Its been a rough couple months for me but I am back in the Angel Gown workshop today.  My family is once again happy and on the road to recovery from some serious health issues.  Health issues aside, it was a bonus to be able to spend an extended period with the family. 

Truly, we are so very blessed.

I returned home on Thanksgiving Day to a large pile of love from brides donating supplies, cash for shipment postage, and their dresses to the Angels. 

I am working on the processing of these dresses now.  I don't want to make the entries too large for those watching on tablets so watch for several photo entries over the next several days.

Also, a box from the wonderful Nadine Henry arrived while I was gone.

Nadine is an amazing woman with lots of grandkids to crochet for and ongoing health issues in her family, yet she continues to crochet for the Angels.

As always, she shares her blessings via beautifully crocheted blankets for the families of the babies that became Too Soon An Angel.

The families tend to keep the blankets as a remembrance after their Angels are put to rest so our blankets may provide comfort for years to come.

I especially love the daisies that she tucked into the middle and corners of her blankets....

so very sweet !!!

Thank you Nadine! 

Behind the scenes

Did you ever wonder what happens to your dresses, fabrics, or embellishments once they cross our doorstep?

Its a long labor of love just the get to the point that we can start creating an AngelGown.  The journey can take hours, weeks, or possibly months, depending on need, difficulty,  
workflow, and other details.


<<<<<<<   How do we get from this
         to this      >>>>>>>>>>>>


Its not a quick journey but it is a loving journey.   The total process for ONE AngelGown/Cap can take as long as 4-5 hours.

First, we photograph the dress to log onto our blog.  We include the donator's name and any tribute the donator desires.  If instructed, we identify the dress as anonymously donated.  Donators enjoy seeing their dresses given such a precious new life.

Then, we make up and print a page of the donator's name, in multiples, on it, cut them up, and place them in a small ziplock bag.  We attach the bag, along with any other information provided by the donator, to the dress with a brass safety pin.  The brass pins reduce the chance of rusting.  The multiple name label tags will be used to identify the AngelGowns or other items made from this particular dress.

The next step, which may happen much later, depending on our work flow at the time, is to begin to deconstruct the dress.   The process may take anywhere from 3 hours to 6 hours.   We remove all eyes/hooks, snaps, buttons, boning, and zippers.  The buttons are used on the vests as embellishment.  The eyes/hooks, snaps, boning, and zippers are sold (with funds to AngelGowns) or traded to dressmakers for their usable leftover fabrics and trims.

Depending on the construction of the dress, we carefully remove the underskirt, sleeves, skirt, and train from the bodice.  Often, trim and beading must be removed to enable us to separate the items.  Each of the pieces is labeled with the donator's name tag and kept with the other pieces.

When appropriate, additional embellishments are removed from the bodice, sleeves, or other areas of the dress.  When possible, we leave the embellishments on the dress and use them in their original location as part of the embellishments on the Angel items.

With the dress completely deconstructed, we begin cutting the Angel items from the fabric.  We cut the AngelGowns first, then Caps and Wraps, working our way from largest items to smallest items and we utilize the placement of existing embellishments when possible.  At this point, a donator's label is attached to a "set", which includes all pieces for an Angel item. 

If there are no embellishments on the Angel item pieces, we refer to it the set as a "blank", meaning that any type of embellishment can be added.  We then take embellishments or beading that was removed from the donated dress, or embellishments removed from another dress and as yet unused, and add it to the Angel item.  We can also add a vest to an AngelGown for an Angel boy.  Seamstresses are Karen, Limbania, and myself.

At last, the embellished pieces are sewn together by machine, beribboned, and pressed. 

If needed, any hand-sewing is completed by the seamstress or by a separate volunteer, Ginger.

During the entire process, the donator's label tag remains attached to the donated dress components until it is completely used up, and is attached to the Angel items that are created from the donated dress.  

The blankets are crocheted in states far away by young and old hands, generous loving hands, and shipped to us.

Finally, the completed Angel set (gown, cap, and blanket) is photographed and logged onto the blog, the donator's label is removed, our identifying AngelGownsbyjacki card is attached, and the Angel set is readied for shipment.

AngelGown items are certainly a symbol of love...  from the donation of a dress worn the day the donator's life changed, to the hours of deconstruction, the care given to the embellishment and assembly of the Angel item, to the donations of cash that pay for the shipment to birthing centers and mortuaries.   Truly, so many people showing so much love for the tiniest of Angels.

Please know that the packaging & shipping expenses for 20 garments is about $50.

The supplies and shipping fee for each Angel Blanket is about $8.
 
The supplies needed to create and package each of our garments is about $8.  Supplies include thread, ribbon, cutting and sewing implements, and miscellaneous items.  Packaging includes tissue paper and a white presentation box.  
 
When needed, to overnight ship a garment to a family is approximately $50. 
 
Shipping a garment to a family with two day delivery is approximately $20.

 
Please note:
Smaller embellishments that are removed from a dress may not retain its donator's label due to practicality.  Some dresses are heavily embellished, or heavily beaded, or may have a lace overlay, but we may be limited in the amount we can include on an Angel item due to their tiny size.  However, all items are eventually used on Angel items.  Ribbons, thread, and other necessities for the Angel items are purchased with gift cards or funds raised from selling items that are harvested from donated dresses but are not usable for Angel items.

Hamilton Funeral Home, Des Moines, Iowa

We were able to deliver over 70 AngelGown and Cap sets and AngelBlankets to Holly Miller at Hamilton Funeral Home in Des Moines Iowa in October.



Today's finishes

I have been busy getting ready for the March 29th Sewing for the Angels event.  

I have a pile of gown and cap pieces ready to be embellished and assembled and I am working on  instructional samples to aid our sewers in completing their gowns and caps.

I also have a few completed sets to share with you.




From two anonymously donated dresses.
Seamstress: Ruby O'Brien and Ginger Gabster

From an anonymously donated dress and a dress from Amber King.
Seamstress: Ruby O'Brien and Ginger Gabster



Dress donated by Kathy Kauffman
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon

Dress from Erin Pierce
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon





Dress from Alyssa J
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon

Dress from Alyssa J
Seamstress:  Jacki Cohoon

Beautiful Angelic Gown sets from beautiful dresses.

lots to catch up on!!

Colleen Beckdolt donated her dress in memory of her father, Trey Coley, who loved children more than life itself.

This dress was sent without complete ID so all I have is a last name McAuliffe on the shipping label. If you recognize this dress, please contact me.

This dress was donated without any ID... its gorgeous! someone should take credit for such an amazing donation!

Kim Z is anxious to see how we transform her dress, and all that lace around the hem, into Angel items.













Kathy Kauffman donated both her dress and her veil to the Angels.  The embellishments on the veil will be used on the AngelCaps made to match the AngelGowns that are created from her dress.













So much beautiful fabric and so much to do!!!

Now on to the AngelBlankets!  And none too soon!!!


How did she know that I was down to about 4 left of her previous shipment!!

Look at all these glorious AngelBlankets and AngelCaps sent by Nadine H.   They are so soft and snuggly too!!
















thank you, Nadine, for your generous hands!

Soft cuddles in the mail!

Look what I received...

 

 in the mail today!!!!

AngelBlankets....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

so pretty...

 

 so cuddly...

all twelve of them!

Our AngelBlankets are intended to provide comfort to the families of the Angels as something to further wrap the babies in, for photos, etc, then provide a remembrance to take home, should the families wish.

Thank you, Nadine H!!

Donations Update !

Please note that AngelGowns will accept wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, and other formal dresses in the Des Moines, Iowa area through Friday, July 11, 2014.

We will spend approximately 3 weeks processing dresses already donated and training our new and very talented seamstress, Karen Lange, Arizona, and working out details of our AngelBlankets with Nadine Henry, California.

We will begin accepting donations for AngelGowns in the Phoenix, Arizona area on Friday, July 25, 2014. 

If you are in Des Moines area and wish to donate dresses before the Friday July 11, 2014 deadline, please contact me immediately. 

Please be assured that donations will continue to be accepted in the Des Moines area after July 11, 2014; however, we will request that donations are delivered locally or shipped to AngelGowns in Arizona, as we will no longer be able to pick them up from you.  Please contact me through the blog for delivery information.

Please note that the first shipment of

AngelGowns, AngelWraps, AngelCaps, and AngelBlankets

 has been promised to Des Moines area hospitals.

Your continued support of this AMAZING project is so very appreciated.  Thank you to each and every person that has followed us thus far, cheered us on, spread the word and especially to those who donated dresses, supplies, or gift cards.

May you feel the blessings of your generous heart each and every day.