Something for women to make on a church retreat
 

Our women's retreat is coming soon at our church. I've been asked to provide something for women who have never sewn to make in 2-3 hrs. In the past we've made rice filled hot dish holders (very nice), bags (took too long) and wreaths sewn on embroidery hoops (also nice). I was thinking of microwave potato baker bags however, just read the post from someone who had hers catch fire in the microwave so that's out. Does anyone have some ideas? Thanks!

Pillowcases

You just have to make sure you use 100% cotton fabric and batting in making the potato bags.

I was going to suggest pillowcases also......especially if it's a sleepover type retreat. :)

Cotton bags filled with raw white rice to micro and put on sore muscles. (if they are a tight enough knit and long enough, odd socks will work for this purpose as well.) These should be loose filled for comfortable 'draping.'

Simple placemats. They could be signed all the way around the group.

Neck Coolers. My guild makes tubes that are cut 4.5" x WOF, turned right side out. The first 12" is separated off with a seam (later the last 12" will be also.) Into the middle pour a small amount of the material indoor gardeners use to keep their plants moist. You can get that at a nursery. Close ends. On a hot day, soak in cold water. You will have a flexible, cool band for your neck. At the end of the day, hang it to dry and it will again be flat and ready for another day.

Glue and/or sew things on a piece of card stock to make a postcard. Nice bits of fabric, buttons, lace and the written word work well. This could be very good to send/give to shut-ins. I have a lovely one here that is bright fabric on heavy iron on interfacing with cut out fabric hearts hot-blued in place, along with a few mini crystals. My friend did top-stitched binding around the edge. Another is a sweet snowman. Christian symbols could be used just as well.

One of my favs is a 2 page needle 'book' made of pretty bits of fabric. I cut 2 pieces of fabric, one 4x14.5, one 4x14. I fold the longer one so that the ends are turned gack on themselves and meet in the center. I sew around the outside then turn it right side out and slide cardboard pieces into each side. (cereal boxes do nicely). Sew the second piece right sides together almost all the way around. clip the corners and trun right side out. After you close the opening and sew it inside the covers, you have a needle book. Before my previous dog ate it, I had a 4 page one my grandmother gave Mom when she was a girl, about 1920. She wrote what sort of needles went on which pages. I don't. Hers were muslin. Mine is batik with a piece of cording I can pin to my recliner.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy it.

I have used my microwave potato bag for about four years. I use it for many things and i love it!

Mug rugs make up fast & you can use up scraps. You can sew them flat or do a coiling on clothesline method with sewing the rope as you 'spin'.

BTW - I gave my father a microwave potato bag that I purchased at a craft fair last holiday season. He told me recently that it too had caught on fire...

I'm with beatys9, mug rugs would be nice. I use mine everyday, my coffee is sitting on one right now.

6 inch rounds of wool approx. decorated with little flowers, leaves, petals, buttons, etc. Stitch a gathering line all around the edge, ala yoyo, and fill with polyfil. glue into a mason jar lid, tea cup, small coffee cup, or any round tin. Makes a decorative pincushion.

Pillowcases are terrific for own use, gift, donation to a child's home. http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millio.../freepatterns/

Paperback book cover. Easy cutting (all rectangles), quilt or not and easy, simple instructions. Can be decorated with something as simple as decorative stitch rows or a strip of crazy quilting.

Pot holders can be made from lots of things and give practice in making a single block without the problem of matching sizes. Also can practice binding. http://tipnut.com/potholder-patterns/

www.modabakeshop.com might have some ideas. Dont need to buy the jelly rolls as you can cut your own.

Purse organizer. http://tipnut.com/purse-organizer-sewing-tutorial/

If you pick pillowcases, sergers are great for doing seams if anyone can bring them.

mltquilt

Pot holders ... you can pick some fairly simple 9" blocks - have them make two, sandwich with insulbrite & bind. The whole quilting experience from start to finish in a day.

Pin cushions (sew many different free patters on the web)

There is a wonderful tutorial on Missouri Star Quilt site that is great for pillowcases. It is such a simple, fun, and beautiful technique. I also like the pincushion idea!

There was a great tutorial on this board for a combination pot holder/bowl holder. It involved using pairs of squares of fabric and batting, stitching a circle in the centre, making pleats around the edges (to make the "bowl") and then sewing two units together, birthing them into a potholder that could hold a soup bowl etc. Size of square when you started determines what size of bowl it would hold at the finish. I used 10 inch squares and made four for a friend's daughter as a small housewarming gift. Easy to sew, broken down into small stages, and finished product quickly. Sorry I cannot imbed the link to the tutorial, I'm not overly tech-y. Perhaps someone can help with link?

What about quilt as you go place mats? I just made some place mats for my gb's to take with them when they return to school in the fall.

Pillowcases or an easy tablerunner with a seasonal theme. So many beautiful fabrics for Autumn and the Christmas season. Enjoy your retreat.

At our women's retreat last year we made the fleece tie blankets to donate to the homeless -- 3 or 4 ladies sit around a table and tie the blankets and get to visit with one another in the process. We had a great time, and it was nice to know we were doing something for someone in need.

Pot holders or Christmas Stockings

pillowcases, plan on just over a yard of fabric per case. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kquVQMjRK0

wonder wallets by Lazy Girl. Very cheap and easy. 2 wallets from one fat quarter. http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/produ...der_Wallet/253

simple 10 minute table runner. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGhUslU0WGI

Glasses Case - similar to a potholder but folded and then stitched

We have each done a 10 min block then sewed them together for a top that is then donated to charity. We had a stack of 10" sq. that each person choose 5 and made the blocks...ending up in a very pretty quilt top!

There is a tutorial on here to make tissue holders which is pretty easy. As some of the other ladies have said, pillowcases, the 10 minute table runner are pretty easy as well.

We made these tissue holders at retreat and they were fun http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...r-t107636.html

Click it bags! If you like I can email you my instructions!

On a Sunday School weekend retreat one year the wives make satin bowls. The pieces were precut. We did the minimum stitching by hand, stuffed the sides of the bowls with batting, added handles, etc. The actual instructions are simple. The bowls are about 6" wide, 4" high. We filled ours with flowers but could have used candy, etc. Very nice.

Aprons - I never use them myself but lots of people do.

Nancy Zieman on Sewing with Nancy has supported Little Dresses for Africa program, where dresses are made from pillowcases for little girls in impoverished areas. I've not made any but I've heard they are easy to do.

Sewing with Nancy also featured a guest at the end of her program who makes play capes for children living in shelters. The children find it very empowering to pretend to be strong and mighty. That same guest was featured on another segment about sewing items such as pillowcases for women's shelters...the power of a handmade gift can be great. If you have homeless shelters or a shelter for abused women, you might want to check to see if they would be interested in such donations.

I've seen some postings here on QB about people who make simple blankets for use in hospital NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) to cover the bassinets to shield premature babies from light. If you have a nearby hospital that has a NICU, they might have a suggestion about this or another simple project they could use. Here's a link to a website that has ideas for projfects for hospitals maternity units.

This was also my idea. At church we have so many charity gifts the ladies where tired of never getting anything for themselves. So we made ourselves something. Why not have 2 to 3 stations that the ladies can choose what the want to make. Say a mug rug, apron and pillow case. have a teacher at every station away from the others and let them go to the one that suites them?

This is something simple that I have made and there are instructions on how to do them on page 2 of the thread

http://www.quiltingboard.com/general...-t62303-2.html

You can buy a large package of washcloths at Wal Mart for less than $5. It is a cute idea and very handy.

This requires no sewing, but you can also take a piece of fabric that measures 12" by 20" and wrap it (centered on the 12" side) around a roll of toilet paper. It will overlap the roll, then fold over the raw edge end once it overlaps so that the raw edge will be covered. Then tuck the ends into the hole on each end of the toilet paper and you have a cute cover for an extra roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. You can get 6 pieces out of a yard of fabric.

The video was really cool for the 10 min. table runner or the 12 min. gift bag. I did go to the site and signed in but could never find the directions. He-e-e-e-elp!

I just bought the pattern for the potholder that looks like a cupcake. They are fast and so darn cute.

I know this is not sewing, but I had to come up with a fast, cheap, charity craft for my womens' church group. Only one could crochet, but she taught us and we did casket blankets for preemies, hats for preemies and earwarmers for the homeless shelter. We found the patterns online for everything except the ear warmers and that is a combination of my mistakes and online. They are super simple to make and take 1 1/2-2 hours. Good luck!!!!!! I'll be glad to share patterns.

I'd say pillowcases, I love making them! The only other quick projects I do is baby bibs and burp cloths. Maybe small animal or baby rag quilts? oh, and the self-binding receiving blankets- they are quick and easy, and come out so cute!

We did mini Christmas stockings (ornament size) and I brought my embroidery machine and put names on them as they finished them.

I have a pattern for a really cool dinner roll holder that can be done in that time frame, is really unique and fun to have! Essentially, you cut six circles of fabric about 15" in diameter. They can all be the same, three of each or six different fabrics. You sew them together, in twos, right sides together, turn and finish stitching. After pressing, you attached one circle to another using a pie cut stitch pattern, then attached the third circle with tack stitches. Add snaps for holding it in place for use and voila....When done and filled with dinner rolls it looks like a flower, when not filled it can double as a hot pad for the table.
If you would the the pattern, send me a PM and I will send you the .pdf.

Potato bags are great...use 100 percent cotton with no chemicals, cotton fabric and cotton thread....works!

I agree with the potato bags - all parts must be 100% cotton. Warm & Natural is 100% cotton. There also are several tutorials/instructions on the covered casserole carrier that is easy and you can make whatever size you'd like. The pillowcases and the 10 minute table runners are fun & easy, too. Good luck and have fun.

Every year i make 15-20 stuffed animals (suziees zoo) type, just two pcs.some can cut,sew,dtuff, donate to homeless shelter,then make pillowcases for themselves, or ornaments are great too.

I love the idea of pillowcases, and then they could be donated to a local Childrens Cancer Hospital.....what better use of their time could their be

I was just on you tube, they have a bunch of tuts on making accs. Wqith potholders.
Wwallet,ck book cover, jewelery case ect