Seeds of Change - Good Shepherd Phuket

Crafts Center: ‘Sewing Seeds of Change’

Thanks to the efforts of a local women’s group, the pregnant women at the Home for Hope are being taught a variety of sewing and craft skills. Since late January 2013, expat ladies, affectionately called the “SO ‘n SO Gals of Phuket” have been donating their time to help develop and transfer useful skills. The SO ‘n SO Gals are textile and art enthusiasts who like to practice and share.

Making a difference, one stitch at a time!

To begin, each participant receives a sewing starter kit. Each kit contains basic sewing supplies in a plastic zippered pouch. We assemble thread, needles, scissors, yarn, chalk, seam ripper, pins, ruler, paper, and pens. A laminated stitching card provides a pictorial for practice. Throughout the time with us (usually last 2-3 months of their pregnancy) the young ladies will make baby quilts, carry totes, fabric toys, zipper handbags, and other baby or personal items. With fabric donations from a variety of sources, we are also able to join start their own creations with clothe and other sewing supplies.

Typically 120 minute sessions are held with 3-6 participants from the Home for Hope once a week. The craft sessions have included: beginning crochet, knitting, cross stitch and a variety of hand stitching, paper flower making, beading, and jewelry assembly.

By making and selling a few items throughout the year, Seeds of Change is self-sustaining thanks to fabric donations and our ability to reclaim & recycle remnants. Marketable products are seasonally sold at The Good Shepherd Thrift & Crafts Shop and at local holiday markets. Our best sellers have been pet collars and our ever evolving ‘Tiny Totes’ handbags & coin purses.

Our first collection of collars for sale

Fundraising efforts led by The Phuket Mulligans continue to support several of the Good Shepherd Phuket projects, including Seeds of Change and the BanYa Literacy Center.

We each have something to learn and to teach

a rose by any other name is still a rose!

Show & Tell … no other language skills needed

This young lady taught herself to crochet baby booties from watching a youtube video.

Colorful keychains … the very first crafts project … and available for purchase at the shop.

A unique and colorful collection of handmade greeting cards now available at the shop in Laguna.

Working with other media and making samples for other greeting card collections

Learning to sew and making samples of carry bags for resale.

Future small handbags available for resale. All made from recycled fabrics.

Home for Hope

For more about the efforts of Home for Hope, please click here.

How can you help?

Additional volunteer help can always be used. If you have a craft idea, wish to teach classes, or just want to get involved, please contact any of the SO ‘n SO Gals through our Facebook Page. Please help us complete our wish list…we have lots of items needed for our crafts center.

WISH LIST!

Fabrics, notions, threads, scissors, pins
Sewing books (with lots of pictures)
Storage cabinets for supplies
Beading & jewelry supplies (we love broken jewelry!)
Volunteers to help teach
Design & marketing skills to create & sell products

For more information, you can contact Karen Ellison, our Seeds of Change Founder.