Handmade Healing

When my daughter passed away at 4 months old, I was left with a gaping hole that nothing could fill. At a friend’s recommendation, I found solace in the creation of a detailed scrapbook of her short life. Later, I created memorial gifts for family members from her clothing.

Little did I know with those first scissor snips and sewing machine stitches that 14 years later I would use the cutting, crafting and sewing skills gained out of that tragedy to launch a sewing enterprise to help homeless women.

The idea for the “sewing center” came to me while I was working as a case manager for a transitional housing program in Florida that empowers and equips homeless moms to gain the life skills they need to live independently without government assistance. In the program, they are provided housing, counseling, and are taught important life skills such as parenting, cooking, budgeting and financial literacy. They also receive much-needed access to education, tutoring and job training.

With all of these resources, I felt there was still a piece missing.

Many of the women in the program came from backgrounds of trauma and abuse, and while they received mental health counseling, I knew from my own experience that adding an element of creativity had the potential to aid in their healing.

I had a vision for a place we could create for the moms – maybe just a small room for starters – where they could learn to sew, create with their hands and possibly even sell the items they made. I wanted to be as environmentally conscious as possible, which led me to selecting repurposed denim and fabric as our core materials.

I gathered a couple of sewing volunteers, and as they began gathering and creating with the women in the program, I saw a near-immediate transformation. As they gathered around a table to cut fabric, their shoulders relaxed. As they planned projects, their eyes sparkled with possibilities. As they admired each other’s finished products, they took deep breaths and exhaled gratitude. In all of this, they laughed and they shared their stories. My heart swelled as I watched the beginnings of healing - just as I found healing in creativity so many years before.

Word spread quickly about our little sewing center. We chose the name Transformed Shop and selected a butterfly logo to symbolize the metamorphosis of the brave women on their life-changing journeys.

We quickly attracted more volunteers that wanted to share their sewing skills. Drawing on their own cutting and sewing experience, many cautioned me against using denim because of its thickness and difficulty to sew. But I had come to specialize in difficult situations. My personal road to that point had been paved with trauma and loss, and the places of my greatest healing were found in some of the deepest valleys.

I gladly accepted the challenge and denim became our core fabric.

Much like the journeys of the moms in the program, I saw the beauty and potential in this rugged fabric. Both had been through challenges and in some cases worn completely through. There was beauty in the strong pieces that remained. And with love, nurturing and attention to the little details, both could be transformed.

Cutting and sewing denim was not without its challenges, but having the right tools such as fabric scissors, heavy-duty sewing machines and denim needles has made all the difference.

In June of 2020, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, I transitioned out of my role as a case manager to become the full-time director of the Transformed Shop. Together with the moms and volunteers, we sewed 500 face masks to give away to healthcare workers and other nonprofit organizations. Then we built our own website and began making more items from denim and fabric scraps: denim earrings, fabric bead bracelets, tote bags, keychains, coasters and patchwork placemats.

Day after day, moms in the Transformed Shop could be found sorting donations, cutting fabric, learning to sew and creating with their hands. The once-small space grew to a whole building, and that building has become a sanctuary of hope, healing and creativity as they leave behind their experience of homelessness and start a new chapter toward self-sufficiency.

Amazed by the results, I began researching creativity and healing. Studies have shown that just 45 minutes of creative activity with your hands can greatly reduce cortisol stress hormone levels and can have a positive impact on individuals who have suffered abuse, addiction, trauma and homelessness.

Like the materials they repurpose, the women’s lives gained new purpose as they rearranged the scraps of the past into a beautiful new tapestry.

That part of my story has come full circle. The journey toward healing for me began with a pair of scissors, pictures, paper and, later, fabric. By passing on the skills I’ve learned and encouraging creativity in other women, I have been blessed with the unique opportunity to pour into a new generation of crafters.

I am reminded daily by the women in the Transformed Shop that creating with your hands has the ability to bring about incredible healing and help all of us create our own happiness.