Sewers and non-sewers are invited to help cut, sew, iron and pack dresses and shorts made for Haitian toddlers.

Haiti still suffers from the 2010 earthquake and now also from SANDY, which destroyed most of the crops in the southern regions of the country. Luckily another sewing event is now scheduled.

Only because of the event efforts of 2 previous annual workshops by Meetup's 'Chicagoans-help Haiti' and devoted members of this Meetup and many other Haiti helper friends from Illinois and Kansas 1,500+ dresses (made out of pillowcases) and 400+ pants (made out of T-shirts) were made and hand-delivered to Haiti. They are all proudly worn by little girls and boys aged 2 to 5 years as shown in the photo. For many of them it is there very first dress / pants they ever owned.

Due to very popular demand in Haiti a 3rd hands-on and family-style workshop for sewers and non-sewers will now taske place. As in the past professional sewing facilitators will volunteer their expertise and guide all non-sewers with tasks such as: working with simple patterns, operating a sewing machine, cutting fabrics, ironing, folding and packing. Any skill you can bring to the table is appreciated.

As with all our 'Haiti-help' events, the previous workshops of this kind, also this one is NOT a fundraiser! We understand too well, money is in short supply.

Whereas please accept the mandatory entrée fee PER attendee:

(5) gently-used pillowcases and/or

(5) gently-used T-shirts

This event if for everyone with a BIG heart!

By attending, please consider bringing with you your own:

• sewing machine with loaded bobbin. (If an electric machine, kindly bring an extension cord)

• steam iron with iron board and extension cord

• pair of dressmaker scissors (MUST be suitable to cut fabric) and ruler

• rotary cutter with self-healing cutting mat and ruler

• bias tape, to be 7/8" wide, single folded (any color)

• threads and notions

Dresses will be made out of pillowcase and hand-delivered to little girls living in orphanages in Haiti. The same goes for the T-shirts, which will be converted to pants (britches) for little boys . Obviously the proud little ladies and gentlemen will be all photographed, dressed in “Made in Chicago” dresses and pants (britches).

As before we expect this workshop to be very cosmopolitan again. Be ready to easily speak many, many different languages with the fellow attendees.

Also bring with your camera to take snapshots from the workshop and last not least for own enjoyment bring some snacks and a non-alcoholic beverage

Event highlights are:

• fellows with a BIG heart, many of them fluent in a foreign language

• talented sewers who are eager to share their knowledge with any novice sewer

Appreciated donations to bring to the January 26th event. We'll get it ultimately delivered to Haiti.

o gently-used mechanical and/or electrical sewing machines

o children's shoes (NO flip-flops)

o toiletries (e.g.: toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap)

o gently-used French language booklets / books for little children and young pupils (French is the 1st foreign language taught in Haiti)

The master Meetup of this event is www.Meetup.com/Chicagoans-help-Haiti

Luckily it is co-sponsored by:

http://www.meetup.com/ChicagoFashionConnect/events/90671162/

and also

http://www.meetup.com/Sew-You-Know/