Debbie Powell, FACS, has taught at EHS for over a decade and she has always been looking for a way to reuse leftover fabric in her classroom. Powell not only teaches fashions but also teaches food classes here at EHS. Powell has had all three of her kids graduate from EHS and is a member of the Eureka community. 

In Powell’s Fashions 2 class, students are required to make quarter-zip jackets using fleece fabric. Her classes use large amounts of fabric every school year for multiple different projects. However, Powell has an alternative way to utilize the fabric other than just tossing leftovers in the trash.

“They make a fleece top and there’s always one piece of fabric left over,” Powell said. “I’ve just been saving them for years thinking someday it would be nice to make something out of them. I’ve been saving them for about 12 years.” 

Powell wanted to recycle the leftover fabric and give back instead of throwing it away.

Scraps of fabric became blankets for children with the help of the Family Career Community Leaders of America organization. 

“I called around to different hospitals and found out Shriners has a use for some,” Powell said. “We figured out what size they needed to be and cut the squares.”

The blankets that are being made are going to Shriners Children’s Hospital. Powell opens up her classroom up during Flex to students that are helping her craft the blankets. 

Students cut and stitch together fabric to create colorful blankets. Not only have Fashions students been involved, but the FCCLA club members have taken an active role, as well. 

”I have a teacher-aid hour so I’m in there and I’ve just been helping out,” Emilie Humes (11) said. “Most of the people that are involved in making the blankets are involved in either FCCLA or Advanced Fashions,” Humes said.

Powell’s small pieces of fabric have created a large impact on children all over the St. Louis area. Students interested should see Powell during Flex sessions three and four.