Pillowcase pyjama pants to bring comfort to Thai orphans

INNOVATIVE: Thayo-Matisse Gapes, 5, checks out the novel bedtime clothing items that will be delivered to a children's refuge shelter in Thailand. PHOTO/BEN FRASER 280514BF2

A Rotorua Living Well church senior leader is proving a humble pillowcase is a versatile item - especially when helping the needy.

Jane Parrington, who helped establish the church, made pillowcase dresses last year to send to Vanuatu and has now moved on to pillowcase pyjama pants.

Mrs Parrington said it wasn't until the Thailand children's shelter, Thrive Rescue Home, contacted her asking for pyjama pants that she decided to do it again.

"I wasn't planning on making more pillowcase clothes but when the request came through I thought 'yeah, I can do that' and it just went from there."

The rescue home is in Pattaya, Thailand, a city infamous for its involvement in child trafficking and sex crimes. "This will be the first time I've travelled to the city and I am very grateful that shelters such as the Thrive Rescue Home exist to keep these innocent children safe. Any way we can help their cause, we are willing to do."

Mrs Parrington said it was easy enough making the pillowcase dresses last year so decided to use the same concept for the pyjama pants.

"To be honest the dresses were probably easier to make," she laughed. "I used a normal pyjama pattern but it was a bit more fiddly and sometimes hard to get the right length for the bigger children."

Along with a team, Mrs Parrington will travel to Pattaya on Tuesday to personally deliver the clothes.

"It feels good to use the little gift I have to make a difference in people's lives around the world.

"I love children and I love making something out of nothing so these projects are the perfect combination."

Mrs Parrington has plans to make reversible skirts to send to Vanuatu later this year. To donate unwanted pillowcases, contact the Living Well church (07) 348 7932.