and matching hats.  I had fun adding the fringed edges!  I am hooked, a very simple diy project for adding to OCC boxes.  See inspirational Pins here and here.

Can you tell I have always wanted to sew for my boxes but just never made it happen before?

For the love of a child!!

DeniseMarie