Whether you sew for hobby, for business, or for necessity, it’s always nice to sew for a cause. I’m a stay-at-home-mom who has to continually stretch a buck, so I like to help how I can…and that means through sewing. These past few weeks have provided me a few opportunities to use these skills to help some great local organizations.
My boys go to the same preschool and the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) asked me to contribute a few items for a big auction event. Of course, I said yes. I love this school and am so happy my boys do too. Although I know I won’t generate a ton of money, I know every little bit helps. I get to help the PTO and get a little local publicity so it’s win-win for me.
Last year I donated gift certificates to my Etsy shop and this year I decided to make a few items to possibly generate more money once the bidders can touch and feel what they are receiving. With a GC, there is a finite value, but with custom made, hand-sewn products, there is more more perceived worth…at least I hope!
It’s always so hard to choose fabrics for someone, never mind someone you don’t know. But since this is a school fundraiser, you can’t go wrong with simple patterns in the school colors…so yellow and black it is. I used Quiet Play’s Geometric letter pattern and Noodlehead’s Wide Open pouch pattern to show some hometown love.
The Crimson and Clover Train Case by Sew Sweetness is one of my favorite patterns. Its so versatile in it’s usage….whether to hold makeup, toys, or other treasures. I used Cotton and Steel Black and White fabrics with the typewriters being a play on the school and added little yellow accents. The shot of yellow piping is definitely my favorite.
Each of my son’s classes is also responsible for putting a large basket together. There is a theme and the point is to have all the families contribute a little something in order to make a sizable basket worth buying. One class has a “Lego” theme and the other has “Books.”
Instead of just buying a box of Legos, I knew I wanted to sew something to hold all the toys. I’m constantly stepping over Legos in my own house and I made some see-through vinyl drawstring bags to combat the mess. I thought I would make one for the basket but then after browsing Quiet Play’s Craftsy shop, I saw the Lego man. Hello!
The Lego head pattern is free (yay!) and I used Noodlehead’s Open Wide Pouch again. It’s design is so perfect for little hands to reach in and out easily. I added a little embroidery to make the Lego Man’s face and (hopefully) this bag will help keep all of these little pieces off the floor.
For the “Books” theme basket, I knew right away I would make a library bag. My boys have cute canvas ones they love to fill up and I figured one of their schoolmates would too.
The bag is made with Art Gallery Fabrics Denim Studio so I didn’t need any interfacing to give it structure. I used a very simple tutorial from Skip to my Lou and altered it so I could incorporate this super cute book paper-piece pattern from Patchwork Please! by Ayumi Takahashi.
Besides all these PTO donations, I was asked to contribute some items from my Etsy shop for a Pelatonia fundraiser. This is one of the largest bike races in Columbus and generates millions of dollars…all which toward cancer research. Some large companies have donated money to cover administrative expenses so that 100% of rider fundraising will go to charity. How awesome is that?
I donated a full set of baby travel items with arrow fabric since the Pelatonia logo is also an arrow. The group I’m assisting is bringing in a whole cross-section of items and I’m crossing my fingers that these pull in lots of money!
Have you donated some sewn items for fundraising? How did they do?
Happy Stitching,
Cristy
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