The Girl Scout Pillowcase + Giving Back

Continuing our monthly Pillowcases for People in Need charity effort, we’re bringing you ideas for introducing sewing to others while giving back: the Girl Scout Pillowcase. Organizing a pillowcase sew-a-thon with your local guild, teaching a neighbor or child to sew a pillowcase or helping a Girl Scout troop earn their badges while doing good–these are all great ideas for spreading the love of sewing while helping those in need. So, what are you waiting for? Pop on some educational songs for children from the KLS YouTube channel and get stuck into this fantastic learning opportunity.

Girl Scout Pillowcase

Some of my favorite memories from childhood are from Girl Scouts. The troop meetings, the camping trips and learning all kinds of new things, including sewing, are highlights in my life.

As one of the troop leaders for my daughters’ troop, I loved teaching the girls how to sew. I wish I had this pillowcase pattern when I was teaching the girls. It fulfills the sewing badge and can fulfill the charity badge! If the troop makes pillowcases and gives them to foster children, assisted living facilities or a homeless shelter, that results in another patch and teaches the joy of giving back.

Both of my girls are out of scouts now, so I decided to make them pillowcases to help them remember all the fun times. They both have lots of patches that they earned that never made it onto their uniforms. I gathered the patches and then decided on a pleasing arrangement on the band.

Invisible thread is a great way to sew on a patch without compromising the patch design. Sulky invisible thread is polyester so you don’t have to worry about washing it or ironing it–it won’t melt and sews up like a dream! Don’t use a full bobbin and wind it at a slower speed for best results.

Pass it On

If you’re a Girl Scout Troop leader, or know of a troop leader, forward this post! We would love if troops all across America could use this pattern to teach girls to sew, give back to the community, and make one for themselves using extra patches.

Need the pattern? Download it here.

Here’s a kit, including fabrics, thread and machine needles to create a Breast Cancer Awareness pillow.