Ladies Sewing Society

Moravian Ladies Sewing Society

For over one hundred sixty years, the ladies in the Moravian Ladies Sewing Society have been meeting to sew. This fellowship group provides an “outlet for our creativity” as one of our members expressed as a reason she joined the society. The sewing society was started in 1861 to sew items needed by the Union soldiers during the Civil War and continued sewing after the war ended doing relief work. Members of the Society were ladies from Bethlehem Area Moravian Churches; so, in 1869, the name of the group became Moravian Ladies Sewing Society. Starting in 1872, the society began making a cloth doll they named “Polly Heckewelder” in honor of the founding member of their group who had died in 1868. Polly Heckewelder dolls have been made since that time. In fact, it is the oldest continuously made cloth doll in America. Even though the group has not met weekly during the COVID pandemic, members have continued their sewing at home. In addition to continuing to make the dolls by sewing at home, bimonthly meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays are scheduled. Since the number of members in the group has decreased, new members are needed to keep up with our doll making. Each member of the groups specializes in sewing or making a particular part of the doll and will teach new members how to make a part of the doll. In addition to learning how to help make the doll, its clothes, or put it all together, experiencing the camaraderie of the group is a plus. Conversation around the table in the Church Office Conference Room where we meet is great! While sewing or working on the doll, one can learn from others in the group about Polly Heckewelder, the Society, Biblical topics, Hymns, Moravian history and/or traditions, and oral histories of Bethlehem or the Church.

If you are interested in becoming part of this group or have other questions about joining, contact Mary Brown at (610) 625-8966.