In DANGEROUS ALTERATIONS, Rose convinces the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle to make comfort pillows for breast cancer patients like her friend, Lynn.

Comfort pillows, like the ones Rose and the gang make in the book, are much smaller than traditional bed pillows and are used to make things like driving and even coughing/sneezing a bit less painful for women who have just underwent a masectomy.

This is a great (and relatively easy) service project for an individual or group to perform!

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In DEADLY NOTIONS, Debbie Calhoun solicits the help of the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle for a very special project–making homemade felt playfood for two little girls in town. The pattern in the back of the book was dreamed up by my friend, Beth Thaemert–one of the most creative moms I know. Here are just two pictures illustrating this adorable project…

On the left, you’ll find a fabulous example of the rippled potato chips, chip bag, and sandwich you can make by following the patterns provided at the end of DEADLY NOTIONS.

On the right, is an example of what the completed “chocolate chunk cookies” can look like when you’re done. Cute, huh?

 

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In PINNED FOR MURDER, Tori ropes her friends into making hats and scarves for a women’s shelter in Chicago. The reason? To make sure these down-on-their-luck women stay warm during the cold winter months (which, if you think about it, is a really neat idea)!

The instructions for the hat and scarf are simple enough and can be found in the back of Pinned for Murder. If you make a set for yourself–or even several for an organization like Tori and the gang does–send me a picture along with your (or your group’s) name and city/state. I’d love to post it on this page!

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In DEATH THREADS, Tori and the gang work together to create a simple homemade gift bag (pattern in back of book).  In the photos below, you see the completed project.

deaththreadspatterbagWith some fun fabric and a little creativity, this simple deaththreadspatternbagwbookhomemade bag can be dressed up for the holidays or a just-because. For example, if it’s a Valentine’s gift, perhaps you could use a fabric with hearts. Maybe tie a little heart shaped charm in with the rafia.

The sky’s the limit with these bags, really!

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Have you made one of Tori’s projects from the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series? If so, take a picture of it and send it to me at: ElizabethLCasey@aol.com. I love to see what my readers are inspired to create. For a peek at some of my favorites, scroll down…

Just as the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle did in DEATH THREADS, St. Mark Lutheran Church’s Prayer Shawl Ministry (near Gettysburg, PA) also opted to make bags (similar to Tori’s) for the good of others. This amazing group of ladies turned their labor of love into medical bags for distribution during a mission trip to Honduras! The bags contained medications and other medical supplies! Way to go, Ladies!!

 

In SEW DEADLY, Tori makes an “envelope pillow” for her plaid armchair. Bailey Owens from North Carolina tried her hand at Tori’s pattern in the back of the book and the result was this gorgeous pink pillow of which Tori would be very proud!!  A HUGE thank you to Bailey for sending this photo to me! It made my day and earned Bailey an autographed copy of DEATH THREADS in return!  Way to go, Bailey!