AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
The elementary-school-aged youngsters seated behind the row of sewing machines in Wendy Preslan’s Stitches of Kindness workshop were completely absorbed in their work.
Having been taught all about the machines, their operation, and how to sew straight lines by Preslan, the students were now putting the skills they learned to use by creating simple projects meant to help organizations, individuals or patients that needed them.
The children found the Stitches of Kindness light-filled workshop and hum of the machines comforting as they stitched together pieces of fabric to complete the afternoon’s project – making syringe driver bags for hospital patients. They’d earlier stood at a large cutting board measuring and cutting out rectangles of fabric and straps for the colorful shoulder bags designed to hold devices that deliver medication to a patient.
The kids were clearly enjoying themselves while creating something worthwhile “one stitch at a time” observed Preslan.
Her wonderful Stitches of Kindness organization was born at the outset of, the COVID 19 pandemic. Like many people, Preslan found her career as a photographer at a standstill because of virus-related restrictions. Her business, Nana Sue Photography Healing Images, could no longer do the children’s workshops that were her passion.
“I was getting bored sitting at home with nothing to do, Preslan said. “My daughter, a nurse called me one day from the hospital. She said “Mom, the hospital is running out of masks and we’re having to double up. Could you sew a mask? It would be so appreciated’.”
“Well, I’d sewn all my life and had even sewn commercially at one time. But, as my children grew my interests shifted and I’d stopped altogether. Regardless, I pulled out my old commercial sewing machine, cleaned it up and oiled it and made one mask.”
She next photographed herself modeling the mask at posted the picture on Facebook to inspire others to do the same. Then she got busy, sewing and donating 6,000 masks. Most went to hospitals, especially to their shock trauma units. But others went to firefighters, other emergency responders and a few organizations.
Once finished making masks, she found she could sew other useful items for hospitals, organizations and individuals who needed them. From the outset of these endeavors, she realized how much she missed interacting with children in a workshop environment. She knew she could teach them valuable skills while giving them a sense of purpose. So she created the non-profit Stitches of Kindness and she and husband Mark set about converting the lower level of their home to a workshop.
It was at this point that we first met Wendy Preslan who was selling Stiches of Kindness items for $1 apiece at a Good Neighbors Group Pop Up Shop hosted by BD Provisions. She was donating the proceeds to various charitable organizations. (Stiches of Kindness currently contributes to nine such organizations.)
The Stiches of Kindness workshop quickly took shape. Located along the far wall is a built-in counter with six sewing machines with a work-station at the end featuring a cutting board.
On the opposite wall is a converted closet featuring a counter with two additional sewing machines and shelves above for storing fabric and supplies. Students are quite happy working in the space. There is also a second room with a couple more sewing machines that is used from time to time.
A closet was cleverly converted into a workstation…. 
….that most workshop students find a cozy space in which to work.
The Stitches of Kindness Workshop is fortunate to receive many donations of partially used bolts of fabric, colorful threads, zippers and other supplies as well as items that can be upcycled like denim jeans. Being a “no-waste” workspace, nothing is ever wasted in the workshop, so storage space is an ongoing problem. Yarn for crocheting and scraps of cloth found a home on a standalone shelving unit. Shelves were added beneath the cutting board counter to hold extra bolts of cloth.
A freestanding shelving unit stores some fabrics and yarns and is a convenient place to hang syringe driver bags ready to be donated. 
Extra storage has been claimed by adding shelves beneath the cutting board.
An all-important ironing board set up at the end of the room for pressing seams is balanced on yet another small storage cabinet with baskets full of cloth scraps suitable for quilting squares next to it.
The day-to-day operation of the workshops is fairly simple. People find out about Stiches of Kindness through Facebook or word-of-mouth and get in touch to arrange one or more workshops for their child or group of kids. The age range of participants is from eight or nine years old through the teens.
“I like to start children young and eight or nine is a really good age because they are very receptive and eager to learn but I find that kids of all ages do well,” Preslan says.
First things come first though. She teaches her workshop students the basics, acquainting them with the different parts of the sewing machines, showing them how to operate and care for the machines and how to thread a bobbin. Then she asks them to practice sewing straight lines, sometimes stitching on paper. At that point, they are ready to sew actual items. They learn that sewing is fairly easy but requires patience. There is no pressure. If a mistake is made sewing a seam, for example, they are encouraged to simply rip it out and resew it.
“It’s rewarding for me to give the kids skills, like how to sew a hem, that will come in handy throughout their lives while encouraging them to be creative in their choice of materials. Some may be inspired to seek more training or even make sewing a part of their careers,” Preslan said. “Mainly, I enjoy seeing their sense of accomplishment and how good it makes them feel to know the items they created, one stitch at a time, will be very much appreciated by those who receive them.”
Some of the things the children have made that are donated or sold to raise money for charitable organizations include healthcare items like the aforementioned syringe driver bags, mastectomy pillows or bands, crocheted chemo caps or colorful pillowcases for kids in the hospital. They sew bandannas for dogs to be sold or donated to shelters, cloth napkins in pretty prints, cloth bowl covers or sandwich bags and zipper pouches for any number of uses. Stiches of Kindness participants are also taught the art of crocheting and crochet hats for homeless populations.
As previously mentioned, the “no-waste” workshop recycles, upcycles or uses everything including the empty spools pictured below. At Good Neighbors Group executive director Julie Shay’s suggestion, the spools and donated thread are turned into sewing kits that are distributed to homeless individuals, alone or as part of zippered pouches of hygiene items.
It was recently announced that Stiches of Kindness has partnered with Good Neighbors Group – an initiative that allows people in the community who like to sew at home to donate items like those made by the workshops to individuals, hospitals, assisted living homes or organizations. They can drop off completed items to GNG partners Park Home, Long & Foster Real Estate, and All For The Pet in Severna Park and Dr. Mariaileen Sourwine’s office at 277 Peninsula Farm Road in Arnold. The items will then be distributed by Stitches of Kindness or GNG.
Always looking for new projects, the workshops are tackling a few upcycling projects using material from discarded jeans or trousers to make fashionable tote bags. On a more personal level, Preslan is also sharing some of Stitches of Kindness’ guiding principles and sewing techniques with classes she’s teaching at Anne Arundel Community College.
For more information about Stiches of Kindness, schedule a workshop or to make a donation, visit Facebook or call 410-507-9315.
Orphan Grain Train seeks help for its Hurricane Disaster Relief Efforts
Orphan Grain Train Maryland Branch representative Marie Fries reports that hurricane relief efforts are already underway. The national headquarters of Orphan Grain Train in Nebraska responded quickly to the disaster in North Carolina and sent a truck with 45,000 pounds of food that arrived on October 5th. OGT also sent a water tanker and second truck with 125,000 mercy meals, personal hygiene and flood clean-up kits. They are working on sending a medical clinic with a doctor and nurse.
Fries notes that Orphan Grain Train’s Mayland Branch is collecting disaster relief buckets and hygiene kits. Directions for assembling these kits are below. OGT encourages you to invite friends, neighbors, church groups and/or co-workers to get together and assemble these kits.
Hygiene Kit should contain:
- One hand towel (15 x 25 –17 x 27 inches)
- One washcloth
- One sturdy comb
- One toenail or fingernail clipper
- Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger) – In original packaging
- One adult toothbrush – In original packaging
- Unopened toothpaste
- Small hand sanitizer
- Small shampoo
- 10 adhesive band-aids (¾ by 3 inches)
Place all items in a one-gallon size resealable bag.
Disaster Cleaning Buckets should contain:
- Scrub brush
- Ajax scrub powder
- Long cleaning gloves
- Sponge
- Cleaning solution concentrate (Mr. Clean or Pine-Sol)
- One hand towel
- Window cleaner spray
- Chlorox bleach concentrate
- Roll of paper towels
- Hand Wipes
Place all items in a 5-gallon bucket with a lid.
If you have any questions, please contact Marie Fries at weezie68@verizon.net.
OGT is also collecting toilet paper, paper towels, large trash bags, tarps (all sizes), children’s diapers, and feminine hygiene products.
Completed kits, as well as the above-mentioned items, can be dropped off at the OGT warehouse at 621 East-West Boulevard, Millersville, MD. The warehouse will be open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings from 9:00 until noon, Tuesday evenings from 5:00 until 7:00 pm and Saturday, October 12th, from 9:00 until noon.
The deadline for dropping off kits is Monday, October 21st. For more information, visit Maryland | Orphan Grain Train | Sharing resources and bringing Christ’s name and character to needy people both far and near. (ogt.org).
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
