There are few things more fun and satisfying than tackling a small sewing project and being proud of the outcome. From pillowcases to handkerchiefs, there is certainly no shortage of little designs that can help you to build your sewing skills and have a complete product at the end too. Then again, why stop there? There are many sewing groups who sew for a purpose, putting their abilities to the test and constructing things they plan to donate to a good cause. In that spirit, today we will touch on some great sewing ideas that you can not only make yourself but also use to benefit worthy causes in your community. Without further ado, let’s begin!

1) Dog beds for your local animal shelter

Animal shelters are always in need of more beds to help make life as pleasant as possible for the pups in their care, and the easy-wash nature of the dog bed pillowcases help keep things sanitary. Dog beds are a fantastic starter project, especially given how simple they are in design. It’s essentially an oversized pillowcase you secure around a couch cushion. Sew up the sides, put in a few snaps, and you’re good to go! If you’re looking for some guidance on what a dog bed should look like, check out the photos on our “Work Samples” page of a few dog beds we made for our local dog shelter this past winter!

2) Zippered pencil bags for schools

Let’s face it, it’s not easy being a teacher these days. With so many demands placed on them, they could use a helping hand getting everything organized so they can keep their students learning and happy. A zippered pencil bag can be very useful in this regard, helping to keep pencils, pens, crayons, markers, and any other writing or art instruments in one easy place for students to find. Not only would this be a great help to teachers, it’s also a great opportunity to learn the art of putting in a zipper and show off your excellent taste in fabric colors!

3) Gardener aprons for community garden clubs

Give those flowers more power with a fun gardening apron! The nice thing about aprons is they are pretty simple combinations of a few easy fabric patterns, so this is a fantastic way to get some practice patterning a design. Local community gardens are growing in popularity across the nation, so show your support for this promising trend by helping them out with an apron or two!

4) Fabric flowers for retirement homes

Experiencing beauty is one of the most enjoyable parts of life, though beautiful surroundings can be in short supply in some retirement homes. Why not make some fabric flowers to help breathe new life into unadorned halls and common rooms? Fabric flowers are easy to make and can help you learn how to style fabric features prior to sewing them into place. You can even sew them onto a fabric garland to make cool hanging displays!

5) Dish towels for homeless shelter kitchens

As winter comes around and the temperatures go down, the importance of a warm meal goes up for the less-fortunate. Those working in homeless shelter kitchens go to great lengths to ensure the safety and health of the individuals they serve, so why not help the helpers with homemade dish towels? There is always something to clean after cooking, so the more fresh towels they have to assist them with the task, the better. Dish towels are not only simple, they are also great for practicing decorative top-stitching, a skill you will surely be able to put to good use in your other projects!

6) Art smock for painting therapy groups

Art has a multitude of purposes, including self-expression and stress relief. For those using art for therapy, it is an essential part of the healing process and helps them to channel their feelings toward a positive goal. Many of these valuable programs find themselves strapped for resources during difficult funding times, so a donation of art smocks can offer support and help stretch scarce donation dollars. Smocks are simple in design and offer the opportunity to learn how to implement cording and clasps depending on how intricate you choose to make them.

7) Fabric diaper carrier for the new mom

Having a baby is a time of celebration, though also one of nerve-wracking costs. With so much to buy in anticipation of the big day, why not make the new mom in your life a little less stressed by making her a fabric diaper carrier? Designing and installing straps is a challenging but extremely useful ability to add to your repertoire, so do it in style and create a colorful carrier that will be loved by the whole happy (and grateful) family!

8) Decorative mending of clothes to be donated

It’s always a generous idea to donate unused clothes, though many of the clothes that get donated to charity are in such rough shape that they cannot be given to the needy or resold to raise funds for them. Next time you think about donating, consider upcycling before you recycle! Ripped jeans can be patched, torn shirts can be colorfully-mended, and damaged articles can sometimes be resewn to make something entirely new. The sky’s the limit, and doing this will not only help the less-fortunate, it will keep yet more fabric out of already-overburdened landfills and allow you to burnish your creative design skills. Thrice the benefit for the same effort!

9) Fabric hand warmers for carolers and Salvation Army bell-ringers

The holidays are a wonderful time of year and the spirit of generosity is in the air. That’s not all that the air has in store during the winter, though: the cold outdoors spares no one from its icy grip, even those who venture outside to bring joy to others like Christmas carolers and Salvation Army charity bell-ringers. You can help to bring the heat and beat the sleet with fun fabric hand warmers! These simple sewn bags of rice can easily be heated in a microwave or oven and provide warmth for those who need it most. Sewing a bag with contents can be tricky the first time, yet knowing how to do it will be a boon to your future projects and to those lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your munificence!

10) Coffee cup cozy for the nurse in your life

When we think of long hours and the resulting chronic tiredness, one of the first professions to come to mind is that of nursing. They work long days to ensure the ill are brought back to health as quickly and pleasantly as possible. What keeps them powered up during their lengthy endeavors? Coffee! Help them hold on to their cups (and their sanity) with an easy-to-make coffee cup cozy. Getting the proper shape to fit around a mug can be a great lesson in planning dimensions for your pieces, so don’t miss this opportunity to do double-duty by helping out our hard-working medical staff. It’s just what the doctor nurse ordered!

11) Fabric bookmarks for your local library

Reading is fundamental, so they say, as is keeping your place in a newly-borrowed book! Get creative and spread that joy to all who share your affection for literature by making and donating fabric bookmarks to your local library. Many of these fine institutions host events to engage the community and try to get more locals to visit. If they have snazzy bookmarks as a giveaway incentive, it might just help them reach that goal! The coolest of the cool bookmarks have tassels, so this is your chance to build up your tasseling abilities and keep the love of reading going for generations to come.

12) Pin Cushion to help you with all your other projects

Charity starts at home, so why not help yourself help others with the useful addition of a pin cushion to your collection? This is a common first project for many aspiring sewers, and can even be a great opportunity for you to teach others the skills that have brought you joy over the years. Indeed, the pin cushion shown above was the very first project this writer ever embarked on, so never underestimate the power of starting small!

Many of the projects mentioned here have designs that are either so simple that they don’t need to be patterned, or the patterns are readily available online, so they should be within the reach of any aspiring seamstress (or seamster). Trying new things takes effort, discipline, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. However, with the added incentive of helping people through your work, we hope you overcome these and any other roadblocks along the way. We are big believers in community service here at Edgington Studio, so to all of you out there doing what you can for the benefit of others, we are proud to stand with you and say: “Sew the change you wish to see in the world!”