Sew Sweet Angel Gowns: Volunteers create bereavement gowns from wedding dresses

PHOENIX - Losing a child to a stillborn birth or shortly after they're born is one of the most devastating experiences a parent can face, but a group of valley volunteers are hoping to ease their pain by providing angel gowns to grieving parents.

Every cut and stitch made with love and compassion.

"To lose a child is a devastation I can't even imagine," said Debbie Sinfield.

Sew Sweet Angel Gowns, once the work of three friends, has now grown to include more than 30 volunteers, turning donated wedding dresses into beautiful bereavement gowns.

"So to provide some comfort, I know that we're thinking about them and praying about them," Sinfield said.

Volunteers carefully deconstruct the wedding dresses, making sure no fabric or trim goes to waste. Grieving parents are then presented with the gown.

"Parents get the gown and there's a bag with an angel sewn into it. There's a piece of fabric that matches the dress that their child was given," explained Sinfield.

Volunteers track the donated dresses through the entire process, saving a piece of fabric to return to the brides.

"We name and number every gown and we track it and we let them know and she gets a piece of it too," said Sinfield.

It's time-consuming work, but worth the effort. A chance to sew healing where there's heartbreak.

"It doesn't really hit us until we finish a dress and know where it's going to end up. That's when the tears start to fall," said Sinfield.

Volunteers for Sew Sweet Angel Gowns meet once a month at Bridgeway Community Church. Their next meet-up is on January 20th at 9:00 a.m.

Volunteers Needed: Sew Sweet Angel Gowns
Bridgeway Community Church
2420 E. Liberty Lane
Phoenix, AZ 85048
facebook.com/sewsweetangelgowns