She researched, located a dress pattern and set to work on that first infant dress. Not a fan of or adept in sewing, it took a long time, she said.
Upon completion, she put the tiny satin garment on a doll she had used for sizing.
“I didn’t think I’d ever use it,” she says.
A call from a former co-worker about a mother expected to lose her full-term baby that week send Ancelet out to a baby boutique for a christening gown for the baby, hat, shoes and socks. While mailing the package to Mississippi, Ancelet and a postal worker’s conversation surrounding the contents of the package led to another request.
“My brother lost his baby girl last night,” the worker said, in tears. “Can you get me something for her? She’s only like a pound and a half.”
Back at home in her “Angel” room, Ancelet took a dress from one of her pattern dolls, and crocheted some hats, finishing them off with pink rosebuds.
More requests came, volunteers came on board without being asked, the Angel Room grew into the Angel Studio, transformed from the Ancelets’ backyard garage, and Born with Angel Wings has soared since.
Monetary donations and corporate sponsorships keep the nonprofit afloat.
With chapters in East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge and Tangipahoa parishes, volunteers gather for workshops, work days and smaller groups for “fun days” at the Angel Studio for the assembly line-like detailed work of sewing garments, making hats, shoes, socks, diapers, blankets and more for inclusion in each Angel Wings gift. Angel Wings is also Cliff Ancelet’s mission. Now retired, he cooks, does the bookkeeping, hauls boxes, whatever the group needs.
Other volunteers live in Pennsylvania, Chicago, Michigan and other states, Ancelet said. Angel Wings supplies all materials, down to spools of thread, that the volunteers need. Those out-of-state are mailed their supplies and mail back their finished products.
The majority of the dresses are made from deconstructed wedding gown donations, the seamstresses trimming all the embellishments and using them and the material to create the tiny gowns, which come in different sizes to fit the infants’ varying gestation ranges.
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