Carrying on the tradition of hand-sewing pillows, Student Senate member will donate their most recent project to Children’s Hospital.

“Everybody even if they weren’t the best at sewing, they learned a lot from it and were glad they are doing it, and did it to make a kid happy,” sponsor Amber Leaton said.

The class started making the pillows April 24. The seniors’ pillows were due May 16, and the juniors need theirs completed by June 6.

Leaton said they have continued the pillow project for about four or five years.

“I learned from Mrs. Lafferty, and I just wanted to keep the tradition going,” she said.

The students had to buy their own fabric and materials. They each had to have sewing needles, thread to match the fabric, stuffing, scissors, batting and muslin. It cost the students about $20 for all the materials.

Some members have no experience with sewing, but had to follow directions to learn how to sew.

“I have never sewed or would call myself a crafty person and the most challenging thing about this project is that I try to do things by myself, but I’ve learned how to follow directions better,” junior Kyle Lovelace said.

Junior Lindsey Butler said she has already had practice sewing in her clothing management class.

“It’s a lot of fun, especially knowing it goes to a good cause,” she said.

When the pillows are done, Leaton will send them to Children’s Hospital who will distribute then to the patients. The class is not allowed to deliver the pillows themselves because of privacy reasons.

“My goal is to make them feel appreciated and secure because I know being in the hospital can be kind of scary for a child,” Lovelace said.

Although some members said it was difficult, some said they found it as an easy task, but they are all glad to sew a pillow to put a smile on a child’s face.

“It may just be as simple as a pillow, but it gives us a way to know that we made a difference,” Leaton said.