A tiny army of 12 seamstresses is turning donated fabric into useful items to give to children, women in crisis, and the elderly in Statesboro and around the world. Their group is called Sewing for Missions, and they are hosting a fashion show to share their latest creations.
The Sewing for Missions fashion show will be held Wednesday, Feb. 21, inside the Pittman Park UMC Fellowship Hall as part of the church’s weekly Open Table supper. A complimentary meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. with the free fashion show starting at 6 p.m.

A creative service to those in need

Last year, Sewing for Missions made tote bags for women in crisis at the Safe Haven and Esther’s Place facilities in Statesboro, children’s clothing for Haitian refugees in the Bateys of the Dominican Republic, and bibs for the elderly residents of local assisted living facilities. They also keep an inventory of handmade toy bears for children whose families come to Pittman Park UMC seeking assistance with utility bills.
Ruth Murphree, a founding member of the group, said, “Sewing for Missions is a fun way to touch people in the community and around the world.”
The Sewing for Missions group meets at Pittman Park UMC every other Tuesday morning in a room outfitted with sewing machines, scissors, irons, and all the supplies needed to create hundreds of handmade items. They welcome new members, and sewing experience is not required.

A foundation of children’s clothes

When it began in 2007, Sewing for Missions made sun dresses to send with missionaries to countries in Central and South America and in Africa.
Murphree said a member of Pittman Park, Francois Song, commented: “Boys need clothes, too.”
When she explained that the group needed a serger machine to be able to make shorts, he said, “I’ll pray about it.” Murphree said it wasn’t long before the group was able to obtain two serger machines.
When Murphree told Song the result of his prayers, she lamented that they didn’t have any members who could use the challenging machines, so Song said he would pray about that, too.
A short time later, a new member, Anita Howell, joined the group with one request. She preferred to sew with serger machines. The group has been making shorts along with their dresses ever since.

A community effort

Sewing for Missions depends on donations of cotton fabrics, children’s t-shirts in sizes 3-8, girls panties in sizes 3-8, elastic in size ⅜ and ¾, and monetary donations through Pittman Park UMC.
For more information about the Sewing for Missions Fashion Show, visit pittmanpark.org/ministries/outreach/#sewing