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 | Conversation

Some of you may know that I work as a trail guide. I get to spend a whole hour with strangers on horseback in the middle of the woods. Most of the time these people respect me because I know more about horses and the trails we're taking than they do, so it's a perfect opportunity to have some good conversations. You know, about God and life and such. 

But they're strangers. 

And I'm terrified of talking to them, to tell you the truth. But. (deep breath...) Today I'm stepping out to the edge. I'm going to make a concerted effort to hand my fear to God and start a meaningful conversation with someone on a ride today. You can do this too! Even if you aren't on horseback, make a point of stepping beyond the small talk today and showing someone you love them by talking about things they need to hear. Ask them how you can pray for them, or tell them about what God has been teaching you lately. 

For some of you, this will be easier than it will be for me. But let's take a deep breath, step out, and make a difference today! 

*Update*
God completely blessed my socks off. You know how scared I was about this? Well, I prayed about it a bit, but I honestly didn't expect God to make it any easier than I imagined. But He's God, you know? He doesn't live in my expectations. 
I started talking to a girl behind me on a trail ride, wracking my brain to bring up something about God or church without sounding awkward. It wasn't working, so I ended up just chatting with her about the horses. She asked me if I knew the story behind any of the horse's names, so I told her about one story I knew. Then I remembered the ponies named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I mentioned them, but it took a second for my mind to adjust to the glaring opportunity staring me down. 
"Do you know the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?" I asked, fully expecting her to know it. 
She didn't.
And then God convicted me and worked everything out at the same time.
See, I know the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But not well enough to rattle off at a moment's notice. So God convicted me to learn that story well, as a tool in future conversations. 
But He worked everything out anyway.
When I mentioned that the story was in the Bible, the girl told me that she was actually reading through the Bible! This led to a conversation about her Wednesday night church group and about the Bible. 

God showed up, guys.

He showed up when I was terrified but when I stepped out in faith anyway. 

That. was. awesome.

On the Edge | Homemade Cards

I don't think I've ever gotten a card in the mail completely out of the blue from a friend. As in, not for my birthday or because we're pen pals. But I know if I did get a random card with an encouraging note inside... I'd have a grin plastered on my face for a while! 

This week's outreach is actually something for people I know who are Christians. Unlike some of the other outreaches, this week I'm focusing on encouraging and exhorting fellow believers. It's much easier to share the love of Christ if you've just been encouraged in your faith, yes? So this activity is an outreach... just in a roundabout way. :) 

To bless four people? It takes just two pieces of card stock and a pile of scrap paper. 

Cut each piece of card stock in half. Fold each new rectangle in half. Grab your wild side and make a collage of scraps on the front of the card. (This part was hard for my perfectionist nature) Let pieces stick out on the sides - we'll chop them off in a second. 

Cut off the extra paper on the sides, and admire the beauty that came from a bunch of unwanted leftovers! Think for a second about how God is making your life into a masterpiece that is far better than perfect. 

Now write encouraging notes in each and send them out to make someone's day!

On the Edge | Compassion Prayer Walk

This is so easy. So so easy. Today I'm hopping over to Compassion's website, trying something new.
It's like a prayer walk, but online. 
In my own house. 
If you've got even two minutes, you can join me! Compassion has pictures of needy children waiting for a sponsor all over their website. I'm going to click a few sweet faces and pray over their lives. I'll beg God for a sponsor to help each one. I'll pray over their health, families, and for their salvation.

See? This is one of those easy baby steps towards the edge that actually, for real, makes a difference. 

Because I believe in the power of prayer. 

Join me, will you? I'll be over here!

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!