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Apr 27, 2015 | EDOT Staff

A Stitch of a Ministry Brings the Generations Together

 

Darby Kethan, a long-time member of St. Paul’s, Woodville, offered to teach a few 10 year old girls to sew. Very quickly, the “class” grew from two to six youth, with two of Kethan’s fellow parishioners and another friend who help teach each time.

 

The group meets weekly and while they started with a few simple projects to learn how to sew a straight seam, the group has branched out. They are now re-purposing items from the church’s thrift store into tiered skirts and turning blue jeans into tote bags. “The girls have created table runners, heart pillows, terry beach cover,” Kethan said. They even sewed a pocket into a beach towel to insert a Styrofoam noodle for a pillow.

 

Lily, 10, says the best thing she has learned is that if she makes a mistake she can fix it and if she perseveres she can do anything.  The girls also talk about how nice it is to do the work themselves. Kethan said she finds that often, adults tend to take over the task, but for the class, every pin and every chalk mark and stitch is done by the girls.

 

“It is so fulfilling,” Kethan said, “partly because of the girls' energy--which is catching--but also because it is inter-generational in the truest un-contrived sense!  Wisdom is welcomed and the conversation ranges from fabric selection and sewing techniques to the qualities one wants in a friend and how to resolve conflicts as differences arise.”

 

The group has supported bibs for a local pregnancy support center and provides calico toiletry bags for the hospital, learning the importance of sharing talents and resources. They meet weekly for an hour and a half, and, said Kethan, the sewing brings with it “tons of math and applied reasoning skills developed through measuring and fitting.”

 

The youth sold some of their items at a recent “trades day sale” in Woodville, and purchased a used sewing machine for their group. “We had a table and discussed sales approaches and marketing,” Kethan said. “Who knew saying ‘Yes’ to one little request would grow into such a ministry.”

 

She said the group came about spontaneously and with little planning. “It’s had a great impact on all involved,” she said. “like lifetime skills for the girls, purpose for the women and a special bond between everyone, especially some of the girls who especially need one on one attention and support.” 

 

“I so hate to hear the words ‘Kids today don't know," when the reality is kids today have not been taught,” she said, adding that a fellow church member is working out an idea for a car club to meet with teens and teach them car maintenance.