A needle, some thread, and a little bit of fabric – that’s all it takes. Well, that and some skill. For newer generations, sewing seems to be a bit of a lost art but here in Oakville, Kay Percival is changing that. Kay is the Founder of Sewing with Kay, an adorable sewing studio located on Speers Road. Kay’s studio, which is colourful and fun, was designed to introduce children to the amazing world of sewing.
The studio offers a fun, relaxed atmosphere, where a child can truly explore their creative side. However, that’s not all. Kay is also teaching philanthropy. Last spring Kay suggested that her students take part in a charity project called Dolls for Africa. The project, which was founded in 2006, takes handmade dolls and distributes them to orphanages across Africa.
When Kay explained the project to her students, there were no hesitations. They couldn’t wait to get started. The children in Kay’s class designed their doll from top to bottom which included painting her face, choosing hair, sewing it on and styling it, stuffing the doll, and stitching them closed.
The completion of the doll would mark the completion of the project – however, Kay’s students decided they needed to do more. They made the dolls blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, and teddy bears, all to be sent to Africa, along with hand-written letters to the children who would receive the dolls.
The dolls were then wrapped with a picture of the student who made them along with the letter they wrote. Bringing friendship and passing love and affection between children worldwide.
Kay teaches 60 to 70 students a week through her classes. Each session runs for eight weeks and each student will complete 3 to 5 projects.
For more information visit sewingwithkay.com and for information on Dolls for Africa you can visit dollsforafrica.org
by Anneliese Lawton
