August 13, 2010

With her own personal touch, Molly Fulton is giving an old pillow sham new life.

Fulton is passionate about sewing, and equally passionate about her community. By threading those passions together, she found that a pillow case can serve a much greater purpose.

"I can spend a half hour or hour making a pillow case into a dress and make a difference for somebody," said Fulton.

While on the social networking site, Twitter, Fulton learned about an effort called Dresses for Africa, and she immediately became interested in adding to the cause.

Not only does Fulton blog about the dresses she makes each day, she has also recruited dozens of other women to join the cause. Many of them are from her church, Effort Baptist Church at Lake Monticello.

"When we find that we can do something that can make a difference, you don't do it alone," said June Clifford.

"The sewing circle is kind of an old-fashioned idea. Not a whole lot of people know how to sew anymore, so it's been fun to do that again," added Fulton.

Fun and fulfilling. The women sew dresses that will be worn by orphans in Liberia.

Hearing stories about kids wearing grocery bags was more than Fulton could bear.

"I really do think about the little girl that's going to wear [this dress] while I'm sewing it, and that makes all the difference. The idea that she could be wearing one of these [dresses] that was made just for her, really is powerful to me," said Fulton.

As you can imagine, Molly Fulton has often been asked if she will sell her dresses in the Charlottesville area. While she knows they would fly off the shelves, Fulton has no plan to open a store, saying that making the dresses for African children in need is her only intention.

Fulton has a goal of completing 150 dresses by October 1st.