Little Dresses for Africa.
We love hearing about Thrift Town customers who enjoy shopping with us and come back again & again. Even more - customers who get creative with what they buy. A special customer named Barbara sent us her submission for our quarterly ‘What a Find‘ contest, and we were touched by how she uses her finds. Barbara buys regular sized pillow cases for 99 cents each at the Thrift Town in Austin Texas.
With a few cuts here and there for the neckline and armholes, she inserts a six inch piece of elastic and sews on two yards of seam binding. This turns pillowcases into cute little dresses that she then donates to “Little Dresses for Africa”, a non-profit, Christian based organization located in Brownstown MI. They send or deliver the dresses to orphanages, schools & churches in 16 African countries. Their motto is, “Changing lives one little dress at a time.” Barbara says the dresses are easy to make - she doesn’t even have a sewing machine, and does them all by hand!
Look at these little ones in their dresses - so precious! They also have a program that makes Britches for Boys. There are a lot of different ways to help this cause - sewing parties, helping the organization size & pack them… The website even has directions for making the pillowcase dresses. If you’d like to find out how you can get involved with Little Dresses for Africa, visit their site at LittleDressesForAfrica.org
We are still accepting submissions for our quarterly What a Find contest,
so please, keep sending in your awesome treasures! Winners will be announced in late January.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
What charities are important to you?
Have you helped others with what you’ve found at Thrift Town?
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love, love, love this story - and lobee that Thrift Town is helping to make a difference!
For years (since FWISD went to uniforms) I have bought Thrift Town school uniform parts and winter jackets for the FWISD students who need them but do not qualify for assistance provided by the schools. In addition, I buy blankets and towels for our county animal shelter. The joy of doing this philanthropic recycling is more than worth the little it costs. A further note: Because of health limitations, I cannot do the remake on the dresses for Africa, but I would be happy to pick up pillowslips for someone to re-do. What a blessing all around!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by lyn di cesare, Chic Modern Vintage. Chic Modern Vintage said: Check out Thrift Town Sewing Projects Help Kids in Africa @ https://thethrifttown.com/tt-sewing-projects-help-kids-in-africa/ [...]
Wow, this makes me love thrift town even more.
I LOVE THIS!!!! I am so touched and amazed at the heart and soul of this venture. I only wish I had thought of it! My interest is piqued and I’ll be looking for what I can do….
Thank you for this touching gesture of Love.
Carrie
I love T.town that what i call it.My ladys have i make dresses
for Africa,and all the pillowcase came from T.Town.
Thank T.town,I buy things there for my elders too.
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! What a unique way to make use of what someone no longer wants but didn’t throw those pillow cases away! i have seen people make thier curtains and quilt covers from the sheets! Thank you THRIFTTOWN for your caring and contributions! “Well, done faithful servant.”
We are definitely proud & inspired by what this organization is doing with pillowcases from our stores. A beautiful act of kindness. It’s kind of crazy that even things like secondhand pillowcases can make such an impact when in the hands of creative people who want to do good for others.