Provo woman helps Haiti 'one dress at a time'

PROVO — Every day for the past two weeks, Edith McClellan has been waking up around 4 a.m. to help Haiti.

This 72-year-old Provo resident sits in her sewing room full of brightly colored fabric strips, drawers spilling over with lace and a pile of old pillowcases at her side and gets to work.

McClellan said when the earthquake hit, she remembered watching a TV program several months ago called "Sewing with Nancy" that talked about sewing pillowcases into dresses for African children. She decided she wanted to do that for Haitian children.

She sews each day until she can't any more; the other night she said she stayed up until 1 a.m. sewing.

At first it took her about an hour to make each dress, but now she can make one in about 45 minutes. McClellan has made about 100 dresses so far from Hannah Montana and "High School Musical" pillowcases to ones with flowers and polka dots. She plans on making them as long as there is a need.

"I can just imagine the little girls wearing them," McClellan said. "They are just the cutest. I just have to figure out something for the boys now."

She started out with just her own old pillowcases, but after news spread about what she was doing, 260 more pillowcases came her way, and three more Utah County residents are now sewing with her and aiding her in her quest to "make a difference one dress at a time."

The dresses are decorated with lace, and the straps are made out of old fabric scraps she has collected over the years that she matches with the color of the pillowcase.

She said the style of the dress will also make it easier for the children to be treated at the hospital because of its ability to slip on and off. McClellan said she loves watching them stack up at her home and knowing that she can help, but she is still trying to find someone who can deliver them to Haiti for her.

"We are just so lucky, and we need to give back some of the things we have," McClellan said.

She has put up signs asking for donations of lace, elastic and pillowcases of any size. Those interested can contact McClellan at 801-374-5728.

e-mail: slenz@desnews.com