Sew Special Network of Northern Indiana was founded in 2019. A nonprofit, the organization makes items such as baby bibs, quilts, ornaments, hats, scarves, mittens, walker totes and bears.
Pictured from left are Margo Anderson, Phyllis Stevenson and Marsha Frantisak. The group meets in the basement of Frantisak’s home in Leesburg. InkFreeNews photo by Phoebe Muthart.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — In 2002, while living in Ohio, Marsha Frantisak had an idea. She started a sewing group in two rooms at

a school.

“We had to be a nonprofit and (our rooms) cost $50 a month,” she recalled. “They said we just had to clean up.”

The Girls Scouts and Frantisak’s husband, Don, also helped. The group became know as Sew Special Network.

When she moved to Indiana, Frantisak started working with the senior center in North Webster. “We made plastic mats out of shopping bags,” she recalled. The mats were sent to a homeless shelter in Fort Wayne.

Later, in 2020, the group made 4,000 masks during COVID for United Way and the organization grew from there.

Called Sew Special Network of Northern Indiana, the Kosciusko County group is comprised of all volunteers who donate their time. Founded in early 2019, SSNNI has since grown into a network of many individuals who give of their time and talents to help make items for various charities and service agencies while having fun in the process.

SSNNI’s motto is, “Do all the good you can, in all ways you can, for all people you can, at all times you can, as long as ever you can.”

The organization provides handmade items to hospitals, hospice or cancer agencies and children’s centers. It also makes items for nursing homes, homeless shelters and civic groups. Each year, SSNNI donates several thousand dollars worth of handmade items to these groups to help them help their clients.

SSNNI maintains a workshop, located in Leesburg, where volunteers can work on projects or pick up supplies to complete at their homes.

The workshop is located at Frantisak’s Leesburg home. Those interested in sewing, knitting, crocheting and other handcrafts are always welcome. All materials for projects are provided mostly by donations.

There are no regular meetings and one does not need to be crafty to be a network volunteer, as there are a variety of ways someone can help.

One of those volunteers is Margo Anderson of Warsaw. She’s been helping since 2020. Some of her handmade creations have gone to Haiti. “I taught sewing in Haiti, actually,” she said. She makes blankets, walker totes and is most known for her quilts.

Sue Sherman of Leesburg is known for her prayer blankets. She makes them for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Warsaw.

The amount of time a person gives is up to the individual. “All one needs is a desire to help,” she said. “We use our talents to give back to the community.”

Sew Special is an innovative volunteer organization where people gather to learn, exchange ideas and help others in the community.

The volunteer organization is also a great recycler of crafting and sewing supplies. Donations of unused supplies help keep the many items it produces on an extremely low budget.

SSNNI is having its first craft sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Eisenhower Elementary School, 1900 S. County Farm Road, Warsaw. A fundraiser, the event will feature items for sale and all the proceeds will directly benefit SSNNI.

Sew Special Network is a nonprofit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Workshop hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Friday or by appointment.

For more information, to volunteer or to donate materials, call (574) 453-2185 or email [email protected].

Pictured sewing are Phyllis Stevenson, front, and Margo Anderson. Both are volunteers with Sew Special Network of Northern Indiana. InkFreeNews photo by Phoebe Muthart.