Dolly Donation: Sending Love, 1 Dolly at a Time!
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Sarah Hanson with dolls for Haiti
What could be better than creating love from waste? In this article, Sarah tells us about her campaign to use up scraps of material to create dolls for orphans in Haiti. I know many of you are avid crafters, so why not take up this great cause and help her out. You’ll find free tutorials and patterns for knitting, crocheting and sewing on her site.
Making 1 doll takes time and love …….. and with that doll you will be bringing a little happiness into one child’s life. With a dolly by their side, they will have someone to talk to, to hug and hold tight, and of course to play with.
Haiti disaster
My daughter is my inspiration. Watching her face light up with joy at each new toy she received for her first Christmas last year, made me feel so lucky, and wondered how I could share that joy with other less fortunate children around the world. And then the unthinkable happened, the Haiti earthquake struck, killing and orphaning thousands. Seeing the children alone in makeshift hospital beds, and camped out on the streets broke my heart and I knew I had my first Dolly Drive.
181 dolls
I teamed up with The Abundant Ground Foundation to make 181 dolls for their Haiti Orphanage, any extra dolls would be handed out to the local children who had nothing to call their own. It was an amazing journey and I met so many fantastic women from all over the world that took part in the drive. We ended up with a total of 584 dolls, and 584 very happy children!
Free the kids
Our current Doll drive is for the ‘Free The Kids’ orphanage in Haiti, housing over 800 children from birth to teenagers. We have been asked to provide them with 132 dolls for their youngest residents and all the extra dollies will be handed out to the local children.
Free doll tutorial
I hate to waste anything, and so I designed my free doll pattern to use up even the smallest scrap material from past projects. You can also easily make a dolly or two by recycling gently loved clothes, pillowcases and even wool items made into felt. I also offer easy to follow free tutorials so that parents can make dollies with their children. Don’t sew? I have free knit and crochet doll patterns too! Recycling and giving in one afternoon, how can you beat that! Don’t forget to tell all your crafty friends!
For more information about the Active Haiti Dolly Drive and Free Patterns please visit my website: Dolly Donations: Sending Love 1 Dolly at a Time!
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Tags: textiles
i am keen to make some dollies for this brilliant cause. where would i send them to when i am finished please?
Hi Laura,
All the info can be found under our Active doll drive for the ‘Free The Kids’ orphanage:
http://dollydonations.blogspot.com/2010/05/active-dolly-drive-free-kids-dolls-for.html
They will be collected here in the US & shipped to Haiti all togther.
Thank you so much for being a part of our dolly drive!
Take care and Happy Sewing!
Sarah
Dolly Donations: Sending Love, 1 Dolly at a Time!