On the Edge | Little Dresses for Africa (part 2)

So I left you hanging last week from two 7 inch pieces of elastic. Let's pick up right where we left off before you loose your grip, shall we? 

7. Attach a medium/small safety pin to the end of one piece of elastic, like this:

Now thread it into the little casing at the top of the dress. Right before the loose end disappears into the casing, fasten it in place with another safety pin. You don't want it to slide inside.

Once you get the elastic all the way through the casing, safety pin the other side together as well. It will look all bunched together.

Repeat on the other side.

8. Cut two 38 inch lengths of double-fold bias tape. Find the halfway point of each by folding the strips in half. 

9. Line this middle point up with the center of one armhole and unfold the main crease in the bias tape. Re-fold the bias tape, sandwiching the edge of the armhole inside. Pin in place. Keep working your way up both sides of the armhole, sandwiching and pining as you go.

Repeat on the other armhole. The dress should look like this:

10. Sew the bias tape in place. The seam should be fairly close to the edge of the bias tape with fabric sticking out, and make sure you double-stich over the ends a couple times.

11. The dress is done! Now you just have to include a note stating that the dress is a size medium (additional sizing info is here), package it up, and ship it to:

Little Dresses for Africa

24614 Curtis Drive

Brownstown, MI 48134

If at all possible, enclose a donation of $2.00 per dress to help with shipping costs. 

(Disclaimer: the credit for the ideas and pattern in this post go to Little Dresses for Africa)

On the Edge | Little Dresses for Africa (part 1)

I have a ton of fabric. And for as long as I can remember I've wanted to do something meaningful with it. I've got a whole cubbard full just waiting for a worthy cause.

I think I've found it, guys.

It's called Little Dresses for Africa; you can read more about the organization here. 

Basically this organization is asking people to make some seriously simple pillowcase dresses and send them in the mail. The organization takes care of getting the dresses to needy girls in Africa, and they even have a pattern to follow on their site! These dresses can be made from fabric pieces or pillowcases, and the only extra supplies needed are 14" of 1/4" elastic and 76" of double-fold bias tape. If you haven't sewed much, this would be an excellent place to start!  

So that's what I'm doing with the fabric waiting in my basement. I'm planning on sending a box full of hope and sweet dresses over to Africa in the near future! Here are the instructions for you to join me!

If you're starting out with just fabric, start here. If you are using a pillowcase, simply cut off the short seam on the top of the pillowcase and skip to step 4.

1. Cut a piece of fabric 28 inches wide by 40 inches long.

2. Fold in half crosswise, patterned sides together. It should look like an inside-out pillowcase. 

Sew the long sides together, then zigzag/surge the edges and trim.

3. Pick one unfinished edge of the tube and zigzag/surge all the way around. Turn under and sew a simple hem. This is the bottom of the dress.

4. Turn the tube right-side out and fold in half lengthwise, so it's half as skinny as it was before. Cut a 2 inch by 4 inch armhole at the corner where the unfinished top edge and all the side seams meet. 

When you unfold the dress it should look like this:

5. Zigzag/surge both raw edges at the top of the dress (in between the armholes). Turn each edge under about 3/8" and sew on top of the zigzag/surging. This should make a casing big enough to fit 1/4" elastic.

6. Cut two 7 inch lengths of 1/4" elastic. 

So I'm going to leave you hanging right here until next week... Or you could hop on over to the original directions here and finish your darling dress yourself. :) 

(Disclaimer: credit for the ideas and patterns in this post go to Little Dresses for Africa)

On the Edge | Hope in a Bag

Many times I feel like I should be doing something "worthwhile" with my life. You know, feeding starving children on the streets or starting a bakery that sold only products made with fair trade ingredients. 

In my heart I know these are noble things and that they would be powerful tools to grow God's kingdom. 

But I also know they aren't realistic for me. Right now. 

And that makes me feel a bit guilty and un-motivated as I step glibly through my little life, sitting for hours reading or spending my time and sweat on an awesome workout. 

But what if I could do something worthwhile with my life? Not that reading or working out or having fun or holding down a job aren't worthwhile; on the contrary, the Bible says that everything - eating, drinking, talking, working - should be done to the glory of God. And I believe that God works mightily through everyday moments. 

But somewhere inside I have a desire to do something more. To not only live these everyday moments for Christ, but to also stretch my little life and step closer to the edge. Where I can see the view of God's power sweeping over the earth. 

And I believe that God has given me opportunities to do just that. I just need to take a step forward and take them!

The first opportunity I've decided to grab onto is "Hope in a bag." It addresses the problem of homeless or begging people who are needy for food, items for everyday life, and - most of all - Jesus. This project takes all these things and packages them in a ziplock, ready to change a person's life at a moment's notice. 

There are tons of options to stock your bag with, but here are some ideas. This is not an extensive list! Just think about what you'd need if you suddenly found yourself out of a home, job or food... mostly it's cheap, everyday things I already have around my house. 

Grab a gallon ziplock bag and pick about ten of the following: (you're stepping forward with me, right?)

• Bar soap
• Small stick deodorant
• Hand warmers 
• Pen
• Small pad of paper
• Comb
• Pair of new socks 
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Small pack of tissues
• Chapstick 
• Granola bars
• Trail mix 
• Nuts/seeds 
• Bottle of water
• Small Bible/New Testament

Use your imagination - I bet you won't even have to step outside your house to fill a gallon bag! You will need to devote some prayer and thought into the most important item in that bag, though. Write a short note that offers encouragement and an invitation to accept God's love and salvation, and stick it in there. 

Hope in a Bag is meant too be kept in your car, and whenever you pass a homeless person or someone who is begging, you will have something powerful to give to them. 
Because I believe there is power in that note you wrote. 
I believe that God honors even the little ways we shine with His love.
Congratulations, you have just stepped with me onto the edge... where we'll be stretched and vulnerable... but where the view of God's power is so, so worth it!

Make Your Mark

You know when something just tugs at your heart-strings? Tugs hard and sharp, like a child's cry. Last night I was reading over at Ann Voskamp's blog, and her heart spills right out on the page. She writes of impact, of our mark on the world. She writes and it grabs me, reaching right for my heart. 

How she loved on a girl - thirty-eight dollars a month and letters sent to Guatemala then kept as if treasure. She sponsored Xiomara and I can see the girl's grin, leaping right off the screen. 

Thirty-eight dollars a month, some prayers and stationary... so little, but God used what Ann had and changed this girl's life. 

And Ann's sentences are the catalyst for Holy Spirit conviction, the words rip out the selfishness, exposing it raw:

     "I know where she slept last night, how she’ll sleep under tin and tarp again tonight. I know how right now a starving child just gurgled their last bloated breath. And by the time I get to the end of my next sentence, another child will starve to death. One every 3.6 seconds. 16 people die every minute because they don’t have enough food. And 3472 pins are pinned every minute to Pinterest." 

So I click her links and find Compassion and stare at the sweet faces, each waiting for someone to give what they have, to be used by our God and to change their lives. Time after time, child after child, I give them what I have. I cry out to God, this deep longing ache. I wish I could sponsor them, hold them, smile with them - something! But thirty-eight dollars a month... and I just give what I have, a hearts-cry strong and deep. I gave what I had, and God will have to do the rest. 

But one more thing before you click my words away. Will you make your mark, give what you have? A sponsorship, a prayer, a commitment to pray. Step on over to Compassion and just give what you have. 

Because, you see, God will use what we give. He can multiply the marks we make. 

What is the product of zero times a million? Zero. But as soon as that nothingness is bumped up to one - one little mark, one little prayer - the equation totals one million. My friends, it's time to make your mark.

(Read Ann's post here, yes?)

Operation Chipmunk Child

How many of you want to put a huge smile on a needy kid's face this Christmas? Anyone want to spread the Gospel? And last but not least... do you love Duck Dynasty? Well, friend. Now that we have identified all your hidden desires, you'd better hop on over to Samaritan's Purse and check out a crazy-funny video featuring Uncle Si here!

............

Now do you understand "Operation Chipmunk Child"? Thought so. ;)

Will you join me in Operation Christmas Child? If you want more info, invade their website or ask me some questions! 

Many churches I know of provide shoeboxes and packing labels, making it super easy to give some Jesus-joy this Christmas. Pack a shoebox, Jack!