A weekend I will not forget

This bank holiday weekend, Charmingo Sews Academy opened its doors for something I had been dreaming about for well over a year, and it turned into one of the most special weekends we have had in the studio yet.

We hosted a sewing weekend in partnership with Dress a Girl Around the World, welcoming anyone who wanted to come and help make simple dresses and shorts for children living in poverty overseas. By the end of the two days, we had made 24 dresses and 8 pairs of shorts, and collected £22 towards the cost of posting them abroad. I will be matching that amount myself, and the parcel goes out on Tuesday. As soon as we hear the dresses have reached their destination, we will be sharing photos here and on our social media.

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

What made this weekend so special was the people. Fabulous individuals from our community and the wider Liverpool community turned up not just to sew, but with bags of fabric they had at home and wanted to donate to the cause. I even had emails offering fabric donations beforehand, which was such a lovely surprise. Partners came along too, some picking up a needle and thread for the very first time to help make a garment.

Charmingo Sews charity sewing for the Dress A Girl Around the World campaign.

We shared a buffet lunch together on both days, and it was around that table that the real magic happened. It was wonderful watching people who had never seen our new studio before walk through the door for the first time, and just as lovely seeing those who had not been in for a little while catch up on what everyone had been working on since they were last here. Watching everyone help each other, share tips, and simply get to know one another over the course of the weekend was magnificent. There was a huge amount of laughter, a fair bit of fun, and a real sense of community running through every hour of it.

I will admit, more than once over the weekend, I found myself pinching myself. This started as a dream of mine, but it was the generosity, time, and warmth of everyone who came along that made it what it was.

Thank you to every single person who sewed, cut, chatted, donated fabric, or simply turned up to be part of it. This event would not have been possible without you, and I am truly, truly appreciative.

Because it was such a wonderful weekend, we will be running it again. Look out for a date in the coming months.

If you can not make it in to the studio to join us then please consider making some dresses at home and posting them directly to this wonderful cause. https://dressagirlaroundtheworld.co.uk/

There is also another lovely charity session on the horizon. Next month, we will be hosting a crochet afternoon or evening, making crochet octopuses for premature babies at the Liverpool Women’s hospital, facilitated by our crochet tutor, Jess. We were informed about this amazing initiative by one of the fabulous ladies who helped us sew this weekend. The exact date and time are still to be confirmed, so keep an eye out for that announcement too.

Thank you again for making this weekend one I will never forget.

Take a peek at some of the garments we made.

Charmaine, Founder