Wee Care


The Dogwood Chapter is honored to participate in SAGA's ongoing service project, Wee Care Gowns. Members sew and smock simple bishop-style gowns and bonnets to donate to Neonatal ICUs (often the naval hospital at Camp Lejeune) to clothe babies who die at birth or shortly thereafter. The Dogwood Chapter also donates gowns to Novant Hospital in Huntersville, Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville, Iredell Memorial in Statesville as well as the Be Not Afraid ministry. These gown are lovingly made, and provide comfort to families who are experiencing great sorrow. We are told that some parents use the gowns as burial gowns, while others keep the gowns as a keepsake - for some it will be the only garment ever worn by their child.

Dogwood guild members generally make two gowns per year and many make more than this. Gowns are collected all year long.  The guild provides fabric, patterns, instructions and support, though members can choose to provide their own fabric.  Many members have found that making Wee Care gowns has increased their smocking skills and built their confidence.  Gowns can be simple or more intricate, and are suitable for the beginner to the advanced smocker.  Completed Wee Care Gowns are given to Susan Lindsey or Gail Benson, the co-coordinators of the Wee Care project. Contact us for more information, and check out the "Wee Care Highlights" page for ideas for completed projects.

GET INVOLVED!  The guild hosts workshops, usually once a month on a Saturday morning, to enjoy fellowship and sewing, and work on Wee Care gowns together. Members learn tips and techniques from each other. While written instructions are provided below, More information about SAGA's Wee Care Gowns project (including free patterns for download) can be found on the national SAGA web site.   Wee Care patterns & instructions are also available from Australian Smocking & Embroidery (AS&E) magazines.

Instructions for making a Wee Care Gown

Wee-Care Gown Smocking and Sewing Instructions To Smock:
  1. Pull out the pleating threads approximately one inch on each side of the center back.
  2. Pull the gathering threads up and block into circular shape as follows:
    1. The top two gathering threads should be tied off to the following neck measurements:
                                                               i.      Tiniest size (1-2 pounds) is 6 inches.
                                                             ii.      Small size (3-4 pounds) is 7 inches.
                                                            iii.      Preemie size (5-6 pounds) is 8 inches.
                                                           iv.      Newborn size (7-8 pounds) is 10 inches.
    1. Fan out the gown in a circular shape and tie off the remaining gathering threads.
  1. Smock, centering the design in front.  Smock front and back of the first row with one strand of sewing thread in the same color as the gown fabric.  This smocked row will be used as a guide when applying the bias neckband.  Begin smocking the design on the second gathering row.  Use two strands of floss for smocking the design on the front of the gown.  The following colors have been suggested by the nurses at the hospitals:
    1. DMC #3325 (blue)      Susan Bates/Anchor 120/128
    2. DMC #818 (pink)        Susan Bates/Anchor 48
    3. DMC White or ecru     Susan Bates/Anchor White or ecru
  2. Sleeves:  pull out the pleating threads one inch on the smallest sizes and 3/4 inch on the larger sizes on each side of the underarm seams.  Tie off the pleating threads on the sleeves almost as tight as you can, leaving room to smock.
  3. Remove all gathering threads except the top two at the neck edge.  These will be removed after the bias neckband has been attached.
Sewing:
  1. Sew the side/underarm seams using 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Use a narrow French seam to sew the side/underarm seam.  (With the wrong sides together, sew 1/8 inch wide seam; trim "fuzzies" from the edge, press seam and fold with right sides together, sew 1/8 inch wide seam.)
  2. Finish the center back opening by folding it under twic on the edges.  The left side should be folded back even with the smocking.  On the right side, fold it under only half of the unsmocked fabric to create a small underlap.
  3. Finish the neck edge with the bias strip:  The top gathering row is already smocked with sewing thread; trim any uneven edges above top row of smocking.  With right sides together, pin the bias strip to the garment, matching center of the bias strip to center front of gown, and having at least 1/4" of the bias strip extending past each side of the center back.  Pull the gathering thread up to adjust the garment to fit the bias strip, enclosing the top holding row in the bias band.  Stitch.  Check to be sure the seam is an even distance from the first row of smocking and fix any unevenness.  Turn the ends of the bias strip under; turn the bias strip to the wrong side of the garment, enclosing the raw edge.  Fold under the edge of bias strip and slipstitch to inside.   Finished neck measurement (center back to center back) should be:
    1. Newborn 10-7/8"
    2. Preemie 8-7/8"
    3. Small 7-5/8"
    4. Tiny 6-3/8"
    5. Extra Tiny 5-5/8 "
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