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Aug 15, 2023

Sew4Service in Wickliffe is a charitable outlet for the sewing community

Lucy Kulbago is a retired teacher who had always found joy in quilting and sewing. In 2021, after more than 20 years of teaching math and science, the Willoughby resident noticed the many people who

Lucy Kulbago is a retired teacher who had always found joy in quilting and sewing.

In 2021, after more than 20 years of teaching math and science, the Willoughby resident noticed the many people who were making items such as lap blankets, scarves or pillow cases to donate during the pandemic

It was then that Kulbago started to do some legwork, connecting with charitable organizations to learn what they would need, as well as connecting with people who were sewing. As a result, she founded Sew4Service, a nonprofit that serves Lake, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Summit counties, as well as Akron and Medina.

“Very quickly, my spare bedroom was overflowing,” she said. “That first year, I was like I need to get a space, so that’s when I was looking for studio space to rent.”

Kulbago opened up her studio in November 2022 at 30515 Euclid Ave. in Wickliffe. Over time, it’s morphed, she said.

“We still offer classes, but we’ve also started the fabric stash thrift store,” Kulbago said. “We have many donations that we use to make charitable items, but we can’t use all the fabric that way, so we are offering fabric, yarn, thread and all sorts of things at greatly discounted prices to try to help other creators get their supplies.”

In a matter of two years, 6,000 volunteer hours have been put into Kulbago’s nonprofit by 75 people. Additionally, 750 handmade items have been delivered to charities, 15 charities have received 7,500 pounds of donated fabric and 650 strings of yarn.

The nonprofit has also received $5,000 in grants and cash donations.

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Sew4Service in Wickliffe accepts donations of supplies and equipment in order to upcycle fabric and yarn into handmade items, which are in turn donated to local charities. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

“People like to make certain things or change what they make,” Kulbago said. “When it comes in, we try to find a charitable organization to donate them to. We don’t limit it to only lap blankets or pillow cases. We try to be open to allow whatever creative handmade items people like to make.”

Sew4Service has also partnered with Ryan’s Case for Smiles, a group that delivers pillow cases to children in hospitals who have cancer. Recently, the nonprofit has made connections with senior centers in the area.

“We take things to homeless shelters, pregnancy centers, pet shelters — we just took 600 placemats to the Lake County Council on Aging for their Meals on Wheels program,” Kulbago said. “We make fidget quilts, little lap quilts with doodads and things attached to it for people with Alzheimer’s memory issues, anxiety and autism.”

People with different ideas have visited Sew4Service’s studio space. Patti Zebrowski, who now volunteers for the nonprofit, was one of those people.

“It was actually Patti who came in talking about the placemats, so she helped me get set up there,” Kulbago said.

Zebrowski is a Painesville resident but Wickliffe native.

“You can only sew so much, but we get our fix here,” she said.

Kathy Riley, also a Painesville resident, is among Sew4Service’s volunteers.

“I’ve met so many wonderful people who you don’t meet sewing in your own home,” she said.

Sew4Service is currently working to partner with organizations who want them to teach a sewing class or do a service for them. One of those groups is NPower in Chardon who work with adults with developmental disabilities.

Kulbago has found that there seems to be an interest in beginner level classes for crocheting, hand sewing or learning how to use a sewing machine.

“We are trying to reach people who are looking for those types of classes and make it affordable, and accessible to them,” she said. “We also teach those classes in local libraries and seek out grants that help fund those classes to make it affordable through the library programming.”

People have also shown interest in teaching more advanced classes.

“We’re going to be expanding class offerings based on what people are looking for,” Kulbago said.

As things within the nonprofit have grown over time, Kulbago has found people who have a passion for what they’re doing. Michelle Lutz, now a board member who runs online sales and helps in the studio, found Kulbago in a local listing.

Michelle Lutz lends her experience to Sew4Service by helping organize our donations and connecting with the hand stitching community. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

Michelle Lutz lends her experience to Sew4Service by helping organize our donations and connecting with the hand stitching community. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

(Left to right) Kathy Riley, volunteer, Patti Zebrowski, volunteer, Michelle Lutz, donation coordinator, Lucy Kulbago, Sew4Service founder. (Marah Morrison -- The News-Herald)

A seven-year resident of Eastlake, Lutz also teaches classes for Sew4Service.

“Smiles with Style is a local organization that does makeovers and costume dress up days for children in hospitals,” Lutz said. “I recently made a connection with their founder, so we’re making some superhero and princess capes. We would like to make some drawstring bags and pillow cases, so we’re trying to coordinate a sewing day.”

Lutz has many years of experience hand stitching and selling items in craft shops. Her passion was what led her to find a creative outlet.

“She (Kulbago) had this and I was like this is a place I could get involved in,” Lutz said.

Since there’s textile waste, Sew4Service is trying to keep clothes and quilter’s scraps out of landfills.

“Part of the problem is we now have this whole generation who don’t know how to even mend their clothes,” Lutz said. “What’s happening to those is they’re getting thrifted or eventually ending up in a landfill. Scraps can become something else for somebody else.”

For Kulbago, it’s the community aspect she enjoys the most about Sew4Service.

“I could have done my own sewing by myself, but that was going to be lonely,” she said. “I wanted to reach out and start a community. Now, I have volunteers who like to come in every week, enjoy company and the community. We’ll have sewing days once a month at different places and people come together for charity, a good time and getting to know one another, and feeling they belong.”

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