ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A Pinellas County mother sewed at least 500 pillowcases to give away to people for free.
Kathy Emanuelson said she was never good with a needle and thread.
When her daughter was younger, she would glue on her Girl Scout badges.
"I glued on the Girl Scout badges or I stapled them on and we hoped they would stay on the sash," said Kathy Emanuelson.
Emanuelson took a sewing class with her daughter years ago and she discovered the hobby.
She started making pillowcases out of fabric.
"I started making them for family and friends and after a while, how many pillowcases does one person really need?" she laughed.
Emanuelson gathered a group of friends to help her.
Prior to the pandemic, the group would gather at church fellowship halls to sew. The group now sews at their own homes and Emanuelson will drop off fabric at their house.
"There are still pockets of the group that are still doing them or if I say we have a need coming up and ask, 'Who can step up or sew?'" she said.
In the past, Emanuelson gave away at least 500 pillowcases. She gave them to children in hospitals or service members.
"We just kind of wait to see when the need arises or someone will come forward and say we have a need here," said Emanuelson.
