A TWYFORD teacher is using her skills to hand-stitch scrubs to donate to the NHS.
Andria Edworthy is directing a team of volunteers as they devote their time to creating as many scrubs for hospital staff as possible.
She normally spends her time teaching textiles at a local secondary school and running her business, Oh Sew Creative, where she makes hand-sewn party decorations and hosts crafting events.
Now, she has taken the skills from her career to turn donated fabric into hospital-ready clothing for doctors and nurses fighting coronavirus in the borough.
Ms Edworthy started this on her own but quickly felt wide support, she said: “I reached out to my local community in Charvil and Twyford asking for fabric donations because it was getting too costly to buy.
“I have since had customers and complete strangers volunteer their time to cut scrub bags and others to sew them – that means that I had more time to sew a few scrubs.”
She added: “I am just one person doing my bit, much like hundreds of people nationwide”.
Last week, in a social media post, she thanked people for the support she’s received.
“I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has donated fabric, old bedding, their time, or offered to buy drawstring tape,” she said.
“This afternoon I have been working flat out on scrubs using a donated flat sheet.
“I have a team of ‘cutting fairies’ cutting up all the donated fabric that is too pale for scrubs – instead it can be used for scrub bags.
“I have a team of ‘sewing fairies’ lined up and ready to sew the bags together.
“It is quite the production line — albeit working independently of each other — and very different to what I normally do at Oh Sew Creative.”
Ms Edworthy went on to share another group, For The Love of Scrubs, which also creates vital clothing for the NHS but on a national scale.
She said: “It’s people like you and me, working their socks off making scrubs, scrub bags, headbands with buttons on — to stop sore ears from the elastic of the masks — and the newest post I have seen is crocheting, knitting, or hand sewing hearts to pass on to NHS workers and people who have lost loved ones and can’t say goodbye.”
To support Ms Edworthy, visit her Facebook page www.facebook.com/OhSewCreativeUK/; and visit www.facebook.com/groups/254776002588804/ to find out more about For The Love of Scrubs in Berkshire.
