HELP needed for GKTW pillow program!

newdrama12

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Give Kids The World is running low on Dream pillows for their Pillow Tree program. However, supplies are starting to run low and more help is needed. For those that don't know what I'm talking about, all of the children under the age of 18 who are traveling with a Wish child have the opportunity to make a pillow with Hermes, the owl that lives in the pillow tree.

Anyone who has any sewing experience is needed for help. If anyone is interested in helping, please let me know here on the boards and I will post all of the details and the pattern to do them. I will also post the address that you would need to send them to as well.

If you or someone that you know would be interested in helping, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any help that you can provide.
 
I would love to know more about this. Is it something simple? What type of fabric? Please send me all the info including the pattern & address. Two of our children have been blessed with wishes to GKTW & we would love to give back in a different way than we have been. Thanks so much!!!
 


These are special pillows for our very special children. Please use new, very soft fabric- this is IMPORTANT for the children.

Here are the directions straight from the Village:

For the project, you will be working with PILLOW FABRIC. (cozy flannel - plain color) and the pocket (Novelty print which can be flannel or cotton) Please look for novelty prints suitable for both boys and girls. Cozy flannel is used for pillow fabric - one yard of flannel will make four (4) Wish Pillows. Cotton, Cotton/Poly blend, or flannel is used for the pocket - One yard of novelty print will make twelve (12) pockets for the wish pillows.

Cut the plain pillow fabric into 36 inch lengths. A rotary cutter and board will help to ensure accuracy and also speed up the process. The pockets are cut into 12 inch lengths. On the pillow fabric make a hem on both raw ends (do not sew selvages). Turn down fabric about 1/4" to 1/2" and then again another 1/4" to 1/2" taking up about an inch to one and a half inches. Accuracy is not critical. On the pocket material, hem one raw end only using the same measurements as on the pillow fabric.

Match the hemmed edge of the pocket and pillow. Sew the pocket material strip to the pillow fabric right side to right side along the length that is not hemmed. (You could go back to the cutting board to pin them together to get a straighter line for sewing.

Take the fabric back to the cutting board and fold the pocket material toward the center (wrong side of the pocket material to the right side of the pillow material). Lay a ruler at the pocket where it is sewn and measure 15 inches. Fold the pillow fabric over the ruler with the fabric right sides together. Then fold the other end on top of the end you just folded at the pocket where it is sewn.

Now cut the flannel lengthwise into 4 pieces approxiately 10-1/2" to 11 inches wide. Flannel comes in different widths so just divide the flannel into fourths and do not worry about the selvage; they will be sewn or serged over.

Make sure the pocket in the front and opening in the back are opposite. The overlap in the back must be at least two (2) inches.

Use your serger to finish the side seams or use a straight stitch and then zig zag the seams. Clip corners and turn pillow to right side.

The finished size of the pillow and pocket will be (depending on your hem widths of 1/4" to 1/2" as well as the width of the flannel) as follows: Pillow 9-3/4" to 10" wide X 15" long. Pocket: 9-3/4" to 10" wide X 11-1/2" long.

Thank you for any help that you can provide!
 
You might want to post on the Disboutique board. We have lots of ladies (and a even a gentleman (who makes the most amazing quilts) who sew for the MAW kids. They might be willing to help out.
 
Hi Newdrama,

Any chance you have a picture of a sample pillow? I want to get a group of co-workers together to make these and a pic would be really helpful. Do we ship them to the addess on the GKTW website?

Thanks!
 


Thanks for the pictures- that makes it so much easier. I'm sorry I have more questions for you. We do or do not provide the insert? Lastly, how are the pillows used? Do they make a wish when they receive the pillow why is there a pocket? I just want to understand because I'd like to get several co-workers involved and I feel the more information I can give them the better the chance they'd like to get involved.
Thanks for all your help, I'm really excited to do this.
 
Thanks for the pictures- that makes it so much easier. I'm sorry I have more questions for you. We do or do not provide the insert? Lastly, how are the pillows used? Do they make a wish when they receive the pillow why is there a pocket? I just want to understand because I'd like to get several co-workers involved and I feel the more information I can give them the better the chance they'd like to get involved.
Thanks for all your help, I'm really excited to do this.

You do NOT have to provide the insert, just the pillow case. With some love, some luck, a wish and a kiss, the pillow tree will provide children at GKTW a memorable interactive experience. At the Pillow Tree each child will be guided by Hermes the Owl, the virtual caretaker, to create their very-own "sweet dreams" pillow. The pocket is a place for them to store their hopes and wishes, if they chose to write them down or a place to carry things that they love.
 
I spoke with a rep at GKTW today...Further information for the pillows:

The cases can be delivered to my attention, at the address listed below. Please be sure to include a letter, with every shipment, with the following information:

Name, Address, Phone, Email, Quantity and $ value. This information will allow us to properly thank you, as well as record your in-kind donation as it is required by law.

I’d like to thank you in advance for being part of such a special project and for helping to contribute towards the success of the wish pillow program.



Happy Sewing!





Philip E. Torres
Support Services Manager
Give Kids The World

210 S Bass Road

Kissimmee, FL 34746
407.396.1114 ext.4280
philipt@gktw.org
 
I posted your request on the disboutique board in the Disney for Families forum. Hope it helps. I got some fabric this morning and am looking forward to making some pillowcases.

Thank you for posting the request.
 
I followed the instructions posted here last night and wrote up a quick tutorial with pictures as I went along. I posted the information from here as well as my tutorial to my blog.

If anyone would like to see it go here:
http://ellenbenny.blogspot.com/2011/04/give-kids-world-pillow-program-info-i.html

Thank you , Ellen. You beat me to it. I went to bed last night trying to visualize it, reread the directions this morning, and still didn't quite get it.

Off to make some pillows!
 
Thanks everyone. My co-workers and I have scheduled a pillow making night. Those that can't sew will cut and iron and hopefully learn to sew! I would like to this a few times a year. This is the perfect way for us to spend some 'fun' time together and while making a difference.
 
Thanks everyone. My co-workers and I have scheduled a pillow making night. Those that can't sew will cut and iron and hopefully learn to sew! I would like to this a few times a year. This is the perfect way for us to spend some 'fun' time together and while making a difference.

I think the pillow making night is a great idea. I've made a few and it seems like an "assembly line" would be a good idea so you're not always jumping from sewing machine to cutting table to ironing board.

I posted these on the disboutique board, but I'll post them here, too, hopefully to inspire someone to try it.

First set (it makes four at a time)

IMG_1890.jpg


The second and third sets

IMG_1891.jpg


Happy sewing!
 
Hi Ellenbenny,

Thanks for the tutorial! I'm not sure I'll have a chance to test this before my work get together this week so your pictures match the pictures in my head so I feel better about that. Of course, now you have to spill the beans and tell me where you got that Mickey comic fabric. Pretty please?
 
Hi Ellenbenny,

Thanks for the tutorial! I'm not sure I'll have a chance to test this before my work get together this week so your pictures match the pictures in my head so I feel better about that. Of course, now you have to spill the beans and tell me where you got that Mickey comic fabric. Pretty please?

I'm not Ellen but the fabric came from Joann's. I live in Georgia and looked at the 3 around me and never found any though. :( I am pretty sure that if you live near Ellen, hers is now out too since she grabbed me some! Love the dis and all the friends I have met on here! :thumbsup2
 
Thanks Jessica,

I frequent my local Joann's and have never seen it but it's a small one. I'm gonna search online. You're lucky to get some. I think I have scrapbook paper like that.

Thanks
 

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