Serving by Sewing

In Stitches with Deb Organization Acts as a Community Sewing Ministry

Writer / Julie Yates
Photographer / ????

In Stitches with Deb is a community ministry dedicated to making life a little easier for hospice patients and their families. Completely donation and volunteer based, it provides unique and colorful hospital gowns to facilities in Kokomo as well as hospice programs in surrounding counties.The organization got its start when Founder Deborah Zent realized there was a need for easy-to-put-on and comfortable clothing for those who are bedridden.

In 2013, after more than three decades as a nurse, Zent switched to the field of hospice. In one of the first homes she visited, she noticed that her 80-something patient was dressed in a button-down Oxford cloth shirt. His wife took Zent back to the kitchen where her sewing machine was located. She showed Zent how she sewed the front closed and altered the back by cutting the material out and installing ties.

“I started to wonder how others handle dressing at the end of life,” Zent says. “I went home and talked to my husband about how I wanted to make gowns for those who needed them. He agreed and my son helped as well. The demand grew so much, our family couldn’t keep up.”

Fortunately, by 2016 the community stepped up. The marketing department at St. Vincent Ascension got the word out that volunteers were needed and a local church, St. Joan of Arc, opened its gymnasium for the first community sewing event. Today, 20 core volunteers meet monthly, other individuals sew at home and the community event takes place annually.

“This year the community sewing event was held July 8,” Zent says. “We have many men that sew and even people that don’t know how to sew. There are other tasks they can do. We call ourselves ‘sewists’ because ‘sewers’ looks too much like sanitation plumbing. The ‘In stitches’ part of our name is for more reasons than one – we have fun.”

The majority of the gowns are constructed from easy-care, wash-and-wear cotton, although a few flannel ones are made as well. Three sizes are available including regular, which fits most people, petite for the small or short, and a plus size for bariatric patients. In addition, the group also makes other items such as catheter covers and clothing protectors. Everything is offered to patients for free.

The organization has had a ripple effect. Individuals from Florida, Missouri and Southern Indiana have contacted Zent in order to start similar groups. Patterns can be downloaded from the official In Stitches with Deb website. There is a tutorial on the site for instruction in sewing the gowns.

Also on the website is a QR code that links to the group’s Wish List on Amazon.com. It includes scissors, pins, ziplock plastic bags and laundry detergent, among other things. Many of the sewists buy the necessary materials on their own.

“This has been a God-inspired thing from the beginning,” Zent says. “He has sustained us with donations. There is no way I could do it all. I couldn’t do it without volunteers.” 

Visit institcheswithdeb.com for more info.